FRA 
occupied, interfered: and overflowed by the ftagnating 
waters of the redundant river; but a colony eftablithed by 
the emperor on ihe fea-coaft of Ponttis, animated by their 
unconquerable love of freedom, feized a fleet ftationed in 
the harbours of the Buxine fea, and refolved to explore 
their way from the mouth of the Phafis to that of the 
Rhine. They efcaped through the Bofphorus and Hel- 
lefpont, and fpread their depredations along the coafts of 
the Mediterranean ; th.e defencelefs fltores of Alia, Greece, 
and Africa, were afflicted by their frequent defeents; the 
city of Svracuf’e was furpriled, her treafures rifled, and 
her inhabitants malFacred. Thence directing their collide 
to the columns of Hercules, they committed themfelves 
to the wide expanfe of the ocean; and (leering through 
the Britilh channel, landed triumphant on the Batavian 
or Frifian (bores. 
From tiiis time, through a long period of barbaric dark- 
nefs, this enterprifing people are concealed from our view ; 
but they emerged again when the throne of Valentinian 
th„e Third was fluken by the Scythian forces, and the 
viiflorious Attila poured on the empire the terror of his 
arms. The Franks now feized the favourable moment 
of emerprize, and embraced the opportunity of extending 
the limits of their monarchy. Pharamond, their chief, 
led them acrofs the Rhine, about the year 412, with a de¬ 
termined refolution of eflablifliing their empire in the 
heart of Gaul. The fpirit of refinance among the abo¬ 
riginal inhabitants fpeedily melted away; their invaders 
on every fide were crowned with fticcefs, and the victo¬ 
rious Franks thus fubftantially pofleffed themfelves of 
the whole country of Gaul. Pharamond, their leader, 
was now carried on the fliield in mattial glory through¬ 
out the ranks, and was crowned, with folemn pomp, fir ft 
king of the Franks, and of France, and reigned according 
to archbilhop Uftier, till the year 428, when he was 
killed in the war w ith Aetius. 
Pharamond was fucceeded by his fon Clodion, who con¬ 
tinued the war againft the Romans. He ajfo is faid to 
have received a terrible overthrow from Aetius near the 
city of Lens; notwithftanding which, he advanced to 
Cambray, and made himfelf mafter of that city, where he 
fixed his court and principal refidence. From hence he 
extended his conquefts as far as tiie river Somme, and took 
poffeflion of the cities of Treves and Cologne, Tournay 
and Amiens. Pie died in the year 448, and was fucceeded 
by Merovaeus. Authors are not agreed whether this 
new' king was the brqther, or fon ; or any relation at all, 
to Clodion. It feems probable indeed, that he was of a 
different family ; becaufe from him the dynafty of French 
kings, fly led the Merovingian race,- took its name. He 
was honoured and refpefted by his people, 3 nd died after 
a peaceful reign, in 458. Merovasus was fucceeded by 
his fon Childeric ; who, being no longer kept in aw e by 
Aetius, made war on the Romans, and extended his con¬ 
quefts as far as the Loire. He is faid to have taken the 
city of Paris after a fiege of five years, according to fome, 
and of ten according to others. The Roman power was 
now totally dellroyed in Italy; and Clodovaeus, Clovis, 
or Louis, (for his name is differently written,) fucceeded 
Childeric, and confiderably extended the French monar¬ 
chy. He polfefted all the country lying between the 
Rhine and the Loire: which, though a very extenfive 
dominion, was confiderably inferior to what it is at prefent. 
Clovis though a pagan, allowed his fubjects liberty of 
coufcience. Having married Cotilda, daughter of the 
duke of Burgundy, this princefs, who was a devout 
Chriftian, ufed all her influence to convert him to her re¬ 
ligion. For fome time he continued to waver; but the 
following circumftance determined him to embrace Chrift- 
ianity : the Alemanni had f pread themfelves in Gaul over 
the modern provinces of Lorrain and ASlace, and their 
invaflon of the kingdom of Cologne fummoned Clovis to 
the defence of his kinfman ana ally. In the plains of 
Tolbiac, twenty-four miles from the city of Cologne, the 
two armies encountered each other. In the firft onfet 
Vot. VII. No. 457. 
