A Brief Summary of the Conversion of the Franks
A Brief Summary of the Conversion of the Franks
Lily Monroe
World History I
Mrs. Umfress
January 23, 2015 Gregory of Tours’, History of the Franks, recounts of the conversion of the Frankish Kingdom. Clovis, king of the Germanic tribes of Salian Franks in the year 496, and his wife, Clotilda disagreed on their firstborn son’s religious upbringing. Clotilda preferred their son to be baptized and constantly urged her husband to worship her God, whom she believed created everything. Her husband refused continuously only accepting his gods. Both husband and wife stood strongly by their beliefs. In the 15th year of Clovis’ reign, he was in a fierce battle with the Alamanni. At foreseeing his near destruction, he looked up to the heavens and called upon Jesus Christ for aid and in return, he himself would convert from his now useless gods. Instantly, the Alamanni fled, saw their king dead, and submitted to Clovis. Clovis told Clotilda and she went to Saint Remi, Bishop of Rheims, pressing him to persuade Clovis, as king, believe and preach the word of God. Clovis was reluctant because he believed his people could not easily give up their pagan gods but told Remi he would try. Before Clovis even begun to speak, his people called out to him, ready to worship the true God. Bishop Remi called for an immediate baptismal font. King Clovis was the first to be baptized and anointed followed by 3,000 of his army as well as his sisters.
Emperor Anastasius called Clovis to an assembly to the church of Blessed Saint Martin. At this meeting, Clovis crowned himself and humbly paraded through the entrance of the church showering his people with precious coins. Clovis was thenceforth titled Consul or Augustus. He later left Tours and established the throne of his empire in Paris.
Lily Monroe
World History I
Mrs. Umfress
January 23, 2015 Gregory of Tours’, History of the Franks, recounts of the conversion of the Frankish Kingdom. Clovis, king of the Germanic tribes of Salian Franks in the year 496, and his wife, Clotilda disagreed on their firstborn son’s religious upbringing. Clotilda preferred their son to be baptized and constantly urged her husband to worship her God, whom she believed created everything. Her husband refused continuously only accepting his gods. Both husband and wife stood strongly by their beliefs. In the 15th year of Clovis’ reign, he was in a fierce battle with the Alamanni. At foreseeing his near destruction, he looked up to the heavens and called upon Jesus Christ for aid and in return, he himself would convert from his now useless gods. Instantly, the Alamanni fled, saw their king dead, and submitted to Clovis. Clovis told Clotilda and she went to Saint Remi, Bishop of Rheims, pressing him to persuade Clovis, as king, believe and preach the word of God. Clovis was reluctant because he believed his people could not easily give up their pagan gods but told Remi he would try. Before Clovis even begun to speak, his people called out to him, ready to worship the true God. Bishop Remi called for an immediate baptismal font. King Clovis was the first to be baptized and anointed followed by 3,000 of his army as well as his sisters.
Emperor Anastasius called Clovis to an assembly to the church of Blessed Saint Martin. At this meeting, Clovis crowned himself and humbly paraded through the entrance of the church showering his people with precious coins. Clovis was thenceforth titled Consul or Augustus. He later left Tours and established the throne of his empire in Paris.