Clovis IKing of Salic Franks:

481 – 511 AD

Who was Clovis?

• Clovis (c. 466–511 AD) was the first King of the Franks to unite all the Frankish tribes under one ruler, changing the leadership from a group of royal chieftains, to rule by kings, ensuring that the kingship was held by his heirs.

• While he was not the first Frankish king, he was the kingdom’s political and religious founder.

• Clovis was not only a Frankish king, he was also a Roman official.

Saint Remigius baptizes Clovis, in a painting of c.a. 1500

Conversion to Catholicism

• The traditional date of the conversion of Clovis to Roman Catholicism is 496.• His conversion won him papal support and opened the way to wide conquests from the heretic (i.e., Arian) German peoples.• Burgundy was conquered (after 500); the Visigoths defeated at Vouillé (507); and their whole kingdom north of the Pyrenees (except Septimania and Provence) was soon subjugated.• Clovis founded the Church of the Holy Apostles (Ste. Geneviève) at Paris, and shortly moved his "capital" from Soissons to Paris.

Salic Law

• Under Clovis, the first codification of the Salian Franks' law took place.

• Salic law provided written codification of both civil law, such as the statutes governing inheritance, and criminal law, such as the punishment for murder.

• The Salic Law was written with the assistance of Gallo-Romans and the laws reflect the Roman Legal tradition and supported Christianity while at the same time containing much from the Salic traditions.

Clovis’ legacy

Clovis committed three important actions:• The Unification of the Frankish nation; assured the

influence of his people beyond the borders of Gaul, something no regional king could accomplish.

• The Conquest of Gaul; he laid the foundations of a later nation-state, France.

• His conversion to Christianity; he made himself the ally of the papacy and its protector as well as that of the people, who were mostly Catholics.