CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <title>CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Clovis</title><script src="https://dtyry4ejybx0.cloudfront.net/js/cmp/cleanmediacmp.js?ver=0104" async="true"></script><script defer data-domain="newadvent.org" src="https://plausible.io/js/script.js"></script><link rel="canonical" href="https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04070a.htm"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <meta name="description" content="King of the Salic Franks (466-511)"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="RSS" href="http://feeds.newadvent.org/bestoftheweb?format=xml"><link rel="icon" href="../images/icon1.ico" type="image/x-icon"><link rel="shortcut icon" href="../images/icon1.ico" type="image/x-icon"><meta name="robots" content="noodp"><link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="../utility/screen6.css" media="screen"></head> <body class="cathen" id="04070a.htm">  <br/> <div id="capitalcity"><table summary="Logo" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 width="100%"><tr valign="bottom"><td align="left"><a href="../"><img height=36 width=153 border="0" alt="New Advent" src="../images/logo.gif"></a></td><td align="right"> <form id="searchbox_000299817191393086628:ifmbhlr-8x0" action="../utility/search.htm">  <input type="hidden" name="safe" value="active"> <input type="hidden" name="cx" value="000299817191393086628:ifmbhlr-8x0"/> <input type="hidden" name="cof" value="FORID:9"/>  <label for="searchQuery" id="searchQueryLabel">Search:</label> <input id="searchQuery" name="q" type="text" size="25" aria-labelledby="searchQueryLabel"/>  <label for="submitButton" id="submitButtonLabel" class="visually-hidden">Submit Search</label> <input id="submitButton" type="submit" name="sa" value="Search" aria-labelledby="submitButtonLabel"/> </form> <table summary="Spacer" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td height="2"></td></tr></table> <table summary="Tabs" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr> <td bgcolor="#ffffff"></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../"> Home </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_white_on_color" href="../cathen/index.html"> Encyclopedia </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../summa/index.html"> Summa </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../fathers/index.html"> Fathers </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../bible/gen001.htm"> Bible </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../library/index.html"> Library </a></td> </tr></table> </td> </tr></table><table summary="Alphabetical index" width="100%" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td class="bar_white_on_color"> <a href="../cathen/a.htm"> A </a><a href="../cathen/b.htm"> B </a><a href="../cathen/c.htm"> C </a><a href="../cathen/d.htm"> D </a><a href="../cathen/e.htm"> E </a><a href="../cathen/f.htm"> F </a><a href="../cathen/g.htm"> G </a><a href="../cathen/h.htm"> H </a><a href="../cathen/i.htm"> I </a><a href="../cathen/j.htm"> J </a><a href="../cathen/k.htm"> K </a><a href="../cathen/l.htm"> L </a><a href="../cathen/m.htm"> M </a><a href="../cathen/n.htm"> N </a><a href="../cathen/o.htm"> O </a><a href="../cathen/p.htm"> P </a><a href="../cathen/q.htm"> Q </a><a href="../cathen/r.htm"> R </a><a href="../cathen/s.htm"> S </a><a href="../cathen/t.htm"> T </a><a href="../cathen/u.htm"> U </a><a href="../cathen/v.htm"> V </a><a href="../cathen/w.htm"> W </a><a href="../cathen/x.htm"> X </a><a href="../cathen/y.htm"> Y </a><a href="../cathen/z.htm"> Z </a> </td></tr></table></div> <div id="mobilecity" style="text-align: center; "><a href="../"><img height=24 width=102 border="0" alt="New Advent" src="../images/logo.gif"></a></div>  <div id="mi5"><span class="breadcrumbs"><a href="../">Home</a> > <a href="../cathen">Catholic Encyclopedia</a> > <a href="../cathen/c.htm">C</a> > Clovis</span></div> <div id="springfield2"> <div class='catholicadnet-728x90' id='cathen-728x90-top' style='display: flex; height: 100px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; '></div> <h1>Clovis</h1> <p><em><a href="https://gumroad.com/l/na2"><strong>Please help support the mission of New Advent</strong> and get the full contents of this website as an instant download. Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa, Bible and more  all for only $19.99...