Clovis, king of the Franks, had a rich, colorful tribal history. He was the most striking historical character of the Merovingian dynasty - the first royal dynasty to rule the state, now covering France and Belgium. The name Clovis, meaning "loud battle", and later modified - Louis, fell in love with his descendants and became the most popular name in German and Romanesque Europe.
The historical roots of the Merovingian dynasty
The Merovingian dynasty has Frankish roots: until the 5th century, their ancestors were on German lands, but by the end of the century they went straight to Gaul, and settling there, they just founded a new state. Some historians claim that this state was called "Australia", with a center in the area of āāmodern Lorraine.
The time frame of Merovingian rule: 5-13 centuries. The golden age of the dynasty's reign falls on the period of the history of King Arthur, and because of this, the real history of the Merovingians is closely intertwined with German-Scandinavian mythology, which makes historical analysis extremely difficult.
The direct founder of the dynasty is Merovei, the grandfather of Clovis, who brought Roman rule to the lands of Gaul, a fashion for secular education and literacy. All his descendants were not crowned kings. However, they were revered by the people, which was built into a kind of ritual cult. Under Merowey, the post of "mayordom" was established - a post similar to the post of chancellor. Since then, all Merovingian monarchs have fulfilled their royal role, and administrative affairs have been transferred to the shoulders of the mayordom.
Sacred regalia and symbols of power
A distinctive imperious symbol of the Merovingians is long hair, the cutting of which was comparable to the renunciation of power. For example, Clotilde, the wife of Clovis, finding herself in a situation of choice: parting with the hair or death of captive grandchildren, agreed to the second option, without sacrificing her power. Long hair was also associated with the paranormal abilities of the Merovingians, including a healing gift. Like the biblical tale of Samson and the treacherous Delilah, cutting hair meant losing strength.
The sacred emblem of the dynasty is golden bees inlaid with garnets.
Bees are a sacred pagan symbol of immortality, eternal life. It was this emblem that Napoleon subsequently borrowed, believing that it would indicate the fact of the historical continuity of his power.
Mythological legend about the founder of the Merovingian dynasty
The meaning of the name Merovey is āglorious battleā. Gregory of Tours describes the legend according to which Merovei was born as a result of the union of his mother with a sea monster. The myth says that at the birth of a son, mother saw a boarās stubble on Meroveiās back. Historians associate this myth with the cult of the boar, the patron saint of military affairs and the god of fertility of the ancient Franks.
According to legend, this boar once a year comes ashore from Lake Retra and grants its fans fertility and success in the military field. Subsequently, in Germanic-Scandinavian mythology, one could observe an increase in the cult of the boar-leader.
What is interesting to chroniclers Clovis, king of the Franks. Meroving's biography and the historical significance of his reign
Clovis I is the name of three Frankish kings from the Merovingian dynasty. What do historians know about him?
Clovis, king of the francs, the grandson of Merovey, son of Hilderich I and Bazina, according to the annals, was born in about 466. At the age of 15, Clovis became the king for a small part of salic (i.e. sea) francs and closely engaged in expanding the borders of his territory.
Having conquered the territory of Siarpia, Clovis I and Allied kings entered the war with the Goths. Not disdaining any intrigues, or meanness, or murders, Clovis cleared all southwestern lands from the Goths. Already in 507, he sat on the throne of the ruler of all French lands. Historians believe that such a success was ensured by his decision to be baptized, dated December 25, 498. His husband Clotilde encouraged the king to be baptized.
During his reign, Clovis, king of the Franks, made Paris the capital of the conquered lands. And by initiating the creation of a set of Frankish laws, he also opened a new chapter in all of Northern European history.
Clovis died in Paris in 511, leaving all his lands as an inheritance to his sons.
Campaign against Siarpia. Tradition of the Soissons Cup
Having assumed the post of king, Clovis began to act according to the plan for the gradual seizure of all Gallic lands. The strategy was this: in order to get to the Gothic and Burgundy lands, which constituted a tidbit, it was necessary to subordinate the lands of Siarpia, adjacent to the coveted territory.
It was not difficult for Clovis to seize the land of Siarpia, and soon he, town by town, was gradually approaching the land of the Burgundians. The troops of Clovis did not shun any means of quick gain. In military campaigns, churches and temples were often robbed.
The following legend is widely known. As a result of another raid on the church, the Franks and their king Clovis came across an extremely valuable mug. This item was so important that the bishop literally begged the king to return it to the temple. Clovis was adamant and demanded that the circle be identified in his share of the trophies. All the companions of the king were not against such a division, but one of the Franks opposed and, hitting the mug with the sword, angrily told the king that he should not use his position and receive trophies beyond the established measure.
The king pretended to forgive him this trick, and even returned the mug to the bishop, but a year later, at a review of the troops, he accused the warrior of breaking his arms from the hands of the ax and throwing him to the ground, and when the warrior bent her, cut his skull in half.
Baptism of Clovis: Prerequisites and Consequences
The prerequisites for the adoption of Christianity by Clovis were his marriage to the zealous Catholic Clotilde, Princess of Burgundy. Having ascended the royal throne, Clotilde desperately tried to force her husband to accept her faith.
These attempts have been unsuccessful for a very long time. No matter how Clotilde Hlodwig proved the inconsistency of his gods, pointing to their similarity with ordinary, petty, vicious people, he stood his ground and answered her that he believes in his gods, and the god of Christianity is implausible, because he does not manifest himself and cannot create miracles.
