Transcript
Page 1: Fifty Shades of Franks

Barbarian  Weekly  Presents  

Fifty  Shades  of  Franks  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Quincy  Leachman,  Joshua  Kazakoff,  Ian  Field,  Ryan  Formosa  

   

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Table  of  Contents:  

Page  2:  Mythological  Origins/Migration  

Page  4:  Franks  and  the  Roman  Empire  

Page  6:  Merovingian  Franks  

Page  7:  Clovis  I  

Page  8:  Merovingian  Dominance  of  Gaul  

Page  10:  Gregory  of  Tours  

Page  11:  Religion  

Page  12:  Charles  Martel  

Page  13:  Battle  of  Tours  

Page  14:  Carolingian  Dynasty  

Page  16:  Charlemagne  

Page  17:  Holy  Roman  Emperor  

Page  18:  Saxon  Campaigns  

Page  19:  Military  

Page  20:  Law/Government  

Page  21:  Art/Architecture  

Page  22:  Works  Cited  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Here  we  see  the  Franks  forcing  the  Saxons  to  cut  down  a  tree  involved  with  pagan  worship.  We  at  Barbarian  Weekly  like  to  think  

that  the  Franks  proceeded  to  bath  in  the  tears  of  the  vanquished  Saxons.

 

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Mythological  Origins:  

The  mythological  origins  of  the  Franks  

are  both  intriguing  and  complex.  

According  to  the  Chronicle  of  Fredegar,  

a  seventh  century  compilation  of  

writings  on  events  witnessed  first  hand  

in  Frankish  Gaul.  According  to  Fredegar,  

the  Franks  could  trace  their  lineage  back  

to  the  war  in  Troy  and  to  those  who  

escaped  the  city  after  it  fell.  In  fact,  

according  to  the  author,  “Priam  appears  

as  the  first  king  of  the  Franks”  (Wallace-­‐

Hadrill,  1960).  Up  until  the  1500s,  

authors  and  historians  widely  

considered  the  Trojan  origins  of  the  

Franks  to  be  the  truth  (Huppert,  1965),  

so  it  appears  that  the  legend  first  

designed  as  a  propaganda  tool  to  secure  

the  noble  origin  of  the  Merovingian  

kings.  As  the  story  goes,  Priam  left  Troy  

and  fled  to  Macedonia.  From  thence  his  

family  was  divided,  with  some  going  to  

found  Rome,  others    back  to  Asia  Minor,  

and  a  man  named  Francio  building  his  

kingdom  on  the  Rhine  (Wallace-­‐Hadrill,  

1960).  According  to  another  story,  the  

men  of  Troy  sailed  with  thousands  of  

soldiers  from  the  Aegean  to  the  Sea  of  

Azov,  but  were  defeated  in  battle  by  

Romans  and  some  ended  up  finding  

their  way  to  Germany.  Regardless  of  

which  story  one  believed,  it  seems  clear  

that  the  mythological  roots  of  the  

Franks  helped  secure  the  kings’  reign.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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When  you’re  descended  from  a  guys  who  exited  their  burning  city  while  carrying  entire  families  in  a  manner  that  Hollywood  has  

emulated  numerous  times  in  the  Die  Hard  franchise,  you  have  a  96%  chance  of  being  crazy  tough.  That’s  just  science.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

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Franks  and  the  Roman  

Empire:  

After  migrating  to  Gaul,  the  Frankish  

people  split  off  into  a  number  of  

different  factions,  the  two  main  ones  

being  the  Salians  and  the  Ripuarians.  

While  the  Ripuarians  became  pillagers,  

constantly  at  odds  with  the  Roman  

Empire,  the  Salians  allied  with  the  

Romans  (Anderson,  1997).  The  Romans  

settled  the  Salian  Franks  on  the  

boarders  of  their  empire,  using  them  as  

a  crucial  defensive  barrier.  The  Salians  

were  often  recruited  to  fight  in  the  

Roman  army  (Anderson  1997,  p.136).  In  

fact,  it  can  be  argued  that  the  continued  

process  of  amalgamation  with  the  

Romans  shaped  the  Salian  people  

(Anderson  1997,  p.136).  Even  the  

leaders  of  the  Salians  were  active  

members  of  the  Roman  army.  Examples  

of  this  were  Childeric  I  and  Clovis  I,  the  

founders  of  the  Merovingian  Empire.  