</a></em></p> <p>(CHLODWIG, or CHLODOWECH)</p> <p>Son of Childeric, King of the Salic <a href="../cathen/06238a.htm">Franks</a>; born in the year 466; died at <a href="../cathen/11480c.htm">Paris</a>, 27 November, 511. He succeeded his <a href="../cathen/11478c.htm">father</a> as the King of the <a href="../cathen/06238a.htm">Franks</a> of <a href="../cathen/14798a.htm">Tournai</a> in 481. His kingdom was probably one of the States that sprang from the division of Clodion's monarchy like those of <a href="../cathen/03209c.htm">Cambrai</a>, Tongres and Cologne. Although a <a href="../cathen/11388a.htm">Pagan</a>, Childeric had kept up friendly relations with the <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishops</a> of Gaul, and when Clovis ascended the throne he received a most cordial letter of congratulation from <a href="../cathen/12763b.htm">St. Remigius</a>, <a href="../cathen/01691a.htm">Archbishop</a> of <a href="../cathen/12725a.htm">Reims</a>. The young king early began his course of conquest by attacking Syagrius, son of Aegidius, the Roman Count. Having established himself at <a href="../cathen/14130c.htm">Soissons</a>, he acquired sovereign authority over so great a part of Northern Gaul as to be known to his contemporaries as the King of <a href="../cathen/14130c.htm">Soissons</a>. Syagrius, being defeated, fled for protection to Alaric II, King of the <a href="../cathen/15476b.htm">Visigoths</a>, but the latter, alarmed by a summons from Clovis, delivered Syagrius to his conqueror, who had him decapitated in 486. Clovis then remained master of the dominions of Syagrius and took up his residence at <a href="../cathen/14130c.htm">Soissons</a>. It would seem as if the episode of the celebrated vase of <a href="../cathen/14130c.htm">Soissons</a> were an incident of the campaign against Syagrius, and it proves that, although a <a href="../cathen/11388a.htm">pagan</a>, Clovis continued his <a href="../cathen/11478c.htm">father's</a> policy by remaining on amicable terms with Gaulish episcopate. The vase, taken by the <a href="../cathen/06238a.htm">Frankish</a> soldiers while plundering a church, formed part of the booty that was to be divided among the army. It was claimed by the <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishop</a> (St. Remigius?), and the king sought to have it awarded to himself in order to return it intact to the <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishop</a>, but a dissatisfied soldier split the vase with his battle-axe, saying to this king: "You will get only the share allotted you by fate". Clovis did not openly resent the insult, but the following year, when reviewing his army he came upon this same soldier and, reproving him for the defective condition of his arms, he split his skull with an axe, saying: "It was thus that you treated the <a href="../cathen/14130c.htm">Soissons</a> vase." This incident has often been cited to show that although in time of <a href="../cathen/15546c.htm">war</a> a king has unlimited authority over his army, after the <a href="../cathen/15546c.htm">war</a> his power is restricted and that in the division of booty the <a href="../cathen/13055c.htm">rights</a> of the soldiers must be respected.</p> <div class="CMtag_300x250" style="display: flex; height: 300px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; "></div> <p>After the defeat of Syagrius, Clovis extended his dominion as far as the Loire. It was owing to the assistance given him by the Gaulish episcopate that he gained possession of the country. The <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishops</a>, it is quite certain mapped out the regime that afterwards prevailed. Unlike that adopted in other barbarian kingdoms founded upon the ruins of the Roman Empire, this regime established absolute equality between the Gallo-Roman natives and their Germanic conquerors all sharing the same privileges. Procopius, a Byzantine writer has given us an <a href="../cathen/07630a.htm">idea</a> of this agreement, but we <a href="../cathen/08673a.htm">know</a> it best by its results. There was no distribution of Gaulish territory by the victors; established in the <a href="../cathen/02395a.htm">Belgian</a> provinces, they had lands there to which they returned after each campaign. All the free men in the kingdom of Clovis, whether they were of Roman or of Germanic origin, called themselves <a href="../cathen/06238a.htm">Franks</a>, and we must guard against the old mistake of looking upon the <a href="../cathen/06238a.htm">Franks</a> after Clovis as no more than Germanic barbarians.