N C E. 649 
the Franks gave way, and the fliouts of the Al'emmni 
proclaimed their hopes of victory. At this inflant, Clo¬ 
vis, with uplifted hands, loudly invoked (he god of Clo¬ 
tilda and the Chrrftians. Heaven heard his prayer; the 
Franks returned to the chuge, and their tranlient dif- 
grace was eft iced by a decifive victory. This conti ibufed 
to confirm.Clovis in the Chriftian religion; and he now 
declared himfelf fully fatisfied of (he truth of the catho¬ 
lic faith. Political reafons might fufpend for.a time his 
public avowal: but in the fixteenth year of his reign,. 
A. D. ^.96, th.e ceremony o) his baptifm was performed 
in the cathedral of Rheims; and on the fame day three 
thoufand of his fubjedfs imitated the example of their 
fovereign. 
The conquefts of Clovis were now gradually extended 
on every fide; and even his convention contributed to 
promote his ambition. The independent cities of Gaul 
were influenced by their prekites to acknowledge the ju- 
rifdidlion of a chriftian king; the Armoiican provinces, 
(a name which comprehended the maritime country of 
Gaul, between the Seine and the Loire,) abandoned by 
the Romans, had united for their defence, and under the 
form of a free government had endeavoured to repel the 
northern pirates. Though the unftable foundation of 
their republic had been repeatedly fti.aken, yet they 
guarded with vigilance their domeftic freedom, and ftill 
aborted the dignity of the Roman name. The valour 
they had difplayed in repelling the attacks of Clovis, ex¬ 
cited the efteem of that martial prince, and brought about 
an honourable union ; they accepted, in 497, the gene¬ 
rous capitulation‘of the catholic hero, and the power and 
ftrength of the fon of Childeric were now increafed to a 
formidable height by thefe voluntary accetfions ; but the 
reduction of the northern provinces of Gaul was yet to 
be the gradual operation of war and of negociation. 
The kingdom of the'Burgundians at that time extended 
from the foreft of Vofges to the Alps, and to the fea of 
Marfeilles. Gondebaud, the uncle of Clotilda, held the 
feeptre; and to fecure his throne from domeftic conten¬ 
tion, had facrificed the lives of two of his brothers, one 
of whom was the father of Clotilda; a third brother, Go- 
degtTil, had been fpared by bis policy, and was fuffered 
to pofiefs the dependent principality of Geneva. The 
faith of Gondebaud was alfo ftained with Arianifm, but 
his fubjefts were ftrongly inclined to the orthodox reli¬ 
gion ; this confpired the more to influence Godegefil and 
Clovis to revenge the murder of the father of Clotilda. 
In a battle fought between Langres and Dijon, A. D. 
500, Gondebaud, deferted by Godegefil, was forced to 
yield to the irrefiftible valour of the Franks; he aban¬ 
doned to Clovis the important cities of .Lyons and Vienne, 
and fled with precipitation to Avignon : the impetuous 
ardour of the victor was checked by the fiege of that city ; 
the vigour and refolution of Gondebaud induced Clovis 
to liften to terms of accommodation; an annual tribute 
was ftipulated ; a confiderable fum of money was imme¬ 
diately advanced; and Godegefil was confirmed in the 
poffeflion of Vienne, and fe-veral other places which he 
had occupied during the com fe of the war. 
The army of Clovis had fcarcely retired from the ter¬ 
ritories of Gondebaud, before he prepared to avenge 
the treafon of his brother. Fie affembled.with diligence 
an army at Lyons, and advanced with rapidity towards 
Vienne, where Godegefil remained in perfon. The fe- 
cret paffage of an aquedadf was revealed to Gondebaud 
by a perfidious citizen; in the dent hour of night a 
ciiofen band entered the fubterranecus channel ;' they 
inftantly feized the mott important poffs ; the gates were 
throw n open to their companions ; thofe who efcaped tire 
fword were fent prifoners to the king of the Vifigoths; 
and by the murder of Godegefil, the king c'f Burgundy a 
third time, in the fame city, ftained his hands with fra¬ 
ternal blood. The capture of Vienne was followed by 
the fubmifiion of the other cities which had been occu¬ 
pied by Godegefil ; the inhabitants again acknowledged 
&C liter 
