King of the Francs 481-511.

Son of Childéric I and Basin, Clovis I succeeded his father as king of the Saliens Francs into 481, whereas the Roman Empire of Occident had not existed any more for five years.

Frank soldiers saliens had taken part in the defense of the Empire as of the medium of IVe century without being itself however as much romanized than their neighbors burgondes; Childéric controlled Belgium Second, that is to say a going territory of Rheims to Amiens and Boulogne, except for the area of Soissons, controlled by the Aegidius general then by his Syagrius son, who was entitled “king of the Romans”.

In 486, Clovis tackled this last, helped of king de Cambrai, Ragnacaire, probably one of his parents. They is undoubtedly at that time that it Maria with a Rhenish princess, of which it had a son, Thierry (unless this one is not resulting from a concubine), union whom one can interpret like a tactical alliance with his Eastern neighbors, allowing him to turn its ambitions towards the south. Clovis beat Syagrius (victory of Soissons, 486), then carried his efforts towards the Seine and the Loire.

At this time, the bishops of the frank kingdom could fear the conversion of their king to the arianism; one is unaware of if they contributed to the choice of Clotilde like marries for their king, but it is certain that they tried to make it profitable to lead Clovis to convert with the catholic faith; this one made public its decision only when it had made sure of the support of its aristocracy, and it is with many its warriors that it was baptized in Rheims, by Remi, probably the Christmas Day, probably into 498 (or in 496).

The historians generally associate this conversion with a war carried out against Alamans of the higher Rhine, and with the victory known as of Tolbiac (496): Clovis would have promised to convert if “God of Clotilde” gave him the victory.

The hegemony of Clovis on Beats

Clovis continued his policy of hegemony on Beats; he was combined to king de Genève, Godégisèle, which wanted to seize the territories of his/her Gondebaud brother; they forced this last to give up its kingdom and to take refuge in Avignon, but the help carried with Gondebaud by the armies of Alaric persuaded Clovis to give up Godégisèle. Clovis and Gondebaud were reconciled and, towards 502, his/her Thierry son married a girl of Sigismond.  

In 507, combined in Burgondes, Clovis overcame Alaric with Vouillé, which enabled him to seize Aquitaine, without reaching the Mediterranean however. It was essential thus like the most powerful de Gaulle sovereign, which the Roman Emperor of the East did not fail to recognize, Anastase, which perhaps raised it with the dignity of consul, certainly purely honorary but what illustrates the prestige who still stuck, at the Francs, at the institutions of Rome.  

This centring of its kingdom towards the south involved Clovis to transfer his capital to Paris, which had moreover many advantages: the site was well strengthened; its prestige was already large; moreover, Clovis made there raise a church of the Saint-Apostles intended to receive the tomb of holy Genevieve, then it his and that of his wife, Clotilde.  

During the last years of his reign, Clovis seized the frank kingdoms of Sigebert, Chararic and Ragnacaire by making them assassinate, and extended his authority beyond the river. The whole of the frank people was then practically unified under only one authority. The law in force towards the end of the reign only applied to Francs Saliens; said “pact of the salic law”, it remained primarily Germanic, and settled in particular the points of criminal law.  

Little before its death, the king joins together a council in Orleans, to which to share thirty-two bishops took, of which the half of its kingdom. Clovis died on on November 27th, 511 in Paris, after having divided his kingdom between his four sons, Thierry, Clodomir, Childebert and Clotaire.  

The reign of Clovis, and more particularly his baptism in Rheims, are at the origin of the myths which will legitimate the authority of the kings of the Francs. Many kings will bear the name of Clovis thereafter (Hlod-Wig, “which is illustrated with the combat”), in the shape of Louis, and almost all the kings will be made crown by the bishop of Rheims. It thus appears that the principal heritage of Clovis is well the catholic tradition, of which will not cease claiming the kings and the following dynasties.

635 - 657

King of the Francs (639-657).

Son of Dagobert I, he was king de Neustrie and of Burgundy.