Childeric  and  Clovis  were  both  Roman  

generals,  and  Frankish  kings  (Kortüm,  

2010b).  After  the  fall  of  the  Roman  

Empire,  the  Merovingian  Franks  under  

Clovis  continued  with  a  number  of  

Roman  traditions.  The  most  prominent  

example  of  which  is  evident  within  the  

military,  where  they  continued  to  use  a  

number  of  Roman  practices  (Kortüm,  

2010b).  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Unlike  the  haphazard  tour  routes  selected  by  the  other,  

clearly  less  sophisticated,  barbarian  groups  the  Franks  kept  it  

simple.  Clearly  they  did  their  research,  proving  that  not  only  

did  the  Franks  have  biceps  the  size  of  pot  roasts  and  abs  like  

washboards,  but  minds  that  can  quash  the  Sunday  edition  of  

the  NY  times  crossword  in  a  matter  of  minutes.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Merovingian  Franks:  

The  first  sign  of  the  Merovingian  Franks  

was  predominately  seen  in  the  in  the  

latter  half  of  the  fifth  century.  The  name  

Merovingian  is  derived  from  the  king  of  

the  Salian  Franks,  Merovich.  (Britannica  

Online,  2012)    There  is  not  much  known  

about  Merovich  except  he  was  the  

father  of  Childeric  I,  who  carried  on  the  

Merovingian  dynasty  until  his  death  in  

481/482.  Clovis  I,  son  of  Childeric  I,  

expanded  the  Frankish  empire  by  

conquering  nearby  cities  and  tribes,  and  

united  almost  all  of  Gaul.  (Britannica  

Online,  2012)  During  the  reign  of  Clovis,  

he  was  one  of  the  first  to  convert  to  

Christianity,  which  was  a  new  religion  at  

this  time.  His  death  in  511  divided  the  

Frankish  kingdom  among  his  four  sons  

Theuderic  I,  Chlodomir,  Childebert  I  and  

Chlotar  I.  (Britannica  Online,  2012)  The  

four  brothers,  despite  their  upsets,  

managed  to  expand  the  Frankish  empire  

even  further  than  their  father.  By  the  

latter  half  of  the  sixth  century,  Chlotar  

was  the  last  of  the  sons  of  Clovis,  and  

his  death  in  561  divided  the  kingdom  

once  again  among  his  four  sons,  

Charibert  I,  Guntram,  Sigebert,  and  

Chilperic  I.  (Britannica  Online,  2012)  The  

Frankish  empire,  under  the  rule  of  these  

four  brothers,  suffered  extreme  

hardship,  and  prompted  a  

reorganization  of  the  Frankish  

Kingdoms.  Some  regions  merged  with  

different  kingdoms,  and  some  regions  

were  lost  entirely.  Despite  this  division,  

in  613,  Chlotar  II,  son  of  Chilperic  I  

united  the  kingdoms  once  again.  

(Britannica  Online,  2012)  However,  

some  years  later,  after  the  death  of  

Dagobert  I,  the  kingdom  was  yet  again  

divided.  At  this  time,  many  of  the  kings  

had  to  hand  their  power  over  to  the  

Mayors  of  the  Palace,  which  were  

mayors  who  supervised  a  number  of  

activities.  (Britannica  Online,  2012)  The  

soon  gained  more  power  and  

responsibilities,  which  turned  the  

remaining  Merovingian  kings  into  

nothing  more  than  puppets.  In  750,  

Childeric  III  was  the  last  of  the  

Merovingian  kings,  and  when  Pippin  III  

the  Short  deposed  him,  he  usurped  the  

throne  for  himself  and  thus  established  

the  Carolingian  dynasty.  (Britannica  

Online,  2012)  

 

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Clovis  I:  

