Franks

Q: Who were the Franks?

The Franks were a Germanic people originating along the lower Rhine River. They were originally settled in Belgium and along the Rhine by the Western Roman Empire, but they eventually conquered Gaul and expanded their influence to include much of Western and Central Europe.

Q: What ethnicity were the Franks?

The Franks were of Germanic origin, though they gradually became Romanized culturally as they intermingled with the Gallo-Roman population of Gaul. By the time of the Crusades, the word 'Frank' had lost its ethnic meaning and was used to broadly refer to Western or Central Europeans who practiced Catholicism.

Q: Why were the Franks called 'the Franks'?

The word 'Frank' means 'the fierce' or 'the brave', and also came to mean 'the free', which became the definition favored by the Franks themselves. The name also may have originated from the "franca", a type of throwing javelin that the Franks used in battle.

Q: Who were some important Frankish leaders?

Some notable Frankish leaders include Clovis I (r. 481-511), who conquered Gaul, converted to Christianity, and united the Franks; Charles Martel (r. c. 715-741), who founded the Carolingian Dynasty; and Charlemagne (r. 768-814), who doubled the size of the Frankish realm and became the first Holy Roman Emperor.

Harrison W. Mark

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Definition

The Franks were a Germanic people who originated along the lower Rhine River. They moved into Gaul during the Migration Age, where they established one of the largest and most powerful kingdoms in Europe after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. Their influence, which peaked under Charlemagne (l. 742-814), helped define Europe in the Middle Ages and beyond.

More about: Franks

Timeline

285 CE
Carausius is given the task of eliminating the Frankish and Saxon pirates.
451 CE
Aetius defeats Attila of the Huns at the Battle of the Catalaunian Fields, together with Rome's allies.
469 CE
A Saxon army is defeated by the Franks at Angers.
486 CE
Clovis I of the Franks defeats the Romans in Gaul. Founding of the Frankish kingdom.
503 CE
Clovis I converts to Christianity.
507 CE
Clovis defeats the Visigoths and drives them into the Iberian peninsula.
511 CE
Death of Clovis, founder of the Merovingian dynasty.
718 CE - 741 CE
Reign of Charles Martel.
751 CE - 768 CE
Reign of Pepin the Short, founder of Carolingian Dynasty.
774 CE
Lombards defeated by Charlemagne of the Franks; Lombard Kingdom falls.
800 CE - 814 CE
Reign of Charlemagne, Holy Roman Emperor.
814 CE - 840 CE
Reign of Louis the Pious.