Clovis I (redirected from Clovis I of France)

Clovis I (klō`vĭs), c.466–511, Frankish king (481–511), son of Childeric I and founder of the Merovingian monarchy. Originally little more than a tribal chieftain, he became sole leader of the Salian Franks by force of perseverance and by murdering a number of relatives. In 486 he defeated the Roman legions under Syagrius at Soissons, virtually ending Roman domination over Gaul. He then subdued the Thuringians. After his marriage (493) to the Burgundian princess Clotilda, a Catholic, he had his children baptized but was not immediately converted himself. He is said to have invoked the Christian God while locked in battle with the Alemanni in the late 490s. He defeated them and two years later converted, having been persuaded by Clotilda and St. Remi (also known as Remigius), bishop of Reims, who baptized him, reputedly along with 3,000 supporters. Thereafter Clovis was the champion of orthodox Christianity against the Arian heretics, the Burgundians, and the Visigoths. He attacked the Burgundians (500) at Dijon and the Visigoths (507) under Alaric II at Vouillé. When he died, he was master of most of Gaul—except Burgundy, Gascony, Provence, and Septimania—and of SW Germany. Shortly before his death he probably had the Salian Law revised and put into writing. Clovis united all Franks under his rule, gained the support of the Gallic clergy, made Paris his base of operations, and extended his conquests into Germany. He thus laid the foundation, which even 400 years of chaos and misrule could not destroy, of the French monarchy and foreshadowed the conquests of Charlemagne. He was succeeded by his four sons, Theodoric I, Clodomir, Childebert I, and Clotaire I.

Bibliography

See the history of Gregory of Tours; F. Lot, The End of the Ancient World and the Beginnings of the Middle Ages (1927; tr. 1953, repr. 1961); E. James, The Origins of France: Clovis and the Capetians, A.D. 500–1000 (1982); P. J. Geary Before France and Germany (1988).

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Clovis I

 German Chlodweg

(born c. 466—died Nov. 27, 511, Paris, Fr.) Merovingian founder of the Frankish kingdom. The son of Childeric I, king of the Salian Franks, Clovis was still a pagan when he conquered the last Roman ruler in Gaul at Soissons (486). He extended his rule as far south as Paris by 494. His wife, Clotilda, was a Catholic princess later recognized as a saint. She sought to convert Clovis to her faith. According to Gregory of Tours, during a faltering campaign against the Alamanni in 496, Clovis invoked his wife's god and saw defeat turned to victory. He was baptized at Reims two years later, and he credited St. Martin of Tours for his victory over the Visigoths. Although he was the first Germanic king to accept Catholic Christianity, Clovis expressed interest in Arian Christianity before converting to his wife's religion. He promulgated the legal code known as the Lex Salica. He is traditionally regarded as the founder of the French monarchy and the original French champion of the Christian faith.

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Clovis I

German name Chlodwig. ?466--511 ad, king of the Franks (481--511), who extended the Merovingian kingdom to include most of Gaul and SW Germany