Clovis  the  First  was  the  founder  of  the  

Merovingian  Dynasty  who  united  the  

Franks  under  one  ruler.  He  was  a  Salian  

Frankish  king  born  in  the  year  466  

(Kortüm,  2010a).  Clovis,  as  well  as  his  

father,  Childeric  I,  served  in  the  Roman  

army  as  Generals,  helping  the  Romans  

protect  their  borders.  At  the  age  of  only  

sixteen,  Clovis  succeeded  his  father  as  

king  of  the  Salians  and  Roman  general  

(Kortüm,  2010a).  After  the  fall  of  the  

Roman  Empire,  Clovis  began  his  

unification  of  the  Frankish  people  and  

the  creation  of  the  Merovingian  

Kingdom  (Kortüm,  2010b).  Clovis’  first  

major  victory  came  in  487  against  

Syagrius,  the  last  Roman  official  in  Gaul  

(Kortüm,  2010a).  Clovis  was  also  the  

first  Frankish  king  to  convert  to  

Christianity.  His  decision  to  be  baptised  

Catholic  could  be  seen  as  strategic  

(Kortüm,  2010a).  It  was  key  in  gaining  

the  support  of  the  Gallo-­‐Roman  peoples  

(Kortüm,  2010a).  Overall  Clovis  is  best  

known  for  uniting  the  Frankish  tribes  

under  one  ruler,  conquering  Gaul,  and  

the  conversion  to  Christianity.  Clovis  

died  on  November  27th,  511  (Clovis  I,  

2012).  After  his  death,  his  kingdom  was  

divided  between  his  four  sons  (Clovis  I,  

2012).  Clovis  was  buried  next  to  St  

Genevieve  in  the  church  of  the  Holy  

Apostles,  which  he  had  built  in  Paris  

(Clovis  I,  2012).  

 

With  his  ZZ  Top-­‐esque  beard  and  the  bone  structure  of  a  

male  model,  it’s  safe  to  assume  that  if  Clovis  were  alive  

today  he  would  be  featured  in  Dos  Equis  commercials  as  the  

most  interesting  man  alive.  Semi-­‐reliable  sources  have  

informed  us  Clovis’  favorite  pastimes  involved  arm-­‐wrestling  

grizzly  bears  and  bare-­‐knuckle  boxing  dragons.  

 

 

 

 

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Merovingian  Dominance  of  

Gaul:  

Clovis  I  was  predominately  one  of  the  

most  influential  rulers  in  Frankish  

history  and  he  transformed  Frankish  

society  in  ways  other  kings  never  could.  

Primarily  groups  such  as  Romans,  as  

well  as  a  large  population  of  Visigoths  

maintained  Gaul.  (Britannica  Online,  

2012)    It  was  not  until  the  latter  half  of  

the  fifth  century  that  Clovis  decided  to  

expand  his  empire  and  consume  all  of  

Gaul.  After  defeating  the  last  Roman  

official,  Syagrius,  in  the  northern  Gaul,  

and  the  Visigoths  in  the  southwestern  

Gaul,  Clovis  was  established  as  ruler  of  

nearly  all  the  Roman  Gaul.  (Britannica  

Online,  2012)  During  the  occupation  of  

Gaul,  Clovis  drafted  a  new  law  called  the  

Salic  law  or  Pactus  Legis  Salicae  and  was  

the  code  of  all  Salian  Franks.  (Britannica  

Online,  2012)    This  was  a  written  code,  

which  combines  customary  law,  Roman  

written  law,  Christian  ideals,  and  royal  

edicts.  The  latter  half  of  this  draft  was  

predominately  influenced  by  his  

Catholic  wife  Clotilda.  (Britannica  

Online,  2012)  Furthermore,  Clovis  dealt  

politically  and  diplomatically  with  the  

Catholic  bishops  of  Gaul  because  the  

bishops  saw  themselves  as  the  king’s  

natural  advisors.  (Britannica  Online,  

2012)  He  also  was  extremely  tolerant  by  

recognizing  their  rights  and  protecting  

their  property  up  until  his  death  in  511.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Gregory  of  Tours  (538-­‐594):  

Oddly  enough  for  a  figure  who  played  

such  an  important  role  in  Frankish  

history,  Gregory  of  Tours  was  not  

actually  a  Frank.  Gregory  was  a  member  

of  the  Gallo-­‐Roman  aristocracy  as  well  

as  the  Bishop  of  Tours  (Britannica  

Online,  2012).  As  both  a  member  of  the  

nobility  and  a  leading  church  official,  

Gregory  would  interact  with  many  of  

the  important  Frankish  figures  of  his  

period,  including  many  members  of  the  

royal  Merovingian  family.  Gregory  

would  actually  record  much  of  the  

history  of  the  Merovingian  Franks  in  

Historia  Francorum,  which  includes  

accounts  of  Clovis  I’s  conquest  of  Gaul.  

Gregory  of  Tours  remains  a  significant  

figure  because  his  works  remain  the  

predominant  source  of  information  on  

the  Franks  during  the  Merovingian  era  

(Gregory  of  Tours,  1997).  