</p> <p>Master of half of Gaul, Clovis returned to <a href="../cathen/02395a.htm">Belgium</a> and conquered the two Salic kingdoms of <a href="../cathen/03209c.htm">Cambrai</a> and Tongres (?), where his cousins Ragnacaire and Chararic reigned. These events have been made known to us only through the poetic tradition of the <a href="../cathen/06238a.htm">Franks</a> which has singularly distorted them. According to this tradition Clovis called upon Chararic to assist him its his <a href="../cathen/15546c.htm">war</a> against Syagrius, but Chararic's attitude throughout the battle was most suspicious, as he refrained from taking sides until he saw which of the rivals was to be victorious. Clovis longed to have revenge. Through a ruse he obtained possession of Chararic and his son and threw them into <a href="../cathen/12430a.htm">prison</a>; he then had their heads shaved, and both were <a href="../cathen/11279a.htm">ordained</a>, the father to the <a href="../cathen/12409a.htm">priesthood</a> and the son to the <a href="../cathen/04647c.htm">diaconate</a>. When Chararic bemoaned and wept over this humiliation his son exclaimed: "The leaves of a green tree have been cut but they will quickly bud forth again; may he who has done this perish as quickly!" This remark was reported to Clovis, and he had both father and son beheaded.</p> <p>Tradition goes on to say that Ragnacaire King of <a href="../cathen/03209c.htm">Cambrai</a>, was a man of such loose <a href="../cathen/10559a.htm">morals</a> he hardly respected his own kindred, and Farron, his favourite, was equally licentious. So great was the king's infatuation for this man that, if given a present, he would accept it for himself and his Farron. This filled his subjects with indignation and Clovis, to win them over to his side before taking the field, distributed among them money, bracelets, and baldries, all in gilded copper in <a href="../cathen/06249a.htm">fraudulent</a> imitation of genuine gold. On different occasions Ragnacaire sent out spies to ascertain the strength of Clovis's army, and upon returning they said: "It is a great reinforcement for you and your Farron." Meanwhile Clovis advanced and the battle began. Being defeated, Ragnacaire sought refuge in flight, but was overtaken; made <a href="../cathen/12430a.htm">prisoner</a>, and brought to Clovis, his hands bound behind him. "Why", said his conqueror have you permitted our blood to be humiliated by allowing yourself to be put in chains? It were better that you should die." And, so saying, Clovis dealt him his death-blow. Then, turning to Richaire, Ragnacaire's brother, who had been taken <a href="../cathen/12430a.htm">prisoner</a> with the king, he said: "Had you but helped your brother, they would not have bound him", and he slew Richaire also. After these deaths the traitors discovered that they had been given counterfeit gold and complained of it to Clovis, but he only laughed at them. Rignomir, one of Ragnacaire's brothers, was <a href="../cathen/12565a.htm">put to death</a> at <a href="../cathen/09143b.htm">Le Mans</a> by order of Clovis, who took possession of the kingdom and the treasure of his victims.</p> <p>Such is the legend of Clovis; it abounds in all kinds of improbabilities, which cannot be considered as <a href="../cathen/15073a.htm">true</a> history. The only facts that can be accepted are that Clovis made <a href="../cathen/15546c.htm">war</a> upon Kings Ragnacaire and Chararic, <a href="../cathen/12565a.htm">put them to death</a> and seized their territories. Moreover, the author of this article is of opinion that these events occurred shortly after the conquest of the territory of Syagrius, and not after the <a href="../cathen/15546c.htm">war</a> against the <a href="../cathen/15476b.htm">Visigoths</a>, as has been maintained by <a href="../cathen/07018b.htm">Gregory of Tours</a>, whose only authority is an oral tradition, and whose <a href="../cathen/03738a.htm">chronology</a> in this matter is decidedly misleading. Besides <a href="../cathen/07018b.htm">Gregory of Tours</a> has not given us the name of Chararic's kingdom; it was long believed to have been established at Therouanne but it is more probable that Tongres was its capital city, since it was here that the <a href="../cathen/06238a.htm">Franks</a> settled on gaining a foothold in <a href="../cathen/02395a.htm">Belgium</a>.</p> <div class="CMtag_300x250" style="display: flex; height: 300px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; "></div> <p>In 492 or 493 Clovis, who was master of Gaul from the Loire to the frontiers of the Rhenish Kingdom of Cologne, married Clotilda, the niece of Gondebad, King of the <a href="../cathen/03068a.htm">Burgundians</a>. The popular epic of the <a href="../cathen/06238a.htm">Franks</a> has transformed the story of this marriage into a veritable nuptial poem the analysis of which will be found in the article on Clotilda. Clotilda, who was a <a href="../cathen/03449a.htm">Catholic</a>, and very <a href="../cathen/12748a.htm">pious</a>, won the consent of Clovis to the <a href="../cathen/02258b.htm">baptism</a> of their son, and