Gregory of tours violence of the sixth century
Essay #1
In the time of Gregory of tours Eastern Europe as we know it today was in a state of constant change. Regularly new leaders were rising and falling from the barbarian tribes of the Franks and Gaul’s which took over their formerly Roman owned land. Gregory specifically describes the massive amounts of violence that hangs over that ancient world like a black cloud. Merovingian Gaul was a whirlpool of violence and war in the sixth century. Very few kings took territory and held it for long. King Clovis I was the first Frankish king to take Roman held land permanently. When Clovis I united the Franks that put an end to the crumbling Western Roman Empire. After becoming ruler of a large portion of the western European landmass he converted to Roman Catholic which in turn trickled down to his followers causing many of them to convert as well. Former roman peoples mostly welcomed their new Frankish ruler. When Clovis eventually died he passed his Kingdom on to his four sons: Theuderic, Chlodomer, Childebert, and Lothar. (HF162) They divided his kingdom equally upon themselves. Soon one of their kingdoms came under attack. Theuderic’s fourth of the kindom was attacked by sea under King Chlochiliach of the Danes. They came ashore and laid the region to waste taking prisoners and loot alike. Hearing this Theuderic sent his son Theudebert with a powerful army to resolve the Danish king. King Chlochiliach was killed and all the loot returned. (HF163) This is an example of a classic tactic of the time. King Chlochiliach was attempting to use the Raid and Plunder tactic then escape without any real threat to his army. Unfourtunately his ships were not large enough for his, his whole army, and his plunder. So he waited for their return only to be killed and his army destroyed. The Thuringians (natives of what is now central Germany) at this time were ruled by three brothers: Baderic, Hermanfrid, and Berthar. In a fight for more power and land Hermanfrid had defeated
In the time of Gregory of tours Eastern Europe as we know it today was in a state of constant change. Regularly new leaders were rising and falling from the barbarian tribes of the Franks and Gaul’s which took over their formerly Roman owned land. Gregory specifically describes the massive amounts of violence that hangs over that ancient world like a black cloud. Merovingian Gaul was a whirlpool of violence and war in the sixth century. Very few kings took territory and held it for long. King Clovis I was the first Frankish king to take Roman held land permanently. When Clovis I united the Franks that put an end to the crumbling Western Roman Empire. After becoming ruler of a large portion of the western European landmass he converted to Roman Catholic which in turn trickled down to his followers causing many of them to convert as well. Former roman peoples mostly welcomed their new Frankish ruler. When Clovis eventually died he passed his Kingdom on to his four sons: Theuderic, Chlodomer, Childebert, and Lothar. (HF162) They divided his kingdom equally upon themselves. Soon one of their kingdoms came under attack. Theuderic’s fourth of the kindom was attacked by sea under King Chlochiliach of the Danes. They came ashore and laid the region to waste taking prisoners and loot alike. Hearing this Theuderic sent his son Theudebert with a powerful army to resolve the Danish king. King Chlochiliach was killed and all the loot returned. (HF163) This is an example of a classic tactic of the time. King Chlochiliach was attempting to use the Raid and Plunder tactic then escape without any real threat to his army. Unfourtunately his ships were not large enough for his, his whole army, and his plunder. So he waited for their return only to be killed and his army destroyed. The Thuringians (natives of what is now central Germany) at this time were ruled by three brothers: Baderic, Hermanfrid, and Berthar. In a fight for more power and land Hermanfrid had defeated