Frankish Empire History of Germany

expansion of frankish empire:

blue = realm of pippin iii in 758,

red = expansion under charlemagne until 814,

yellow = marches , dependencies

after fall of western roman empire in 5th century, franks, other post-roman western europe, emerged tribal confederacy in rhine-weser region referred austrasia, franconia. absorbed former roman territory spread west gaul beginning in 250, unlike alamanni south in swabia. 500, frankish king clovis i, of merovingian dynasty, had united frankish tribes , ruled of gaul, , proclaimed king time 509 511. clovis also, contrary tradition of germanic rulers of time, baptized directly roman catholicism , not arianism, , successors work closely papal missionaries, among them saint boniface. faith of franks, vast size of francia, , franks control of passes through alps led alliance between merovingian realm, 750 extended gaul , north-western germany include swabia, burgundy (and western switzerland extension), pope in rome against lombards, whom posed greatest threat holy see. papal envoy sent charles martel, mayor of palace, in 732 following victory @ battle of tours, though alliance lapse charles death , renewed after frankish civil war.

the merovingian kings of germanic franks conquered northern gaul in 486 ad. swabia became duchy under frankish empire in 496, following battle of tolbiac; in 530 saxons , franks destroyed kingdom of thuringia. in 5th , 6th centuries merovingian kings conquered several other germanic tribes , kingdoms. king chlothar (reigned 558–561) ruled greater part of germany , made expeditions saxony, while southeast of modern germany remained under influence of ostrogoths. saxons inhabited area down unstrut river.

the merovingians placed various regions of frankish empire under control of semi-autonomous dukes - franks or local rulers. frankish colonists encouraged move newly conquered territories. while allowed preserve own laws, local germanic tribes faced pressure adopt non-arian christianity.

the territories later become parts of modern germany came under region of austrasia (meaning eastern land ), northeastern portion of kingdom of merovingian franks. whole, austrasia comprised parts of present-day france, germany, belgium, luxembourg , netherlands. after death of frankish king clovis in 511, 4 sons partitioned kingdom including austrasia. authority on austrasia passed , forth autonomy royal subjugation, successive merovingian kings alternately united , subdivided frankish lands.

in 718 charles martel, frankish mayor of palace, made war against saxony because of neustrians. son carloman started new war against saxony in 743, because saxons gave aid duke odilo of bavaria.

in 751 pippin iii, mayor of palace under merovingian king, himself assumed title of king , anointed church. frankish kings set protectors of pope, , charles great (who ruled franks 774 814) launched decades-long military campaign against franks heathen rivals, saxons , avars. campaigns , insurrections of saxon wars lasted 772 804. franks overwhelmed saxons , avars, forcibly converted people christianity, , annexed lands carolingian empire.