 

 

 

 

   

We  know  what  you’re  all  thinking.  A  beard  like  that  deserves  

a  spot  on  the  cast  of  Duck  Dynasty.  We’re  in  the  process  of  

writing  strongly  worded  letters  to  the  show’s  producers  to  

see  if  they’ll  include  Gregory  in  the  next  season.  

 

 

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Religion:  

In  the  beginning  of  the  4th  century,  the  

Franks  were  predominately  pagans.  

They  built  false  idols  and  worshipped  

many  gods  by  making  continuous  

sacrifices,  in  order  to  bring  them  good  

fortune.  (Eupedia,  2004)  Clovis  I  was  

one  of  the  first  Frankish  kings  who  

converted  to  Christianity,  and  he  did  

this  primarily  because  his  wife,  Clotilda,  

was  Catholic.  (Gregory  of  Tours,  1997)  

After  the  death  of  his  first  son,  Clovis  did  

not  believe  in  his  wife’s  God,  instead  he  

believed  his  pagan  gods  blessed  him  

with  power  and  wealth.  Until  it  came  

about  that  his  two  armies  were  being  

slaughtered  and  on  the  edge  of  being  

destroyed,  and  so  Clovis  looked  to  the  

sky  and  begged  Clotilda’s  God  to  bless  

him  and  his  army.  (Gregory  of  Tours,  

1997)    On  that  day  God  blessed  him  and  

the  enemies  turned  and  fled  the  

battlefield.  He  claimed  that  it  was  no  

work  of  his  but  instead  Christ’s,  and  so  

he  converted  to  Christianity.  (Gregory  of  

Tours,  1997)  One  of  the  most  difficult  

problems  to  overcome  in  light  of  this  

new  conversion  was  that  the  people  

who  follow  Clovis  would  not  willingly  

abandon  their  gods.  However,  after  

Clovis  spoke  to  them  and  experienced  

the  will  of  God  in  his  words,  they  all  

rejoiced  in  the  name  of  Christ,  and  more  

than  three  thousand  followers  of  Clovis  

were  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  

Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit.  

(Gregory  of  Tours,  1997)    After  this,  

Clovis  felt  that  he  had  God’s  blessing  

and  waged  war  on  neighboring  

territories,  in  hope  of  claiming  their  land  

and  converting  them.  The  kings  after  

Clovis  remained  devoted  to  Christianity,  

and  continued  to  convert  as  many  as  

they  possibly  could,  and  with  the  

blessing  of  God,  they  truly  believed  they  

were  unstoppable.  (Gregory  of  Tours,  

1997)  Clovis  is  essential  to  religion  in  the  

time  of  the  Franks,  and  without  his  

conversion,  the  Frankish  empire  would  

have  a  completely  different  history.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Charles  Martel:  

Charles  Martel  was  the  illegitimate  son  

of  Pippin  II,  the  mayor  of  palace  of  

Austria.  (Britannica  Online,  2012)  When  

all  of  Pippin’s  legitimate  sons  were  

assassinated,  followed  by  him  shortly  

thereafter,  the  only  heirs  were  three  of  

his  grandsons  who  could  be  granted  

power  until  they  were  of  age.  So,  

Pippin’s  widow  was  to  hold  power  until  

one  of  the  grandsons  came  of  age.  

(Britannica  Online,  2012)  Charles,  being  

illegitimate,  was  neglected  in  Pippin’s  

will,  and  unfortunately  received  nothing  

from  it.  The  king,  Childeric  II,  joined  

forces  with  the  Frisians  in  attempt  to  

assassinate  Charles,  who  was  then  

thrown  in  prison  by  Plectrude,  Pippin’s  

widow.  (Britannica  Online,  2012)  

Charles  escaped  and  raised  an  army  and  

defeated  the  Neustrians,  which  led  to  

him  becoming  mayor  in  719,  and  

governing  the  Franks  by  himself.  

(Britannica  Online,  2012)  Throughout  his  

reign,  he  attempted  to  gain  many  

territories  and  conquer  many  tribes,  

some  were  successful  and  some  were  

not.  Charles,  being  a  Christian,  aided  St.  

Boniface  in  converting  other  Germanic  

tribes  to  Christianity.  (Britannica  Online,  

2012)  The  Battle  of  Tours  had  to  be  

Charles’  greatest  accomplishment  far  

none.  The  Muslims  had  raided  Frankish  

territories,  threatening  Gaul  in  

particular,  it  seemed  as  if  no  one  could  

stop  them.  Charles’  cavalry  managed  to  

defeat  the  Muslims  and  turn  back  the  

onslaught  at  the  Battle  of  Tours.  

