) SAS. 
} 
t Roetent Ginx. comprehended the whole country bes 
TISOr7- ween the Pyrenees, the Alps, the Rhine, and the Ocean ; 
it was therefore of greater extent than modern France, 
seen of as it existed previously to the Revolution; for to the 
Gaul. dominions of that kingdom must be added, to form an 
accurate and complete estimate of the size of ancient 
Gaul, the duchy of Savoy, the cantons of Switzerland, 
the four electorates of the Rhine, and Pe 
Liege, Luxemburgh, Hainault, Flanders, and 
Gaul was added to the dominions of the Roman empire, 
principally by the valour and talents of Julius Cesar ; 
but it was not divided as a portion of that empire, till 
This monarch introduced a di- 
states. |The colony of Narbonne gave its name 
to the sea coast of the Mediterranean, , Pro- 
colony of Lugdunum or Lyons 
on the country between the Loire and the Seine, which, 
however, was originally denominated Celtic Gaul. Be- 
yond the Seine the Belgic division lay: this portion- of 
Gaul, in more ancient times, had been bounded only by 
Rhine ; bata time before the conquest of Gaul 
CG a 3 
assaulted by 
of part of Gaul, 
a small 
: the 
Ppeonen of Clots, ion Ssh, oC tape, Knee mentiones 
Even before this conquest, they 
ion in 
Shy 
FRANCE. _ 
tary’command was a buckler, on which the princes of 
this race were elevated: and the royal fashion of long 
hair was:the exclusive mark of their birth and dignity; 
while the rest of the nation’ were obliged) either by law 
or custom, to shave the hinder part of the head, to comb 
the hair over the forehead, and to content themselves 
with.two small whiskers.. The Franks were distinguish« 
ed from the inhabitants of the country in which they had 
now fixed themselves, by their lofty stature, and blue 
eyes ; by their close apparel ; their weighty sword sus« 
pended from a broad belt); a large shield ; and their ‘ex 
pertness in running, leaping, swimming, and darting the 
javelin or battle-axe with unerring aim. 
Of the particular circumstances attending the extension Clovis. 
of the. conquests of the Franks, little is known: their A: D. 481. 
regular and connected history begins with Clovis, in the 
year 481. This monarch atchieved the conquest of Gaul, 
by the defeat of the Roman governor; and by his mar~ 
riage with Clotilda, added dy, of which her father 
was sovereign, to his dominions, . Clotilda converted her 
husband to Christianity, and the conversion. of his sub= 
jects followed. Clovis conquered Aquitaine, bit retain- 
ed it. but a short time; he died in 511.’. In the last 
year of his reign, .he reformed and. published: the Salic 
laws: a few lines of these, which debarred women from 
inheriting what were called’ the Salic lands, have been 
applied as precluding females from the succession to the 
French throne. 4 
The successors of Clovis were in Gente weak and Mayors o, 
wicked, till, on the death of Dagobert II. 638, who left the palace. 
two infant sons, the sovereignty was taken from them by A. D. 638. 
the mayors of the palace, who were the first officers of 
the royal household. This office, from a al di 
nity, became hereditary in the family of Pepin Heristel. 
His son, Charles Martel, succeeded to the power of his 
father, though he still retained the name of mayor of the 
palace. He delivered France from the ravages of the Sa- 
racens, by a dreadful battle, in which they were utterly 
defeated, fought between Tours and Poictiers, A.D. 732. 
His grandson, Pepin le Bref, removing from the throne 
the Merovingian race, assumed, by the authority of a 
papal decree, the title of king, and reigned for seventeen 
years with dignity and success ; the founder of the second 
race of the French monarchs, known by the name of the 
Carlovingian race... In his time, the monarchy of the catoyin. 
Franks was divided into two large districts, Austrisia gian race. 
and Neustria. On his death-bed, he called a council of 
his grandees, and, with their consent, divided his domi- 
nions. between his two sons, Charles and Carloman. 
Carloman dying a few years after, his father, Charles Cha»to- 
succeeded to the undivided sovereignty. . This monarch, magne. 
so honourably known in history by the name of Charle- 
magne, reigned 45 years, during which period he extend- 
ed the limits of his empire beyond the Danube; subdued 
Dalmatia, Istria and Dacia, all the barbarous tribes to 
the banks. of the Vistula, made himself master:of a large 
part of Italy, and attacked the Saxons, Saracens, Buiga~ 
rians and Huns with success, ‘The Pope first crowned 
him King of France andthe, Lombards, and afterwards 
Emperor of the West. He had no fixed capital, and even 
History. 
