HISTORY 221: THE MEDIEVAL LEGACY




READING GUIDE, WEEK 4: Frankish Society

A. The Tomb of Childeric, Father of Clovis (Geary, pp. 113-121)
This little dossier shows us the amazing influence that archaeology can have on history.  Keep the story in mind: in 1653 some workers in Tournai found, by complete luck, the tomb of a Frankish king, who has been identified as Childeric, father of Clovis.  Most of the objects have, sadly, been stolen or lost, but diagrams made in the 17th and 18th centuries remain.  We can use this dossier to gain a picture of what the cultural world of a germanic leader living in the late 5th century (ie., at the end of the Roman Empire) might have been like. We are especially interested in what this site can tell us about the mixing of Roman and Germanic cultures.
1.  Note carefully the amazing cultural blend reflected in the tomb objects. What does this tell us about the process by which the Roman Empire collapsed?  Does the usual Hollywood view of screaming barbarians destroying toga-clad Romans seem to hold up? How much contact was there between Franks and Romans?
2. Focus on the signet ring, with its inscription ("Childerici regis", ie., ‘of King Childeric').  What does that tell us? In what language is the inscription? Why is that important? Do you think traditional germanic culture had lots of use for signet rings? Why or why not? What does it imply about King Childeric and his aspirations?
3. Archaeologists found a horse's head buried next to Childeric's tomb, and an entire herd of sacrificed horses nearby. What does this suggest?
4. Although Geary provides no pictures of them, the tomb also contained hundreds of coins. Where did these coins come from? Why is it significant that Childeric possessed them? Why did his people bury them with their king?
5. How Roman does Childeric seem? How Germanic?
6. Do we have evidence (from Hollister, or from your own suspicions) of how Germanized the Romans had become by 480? What does this tell us about the process by which the Germans ‘conquered' the Roman Empire?

B. Letters to Clovis from Bishop Remigius and Bishop Avitus, c. 481
Clovis was the most successful early king of the Franks, one of the Germanic ‘tribes' that entered the Roman empire in the 5th century (he was also the son of Childeric, whose tomb we've just examined).  Clovis is known primarily for his military and political feats: he welded together a hodgepodge of different groups of Franks into a potent, unified force, with which he proceeded to carve out a large kingdom in the Roman province of Gaul.  His success was notable, since we now refer to "Gaul" by the name of Clovis' tribe: ‘France.'  Keep in mind that even though Clovis could be quite bloodthirsty and fierce, he was also extremely intelligent, and he worked hard to win support of the local Gallo-Roman (ie., provincial) elites.  In particular he recognized the value of the local bishops as leaders of their communities in political/military as well as religious affairs.  By 486 Clovis had embraced orthodox (ie. Catholic) Christianity, unlike many of his fellow Germanic leaders, who had adopted Arian Christianity. For this reason he was embraced and celebrated by the local bishops and Christian leaders.
1. Bishop Remigius wrote to Clovis shortly after Clovis became king, and many years before his conversion. What is his intention in writing to Clovis? How do you know?
2. What model of rulership does Remigius suggest? Does this sound similar to anything else we've read?
3. If we didn't know better, would it surprise you if this letter had been written to a Roman Emperor? Why?
4. Bishop Avitus wrote after Clovis' conversion to catholic Christianity. What is his intention in writing? Why?
5. Does Avitus seem to believe in multiple interpretations of Christianity? How do you know?
6. There is an implicit assumption that Clovis' conversion will influence others. Look for that subtext.  Why does Avitus think this might occur?
7. What does Avitus want Clovis to do now that he has converted?
8. What model of kingship do the two letters suggest? What role do bishops have in politics?

C. Gregory of Tours, from The History of the Franks (section on Clovis [d. 511]; Gregory wrote c. 580)
Gregory of Tours was the bishop of the old Gallo-Roman city of Tours, which by 500 was part of the kingdom of the Franks.  Gregory's family was of the old Roman aristocracy, and his particular case proves the general rule that there was a high degree of fusion between Roman and Germanic society: even though the Franks were in charge, the Gallic aristocracy did not disappear overnight. Indeed, most of the bishops still came from that old Gallo-Roman aristocracy.  Gregory's History of the Franks is thus one of the most important sources for the history of the fusion between Roman and Germanic culture and for the creation and nature of the post-Roman Germanic kingdoms.  In this excerpt, Gregory discusses the career of Clovis (482-511), the king of the Franks who cemented the Franks' power over Gaul in the late 5th century.
1. What traits made Clovis a good king?  A bad king? Be sure to distinguish between Frankish and modern values.
2. What was a Frankish king supposed to DO as a king? Are these expectations similar to those for Roman Emperors?
3. How Germanic was Clovis? How Roman? Can you detect elements of a cultural synthesis in him?
4. What was Clovis' relationship with Christianity? What sort of Christianity did he espouse? That is, how did he fit Christianity into his own cultural values and lifestyle? Does Gregory of Tours' view of Clovis' Christianity differ from Avitus of Vienne's? How?
5. What was the role of Clotild, Clovis' wife, in bringing Christianity to the Franks? Recall the story of how the Emperor Constantine was converted to Christianity (in 312). Are there parallels? What do those parallels tell us?
6. How did Clovis bring law and order to his realm? What ideas of law and order underpin his efforts?
7. What does the story of the ewer/vase tell us about Germanic ideas about law, order, and kingship?
8. How did Clovis treat his relatives? Is this significant? Why?

Homework for September 15: Map Quiz!
Study the maps in Hollister, particularly those on pp. 10-11, 40, 63, 97, and 121.  At the beginning of class I'll ask you to place 5-10 items on a blank map that I'll hand out.
    Make sure you can locate the following places
         Kingdom of the Franks
         Rome
         Constantinople
         Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms
         Paris
         Mediterranean Sea
         Alexandria
         Rheims
         the Loire River
         Saxony
         London
         Aquitaine
I will also expect you to be able to find the following places (some are not listed per se in H's maps, but you ought to know where they are! Consult an encyclopedia or atlas if you're uncertain):
         Egypt
         France
         Italy
         Germany
         England
         Jerusalem
         Greece
         Palestine
         Atlantic Ocean
         North Sea


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