(Britannica  Online,  2012)  This  victory  

established  Charles  as  a  firm  Frankish  

authority  and  he  continued  to  expand  

his  empire  and  forced  territories  such  as  

Burgundy  to  yield  to  his  rule,  while  

continuing  to  fend  off  Muslim  advances.  

(Britannica  Online,  2012)  In  741,  Charles  

retired  to  his  palace  at  Quierzy-­‐sur-­‐Oise,  

where  he  died  soon  after.  Before  he  

passed  away,  he  divided  his  kingdom  to  

his  two  sons  Pippin  III  and  Carloman.  He  

is  still  seen  as  an  iconic  figure  of  

Frankish  history  today.  (Britannica  

Online,  2012)  

 

 

 

 

 

Page 15: Fifty Shades of Franks

Battle  of  Tours:  

In  732  AD  a  Frankish  army  met  a  force  

of  Moors  from  al-­‐Andalus  (Moor  

controlled  areas  of  the  Iberian  

peninsula)  in  battle  outside  of  Poitiers  in  

the  West  of  France.  Details  concerning  

numbers  are  difficult  to  come  by,  but  it  

is  commonly  thought  that  both  armies  

numbered  in  the  tens  of  thousands.  The  

Muslim  force,  making  their  way  into  

Europe  to  expand  the  already  

impressive  sphere  of  influence  exerted  

by  the  Umayyad  Caliphate  centered  in  

Damascus.  The  battle  marked  the  final  

extent  of  the  Muslim  push  into  Christian  

Europe,  and  is  considered  one  of  the  

greatest  battles  fought  by  a  Christian  

army  in  this  period.  The  Muslim  army,  

led  by  the  illustrious  emir  of  al-­‐Andalus,  

Abdul  Rahman  Al  Ghafiqi,  had  surged  

through  southern  France  facing  very  

little  serious  resistance.  Their  powerful  

cavalry  was  unparalleled  in  open  

warfare.  Charles  Martel,  the  Mayor  of  

the  Merovingian  palace  and  de  facto  

sovereign  of  the  Frankish  realm,  led  his  

army  to  the  field  of  battle,  where  the  

Moors  had  already  drawn  up  

defensively.  An  initial  Muslim  cavalry  

charge  is  repelled  by  Martel’s  Franks,  

and  a  counter-­‐attack  by  cavalry  from  

Aquitaine  managed  to  force  the  Emir’s  

host  into  a  hasty  retreat.  Amid  the  

chaos,  and  luckily  for  the  Christians,  Al  

Ghafiqi  was  killed,  causing  the  Moors  to  

quickly  fall  into  disarray.  Martel  allowed  

the  Moors  to  retreat,  and  rather  than  

pursuing  and  crushing  his  foes,  turned  

and  led  his  army  away  from  the  field  of  

battle  (Vick,  2011).  After  this  battle,  

“there  were  no  further  Muslim  

invasions  of  Frankish  territory.”  (Battle  

of  Tours,  2012).  Additionally,  Martel’s  

victory  prevented  conquest  of  Europe  

by  the  Umayyads,  allowing  Western  

Civilization  to  continue  to  flourish.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page 16: Fifty Shades of Franks

The  Carolingian  Dynasty:  

By  the  eighth  century,  the  Merovingian  

Dynasty  had  fallen  into  decline.  A  series  

of  inept  rulers  had  delegated  many  of  

the  important  administrative  duties  to  

members  of  the  nobility.  One  of  the  

most  powerful  Frankish  families  during  

this  period  was  the  Carolingian  family,  

many  of  whom  held  prominent  

positions  at  court.  The  Carolingian  

family  would  often  control  Frankish  

government  through  a  weak  

Merovingian  king  who  would  essentially  

act  as  a  puppet.  Notable  Carolingian  

lords  would  include  the  famous  Charles  

Martel,  who  would  defeat  a  Muslim  

force  from  Spain  at  the  Battle  of  Tours  

in  732  (Britannica  Online,  2012).  By  751,  

with  the  support  of  the  papacy,  Martel’s  

son  Pepin  the  Short  would  overthrow  

the  final  Merovingian  king,  Childeric  III.  

Pepin  proved  to  be  an  efficient  leader,  

successfully  campaigning  against  a  

number  of  other  groups,  including  the  

Lombards  and  Spanish  Muslims.  When  

he  died  in  768,  his  realm  would  be  split  

between  his  sons  Charles  and  Carloman  

(History).  Charles  would  eventually  

absorb  Carloman’s  holdings  and  greatly  

expand  the  Frankish  Empire,  earning  

him  the  title  “Charles  the  Great,”  or  

Charlemagne  (King,  1986).  

