Merovingian Francia and Visgothic Gaul Flashcards
what were the dates of Clovis’ life?
c.466-511
who was Clovis?
first ‘king’ to unite Frankish tribes under one ruler and founder of the Frankish state that came to include most of the Roman provinces of Gaul, as well as territories across the Rhine
when was the period of Frankish amalgamation?
507-8
since when was Clovis a Frankish chieftan?
480s
what did Frankish kingship join together?
pagan Frankish war lord and holy untouchable figure of authority
how long till did the Merovingians rule?
until 751
what is the account of Clovis’s career based overwhelmingly on?
the Histories by Gregory of Tours
what were the dates of Gregory of Tours life?
538-594
why are there few controls to monitor Gregory’s treatment of Frankish history?
he has a hold on subsequent texts such as Fredgar’s chronicle
what image does Collin’s say Gregory creates of Clovis?
‘image of an ideal catholic warrior king’
what does Wood say about Gregory’s account of Clovis?
‘seemed more concerned to create the image of a Catholic King against whom his successors could be assessed, than with any desire to provide an accurate account of the reign’
what was Gregory of Tours background?
aristocratic Gallo-Roman so well informed due to network of connections
what problems did Clovis face when he came to power?
1) System of governance/administration needed to be put in place
2) Borders needed to be defended
3) Laws needed to be put in place (inherited some Roman ones)
4) Establish legitimacy
evidence of Clovis’ deceptive and opportunistic approach to making alliances
1) Clovis initially persuades Chloderic to murder his father Sigibert but then murders Chloderic
2) secretly murdered Sygarius (ruler of the kingdom of Soissons)
3) orchestrated the destruction of Ragnachar
what did Clovis promise Chloderic if he mudered his father according to Gregory?
‘my alliance would come with it’
what does James say about treasure and political power in Clovis’s time?
1) ‘A treasury was the keystone of political power’
2) ‘Political power depended on supplies of treasure. Loyalty had to be bought; an ungenerous lord was an unsuccessful lord’
what does Chloderic say after killing his father and what is its significance?
‘I have taken over his kingdom and his treasure’ (placing two side by side demonstrated the importance of treasure in legitimising kingship)
why does Clovis decline to share in Chloderic’s inherited treasure?
careful not to share in the guilt that the treasure is symbolic of
what did Clovis do after taking over Alaric II’s kingdom and why is it significant?
‘removed all treasure from Toulouse’ (Gregory) (meant that the Goths had no incentive to return)
why was acclamation arguably the basis for Clovis’ rule?
he took pains to ensure that his public persona was viewed in a good light by the people that he sought to conquer
what does Clovis do to Chloderic according to Gregory?
sent envoys to ‘split Chloderic’s skull’
what did Clovis say about the murder of Sigibert and Chloderic?
‘I take no responsibility for what has happened. It is not for me to shed the blood of one of my fellow kings for that is a crime’’ (allows him to ascend to kingship of Chloderic’s people with their support as opposed to animosity)
what did the Rhineland Franks do to acclaim Clovis?
‘they raised Clovis on a shield and made him their ruler’
what did Clovis do according to Gregory when his troops marched on Poitiers?
‘Clovis forbade his troops to take any booty as they marched in, or to rob any man of his possessions’
how did Clovis murder Ragnachar?
from a distance (Ragnachar’s leudes received bronze coins for murdering Ragnachar)
what does Geary say Clovis used Christianity as?
‘victory giving ally’
when did Clovis convert to Christianity?
in either 496, 498, or as late as 506
why did Clovis convert to Christianity?
Gregory says vowed baptism in return for victory at battle at Tolbac against the Alemanni
what parallel does Gregory draw with Clovis when he was baptised?
‘like some new Constantine he stepped forward to the baptismal pool’
evidence of Clovis flipping between religious sects in order to maintain his political advantage
1) Initially flirted with or even converted to the Arianism of his Gothic and Burgundian neighbours
2) But upon deciding to risk a decisive contest with the Goths he converted to orthodox Christianity, the religion of the Gallo-Romans
why does Gregory say Clovis decided to risk contest with the Goths?
‘found it hard to go on seeing this Arians occupying a part of Gaul’
what does Geary say Christianization made possible?
‘not only the close cooperation between the Gallo-Romans and Franks…but a real amalgamation of the two peoples’
how did converting to Christianity aid Clovis’ military conquests against the Goths?
increased the likelihood that the Gallo-Roman aristocracies within the neighbouring Gothic and Burgundian kingdoms would be inclined to cooperate with him
what did Clovis’ conversion to Christianity lead to his appointment as by whom?
‘consul’ or ‘Augustus’ by the Emperor Anastasius
how did Clovis use his imperial recognition as ‘consul’ to strengthen his authority?
Appeared in the basilica of St Martin of Tours dressed in a purple tunic and a chlamys (enhanced legitimacy of kinship through association with Roman imperial tradition)
when did Clovis defeat Sygarius (ruler of the Kingdom of Soissons)?`
486
when did Clovis defeat the Alamans?
496 or 498 or 506
when was Clovis at war with the Gothic kingdom?
507
what settle Clovis’ victory over the Gothic Kingdom?
Battle at Vouillé
when did Clovis gain the Frankish Rhineland Kingdom?
509
what did Clovis say to incite Chloderic to murder his father according to GT?
“Your father is old. If he were to die his kingdom would come to you of right and my alliance would come with it”
what does Geary say about Clovis’ political infidelity?
‘by the time of Gregory, Clovis’ ruthless but clever manoeuvres had become legendary’
why doe Geary suspect that Clovis ‘flirted with or even converted to the Arianism of his Gothic and Burgundian neighbours’?
1) Avitus’ letter to Clovis suggest there was a geniune possibility that Clovis would opt for Arianism
2) Clovis’ sister Lenteild accepted arianism, most likely alongside his other sister Audofleda
what did Clovis craft to his rule?
crafted a dynastic element to his rule
how did Clovis expose his heir to the line of governing?
during quest against the Burgundian king Gundobad in 507, ‘Clovis sent his own son Theuderic through Albi and the town of Rodez to Clermont-Ferrand. As he moved forward Theuderic subjected to his father’s rule all the towns which lay between the two frontiers of the Goths and Burgundes’
what does Gregory say Clovis says about his lack of relatives?
‘How sad a thing it is that I live among strangers like some solitary pilgrim, and that I have none of my own relations left to help me when disaster threatens’
what circumstances made possible Clovis’ victory over the Visigoths in 507?
Power vacuum left by the death of the Visgothic king Euric
what did Clovis inherit from the late roman legacy?
1) estates in Gaul
2) much of the structure of tax and customs collection
what evidence is there that any King, not uniquely Clovis, would have used the late Roman legacy to further their rule?
1) Alaric II was concerned with establishing good relations with the Gallo-Roman bishops (e.g. supported a catholic church council held by Caesarius of Arles in Agde in 506)
2) James: ‘A traditional picture of Brunhild’s career sees her as a ‘Romaniser’, relying on Romans to help her policies of centralisation and tax reform’