Strongly pushed Clovis from the Christian faith and the fact that the firstborn of Clotilde died directly during baptism, in the font. Clovis at that time was sure that if the child was given under the protection of pagan gods, he would be alive.
Nevertheless, the water wears away the stone, and Clotilde achieved her goal. Around 498, the Gallic king was baptized.
According to the tradition of the church, this happened at the battle with the Almandians. When Clovis began to lose the battle, he cried out in vain to his gods for help, and when there was almost no hope of salvation, the king remembered the words of prayer to Jesus the Savior, uttered them, and the Franks, after a successful maneuver, defeated the Almandians.
The king was baptized in the city of Reims in 496. The conversion of Clovis and his closest subjects to the Christian faith opened up wide opportunities for friendship with the Gallo-Romans, which allowed him to significantly expand his possessions.
Religious Policy of the Merovingian Dynasty
It is interesting that the newly formed state of Australia did not become Christian in the literal sense of the word, even after the baptism of Clovis and his closest retinue. Despite all the efforts of the sincere Christian Clotilde, her husband did not come to true faith. As before, the people were loyal to pagan customs, rituals and the Scandinavian pantheon.
The Clovis of the Merovingian Dynasty was not particularly worried about the fate of Christianity in its lands. After baptism, nothing changed in his state policy, so the task of spreading the Christian faith fell on the shoulders of missionaries arriving from other parts of Europe. In the vicinity of Paris and Orleans, as well as other broad Merovingian possessions, the process of active "catholicization" of the local population began. Interestingly, the Pope, the head of the Catholic Church, did not gain authority in the Austrian lands, and a little later it was he who contributed to the overthrow of the Merovingian dynasty from the throne.
This is proved once again by the fact that the adoption of Christianity for Clovis, as well as for the Russian prince Vladimir, was a purely political cunning multi-way. The characterization of Clovis, king of the Franks, is generally very similar to that of Vladimir, Prince of Kievan Rus: they both baptized themselves and baptized their retinue based on political motives, namely, for friendship with Byzantium. The similarity of the scenario after the baptism is also noteworthy: as Gallia after the baptism of Clovis remained predominantly pagan, so Kievan Rus after Vladimirās baptism did not initially accept the Christian faith, but remained with its pagan pantheon.
Gothic war
When Clovis, king of the Franks, was converted to Christianity, the era of success in relations with the Gallo-Romans began. Closely getting close to the Gothic lands, Clovis, already receiving the support of the higher clergy, began the war against Gundobald in 500, the uncle of his wife Clotilde, who killed her parents and brothers for the throne. In the year 506, victory was won, and the conqueror finally entered the Visigoth kingdom. Clovis, according to Gregory of Tours, was extremely worried by the fact that the Goths oppressed some part of Gaul, so that the war undertaken by him was called sacred, which was extremely pleased by the higher clergy.
Finally, Clovis struck the Goths near Poitiers, on Vuglo. Having killed Alarich, the king is ready, the conqueror finally became convinced of his power and was so proud that soon the Byzantine emperor Anastasius was excited and sent him a letter to the consulate in order to indicate to Hlodwig his subordinate place and to confirm the primacy of the empire over all the lands that he had freed from the ready.
Brutal strategy to kill all potential adversaries
How can one describe the management of Clovis? After a successful Gallic war, he began to systematically destroy all his opponents, Gallic leaders. Capturing their lands and destroying everyone in a row, the king soon possessed almost all of Gaul.
The closest relatives, the brothers Rignomer and Richard, were killed personally by Clovis. The King of the Franks, whose biography is replete with many more "accidental" violent deaths of competitors, however, was not quick-tempered: not a single murder happened affectively, opponents were destroyed gradually, cunningly and imperceptibly.
In the end, Clovis killed all those who during his reign didnāt please him: Hararich, the king who refused to help in the battle against Siagrius, and his son, in order to stop the encroachment on the fatherās throne. Clovis did the same with the leaders of the Rhine Franks: Siegibert, his ally, he killed with the hands of his own son, promising the latter for his patronage his support and the royal mantle. When Chlodericus killed his father Sigibert, and Clovis entered the kingdom, he declared Chloderic a traitor, killed him and himself took the throne.
There is a known case when Clovis convened all his people and poured out their soul, complaining that he had no more relatives left who could support him. The whole cunning plan was to find out if the king still had any random relatives whom he would kill with great joy too.
Kingdom of Clovis as a new stage in French history
After the end of the Gothic war, Clovis made Paris the capital of all his lands and settled there. Then the king ordered the construction of the Cathedral of the Apostles Peter and Paul (now the church of St. Genevieve). After the death of Clovis in 511, he was buried there.
In 511, just before his death, Clovis initiated the first Frankish Church Council in Orleans with the goal of transforming the Gallic church. He also contributed to the establishment of Salicheskaya Pravda, the code of laws of the Franks.
After the death of the king, his possessions were divided by his four sons. Clotilde, numbered among the saints, moved to Tours and spent the rest of her days in the Basilica of St. Martin.
So, the story of Clovis remains heroic. Even despite some negative, unpleasant moments of his biography. The successful reign of Clovis launched the process of forming a kind of renewed Roman Empire - a state, the symbol of which was a mutually beneficial union between the state and the church, between the secular power of the Merovingians and the spiritual power of the Christian diocese.