Charlemagne’s  reign  is  considered  to  be  

a  period  of  cultural  revival,  often  

referred  to  as  the  Carolingian  

Renaissance.  By  the  early  ninth  century,  

the  Frankish  empire  encompassed  most  

of  Western  Europe.  In  800,  Pope  Leo  III  

would  crown  Charlemagne  as  the  very  

first  Holy  Roman  Emperor  (King,  1986).  

In  814,  Charlemagne  died  and  left  the  

empire  to  his  son,  Louis  the  Pious.  Louis  

and  his  successors  proved  unable  to  

bring  the  stability  seen  during  

Charlemagne’s  reign.  The  empire  was  

constantly  being  divided  between  

various  princes,  often  followed  by  

periods  of  intense  civil  war  (King,  1986).  

In  843,  the  Treaty  of  Verdun  formally  

divided  the  Frankish  Empire  (Britannica  

Online,  2012).  A  series  of  weak  rulers  

and  attacks  from  groups  like  the  Vikings  

would  lead  to  continuing  decline  of  the  

Carolingian  dynasty  (King,  1986).    

 

 

 

 

Page 17: Fifty Shades of Franks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page 18: Fifty Shades of Franks

Charlemagne:  

Charles  the  Great,  or  Charlemagne  was  the  eighth  century  king  of  the  Franks,  and  the  

first  Holy  Roman  Emperor.  Born  to  the  mayor  of  the  Merovingian  palace,  Charles  was  

probably  groomed  for  leadership  from  a  very  young  age.  When  Charlemagne  was  a  boy,  

his  father,  with  papal  backing,  took  power  from  the  Merovingian  king  Childeric  III.  

Agreeing  to  defend  Papal  lands  in  return  for  an  official  recognition  of  his  dynasty,  the  

Carolingians.  Charles’  father  left  the  large  Frankish  kingdom  to  his  two  sons,  and  fierce  

rivalry  between  the  two  ended  only  with  the  death  of  Charles’  brother,  Carloman.  

Charlemagne  took  control  of  the  entire  Frankish  empire.  During  his  reign,  Charles  kept  

his  armies  occupied,  managing  to  conquer  Aquitania,  parts  of  Italy,  Saxonia,  Bavaria,  and  

lands  to  the  north.  In  an  attempt  to  reintroduce  Christianity  to  Spain,  Charles  led  a  

famous  Iberian  invasion  in  778,  but  was  soundly  beaten  at  the  Battle  of  Saragossa.  

During  his  return  to  France,  he  had  his  forces  massacred  by  basques  leading  to  the  

acclaimed  epic  “The  Song  of  Roland”  (McGill,  2009).  He  is  responsible  for  the  expansion  

the  Frankish  empire  to  its  greatest  extent,  bringing  Frankish  influence  almost  as  far  as  

the  Danube  to  the  east,  and  north  as  far  as  modern  Denmark  (McKitterick,  2008).  In  the  

year  800,  Charles  was  crowned  Holy  Roman  Emperor  by  Pope  Leo  III,  making  him  the  

the  first  Western  emperor  since  Romulus  Augustulus  in  the  fifth  century  (Bryce,  1961)  In  

814  Charlemagne  fell  ill  and  died,  leaving  his  empire  to  his  son  Louis.  Charlemagne’s  

legacy  is  impressive.  His  military  prowess  carved  out  the  most  significant  empire  in  

Medieval  Europe,  and  his  successors  would  lay  the  foundations  for  the  modern  states  of  

France  and  Germany  (Holy  Roman  Empire,  2012).  

 

 

 

 

 

Page 19: Fifty Shades of Franks

Holy  Roman  Emperor:  

In  the  year  795,  Pope  Leo  III  ascended  the  pontifical  throne  (Granshof  1949,  p.524).  In  

order  to  protect  against  corruption  within  the  church,  it  was  determined  that  the  

reestablishment  of  a  Western  imperial  power  was  necessary  to  fulfil  the  will  of  God  on  

earth,  as  well  as  to  protect  the  faith  and  church  (Granshof  1949,  p.524).  They  believed  

that  Charlemagne  satisfied  the  need  to  be  that  Roman  Christian  Emperor  (Granshof  

1949,  p.524).  In  799  a  situation  arose  that  would  allow  for  this.  A  revolution  in  Rome  

caused  the  overthrowing  of  Pope  Leo  III,  this  created  a  difficult  situation  (Granshof  

1949,  p.524).  After  reinstating  Pope  Leo  III,  Charlemagne  visited  Rome  in  order  to  put  in  

order  the  affairs  of  the  church  (Granshof  1949,  p.524).  While  praying  during  mass  on  

Christmas,  December  25th,  800,  Charlemagne  was  Crowned  Holy  Roman  Emperor  

(Granshof  1949,  p.524).  Pope  Leo  III  found  that  while  Charlemagne  was  in  Rome  

restoring  order  to  the  church  was  the  perfect  time  to  crown  him.  After  the  coronation  

Charlemagne  went  to  work  gaining  recognition  from  the  East.  He  did  this  by  applying  

both  political  and  military  pressure  until  the  Byzantium  emperor  Michael  I  Rhangabes  

recognized  Charlemagne  as  the  Holy  Roman  Emperor  (Granshof  1949,  p.525).    

Charlemagne  finally  achieved  this  in  the  year  812  (Granshof  1949,  p.524).  

Charlemagne’s  coronation  marked  him  as  the  first  crowned  ruler  of  the  West  since  the  

fall  of  the  Roman  Empire.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page 20: Fifty Shades of Franks

The  Saxon  Wars:  

During  Charlemagne’s  reign,  he  was  in  an  almost  perpetual  state  of  conflict.  Some  of  his  

most  important  campaigns  were  a  series  of  wars  against  the  Germanic  Saxons,  known  as  

the  Saxon  Wars.  During  this  period,  the  Saxons  were  predominately  pagan.  Therefore,  

many  of  Charlemagne’s  wars  against  the  Saxon  tribes  were  justified  as  wars  of  

conversion.  During  the  wars,  Charlemagne  would  often  force  defeated  Saxons  to  

convert  to  Christianity,  destroy  centers  of  pagan  worship,  and  divide  his  newly  acquired  

territories  into  areas  of  religious  administration.  Perhaps  the  most  famous  of  

Charlemagne’s  Saxon  opponents  was  King  Widukind.  Widukind  would  lead  a  series  of  

rebellions  against  the  Franks  in  the  late  eighth  century  (New  Advent,  2009).  

Charlemagne  dealt  with  these  rebellions  ruthlessly,  perhaps  best  displayed  in  the  

Verden  Massacre  of  782,  where  Frankish  forces  executed  4,500  Saxon  prisoners  in  

response  to  renewed  Saxon  rebellions  (History).    Eventually,  after  years  of  conflict,  

Widukind  was  subdued  by  Charlemagne  and  forced  to  accept  Christianity  (New  Advent,  

2009).  There  would  be  a  few  more  Saxon  rebellions  in  later  years,  but  none  of  them  

would  prove  successful.  Charlemagne  would  go  on  to  create  a  new  class  of  nobility,  both  

Frankish  and  Saxon,  and  bring  a  new  code  of  laws  to  the  region.  Eventually,  the  majority  

of  Saxons  would  convert  to  Christianity  and  largely  become  absorbed  within  the  

Frankish  Empire  (History).  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page 21: Fifty Shades of Franks

Frankish  Military:  

Throughout  their  existence  the  Franks  had  a  rather  diverse  military.  Starting  with  their  

settling  in  Gaul,  the  Franks  displayed  a  very  barbarian  military.  This  means  it  consisted  

mostly  of  a  fairly  disorganized,  brutish,  pillaging  force.  After  the  settlement,  with  the  

Frankish  involvement  in  the  Roman  army,  the  Frankish  military  changed.  With  Clovis  I  

being  a  Roman  General(  Clovis  I,  2012),  many  aspects  of  the  Roman  army  were  

incorporated  into  the  Frankish  military.  This  created  a  more  organized  and  efficient  

fighting  force.  Clovis  incorporated  siege  warfare  into  the  Merovingian  military  

(Verbruggen  2005,  p.12).  They  also  had  an  organized  fighting  body,  followed  by  archers  

and  spearmen;  this  allowed  for  their  army  to  fight  hand-­‐to-­‐hand,  while  picking  off  the  

back  ranks  of  their  enemies  with  projectiles  (Verbruggen  2005,  p.12).  They  would  press  

this  force  forward  in  order  to  force  the  battle  to  be  fought  their  way:  up  close.  This  

being  said,  the  Merovingians  were  able  to  keep  some  of  their  barbarian  influences  as  

well,  such  as  the  use  of  mounted  soldiers.  Cavalry  was  something  that  was  a  vital  to  the  

Franks  throughout  their  history.  Charles  Martel  again  was  also  a  large  supporter  of  the  

quick  advance  to  force  battle  (Verbruggen  2005,  p.13).  Cavalry  was  also  something  he  

used  quite  extensively.  In  717,  Charles  chased  a  fleeing  army  to  Paris  with  his  cavalry,  

subsequently  subjugating  the  entire  area  (Verbruggen  2005,  p.13).  The  weapons  used  

by  the  Franks  were  primarily  swords,  spears,  bows,  and  warhorses  (Verbruggen  2005,  

p.12).  The  Franks  also  used  a  throwing  axe  called  a  francisca  to  break  defences  as  they  

were  charging  (Tactics,  2012).  As  for  armour,  they  used  chainmail,  helmets  and  shields  

(Tactics,  2012).  Considering  the  warlike  nature  of  the  Frankish  people,  much  of  what  we  

know  about  their  weapons  and  armour  comes  from  the  examining  of  Frankish  graves  

(Soulat,  2011).  Among  other  objects,  axe  heads,  spearheads,  and  swords  have  been  

found  in  Frankish  graves  (Soulat  2011,  p.63).  

 

 

 

Page 22: Fifty Shades of Franks

Law  and  Government:  

Early  Frankish  law  varies  between  the  two  major  Frankish  tribal  groups,  the  Salians  and  

the  Ripuarians.  Each  separate  group  had  its  own  set  of  legal  codes,  Salic  and  Ripuarian  

Law.  These  legal  systems  shared  many  similarities  with  other  contemporary  Germanic  

laws,  which  are  usually  characterized  by  an  overall  concern  for  the  security  of  the  

individual  as  opposed  to  the  state  (Wood,  1994).  As  the  Frankish  Empire  expanded,  its  

legal  system  would  often  borrow  bits  and  pieces  from  the  tribal  groups  it  absorbed,  

including  sections  from  the  Alamanni  (.  Frankish  government  operated  in  a  manner  that  

laid  the  framework  for  the  feudal  system  that  dominated  the  medieval  period.  The  king  

would  rely  on  the  assistance  of  the  nobility  to  provide  military  assistance  during  times  of  

war,  and  in  exchange  he  would  often  redistribute  spoils  amongst  his  supporters.  The  

king  was  expected  to  sustain  himself  on  the  income  from  his  own  personal  holdings,  

another  tradition  that  would  remain  prominent  in  the  middle  ages  (Eupedia,  2004).    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page 23: Fifty Shades of Franks

Art  and  Architecture:  

In  the  early  days  of  a  Frankish  empire,  architecture  and  art  was  dominated  by  the  

Church.  This  was  mostly  a  direct  result  of  Clovis  and  his  successors  relying  on  a  strong  

Christian  influence  throughout  Gaul  and  support  from  Rome  to  maintain  order.  

Churches  and  monasteries  sprung  up  all  over  Merovingian  Gaul  with  much  of  their  

design  and  construction  cues  taken  from  Roman  forms.  However,  it  is  thought  that  in  a  

uniquely  Frankish  way,  the  reliquary  of  the  saint  to  whom  the  church  was  dedicated  

would  be  visible  and  accessible  from  the  nave  and  transept  (Jacobsen,  1997).  

Traditionally,  such  relics  would  be  held  within  the  altar  or  below  the  floor.  As  time  wore  

on,  Frankish  art  migrated  into  different  fields  but  remained  mostly  religious.  Sculpture,  

illumination,  mosaics  in  the  Roman  tradition,  and  ornate  metalwork  like  the  golden  altar  

at  Sant’Ambrogio  in  Milan  (Danielson,  2007).  Charlemagne,  himself  a  great  patron  of  the  

arts,  hosted  what  is  known  as  the  Carolingian  Renaissance,  a  period  of  cultural  renewal  

during  which  the  arts  flourished.  He  is  responsible  for  the  building  of  the  great  cathedral  

at  Aachen,  within  which  his  remains  rest.  Additionally,  we  see  that  in  this  period  

beautiful  illuminations  are  commonly  made,  as  well  as  impressive  metalwork,  paintings,  

and  mosaics  (Carolingian  Art,  2012).  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page 24: Fifty Shades of Franks

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