then urged that he himself embrace the <a href="../cathen/03449a.htm">Catholic</a> <a href="../cathen/05752c.htm">Faith</a>. He deliberated for a long time. Finally, during a battle against the Alemanni--which without apparent reason has been called the battle of Tolbiac (Zulpich)--seeing his troops on the point of yielding, he invoked the aid of Clotilda's <a href="../cathen/06608a.htm">God</a>, promised to become a <a href="../cathen/03712a.htm">Christian</a> if only victory should be granted him. He conquered and, <a href="../cathen/15073a.htm">true</a> to his word was <a href="../cathen/02258b.htm">baptized</a> at <a href="../cathen/07356b.htm">Reims</a> by <a href="../cathen/12763b.htm">St. Remigius</a>, <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishop</a> of that city, his sister Albofledis and three thousand of his warriors at the same time embracing <a href="../cathen/03712a.htm">Christianity</a>. <a href="../cathen/07018b.htm">Gregory of Tours</a>, in his <a href="../cathen/07365a.htm">ecclesiastical history</a> of the <a href="../cathen/06238a.htm">Franks</a> has described this event, which took place amid great pomp at <a href="../cathen/03724b.htm">Christmas</a>, 496. "Bow thy head, O Sicambrian", said <a href="../cathen/12763b.htm">St. Remigius</a> to the royal convert "Adore what thou hast burned and burn what thou hast adored." According to a ninth-century legend found in the life of <a href="../cathen/12763b.htm">St. Remigius</a>, written by the celebrated <a href="../cathen/07356b.htm">Hincmar</a> himself <a href="../cathen/01691a.htm">Archbishop</a> of <a href="../cathen/12725a.htm">Reims</a>, the <a href="../cathen/03696b.htm">chrism</a> for the <a href="../cathen/02258b.htm">baptismal</a> <a href="../cathen/03538b.htm">ceremony</a> was missing and was brought from <a href="../cathen/07170a.htm">heaven</a> in a vase (<em><a href="../cathen/01439c.htm">ampulla</a></em>) borne by a dove. This is what is known as the Sainte Ampoule of <a href="../cathen/07356b.htm">Reims</a>, preserved in the treasury of the <a href="../cathen/03438a.htm">cathedral</a> of that city and used for the <a href="../cathen/04380a.htm">coronation</a> of the kings of <a href="../cathen/06166a.htm">France</a> from <a href="../cathen/12001a.htm">Philip Augustus</a> down to Charles X.</p> <p>The conversion of Clovis to the religion of the majority of his subjects soon brought about the union of the Gallo-Romans with their barbarian conquerors. While in all the other Germanic kingdoms founded on the ruins of the Roman Empire the difference of religion between the <a href="../cathen/03449a.htm">Catholic</a> natives and <a href="../cathen/01707c.htm">Arian</a> conquerers was a very active cause of destruction, in the <a href="../cathen/06238a.htm">Frankish</a> kingdom, on the contrary, the fundamental identity of religious <a href="../cathen/02408b.htm">beliefs</a> and equality of political <a href="../cathen/13055c.htm">rights</a> made national and patriotic sentiments universal and produced the most perfect harmony between the two races. The <a href="../cathen/06238a.htm">Frankish</a> Kingdom was thenceforth the representative and defender of <a href="../cathen/03449a.htm">Catholic</a> interests throughout the West, while to his <a href="../cathen/04347a.htm">conversion</a> Clovis owed an exceptionally brilliant position. Those historians who do not understand the problems of religious <a href="../cathen/12545b.htm">psychology</a> have concluded that Clovis embraced <a href="../cathen/03712a.htm">Christianity</a> solely from political motives, but nothing is more <a href="../cathen/05525a.htm">erroneous</a>. On the contrary, everything goes to prove that his <a href="../cathen/04347a.htm">conversion</a> was sincere, and the opposite cannot be maintained without refusing credence to the most trustworthy evidence.</p> <p>In the year 500 Clovis was called upon to mediate in a quarrel between his wife's two uncles, Kings Gondebad of <a href="../cathen/15423a.htm">Vienne</a> and Godegisil of <a href="../cathen/09040a.htm">Geneva</a>. He took sides with the latter, whom he helped to defeat Gondebad at <a href="../cathen/04794b.htm">Dijon</a>, and then, deeming it <a href="../cathen/12517b.htm">prudent</a> to interfere no further in this fratricidal struggle, he returned home, leaving Godegisil an auxiliary corps of five thousand <a href="../cathen/06238a.htm">Franks</a>. After Clovis's departure Gondebad reconquered Vienne, his capital in which Godegisil had established himself. This reconquest was effected by a stratagem seconded by treachery, and Godegisil himself perished on the same occasion. The popular poetry of the <a href="../cathen/06238a.htm">Franks</a> has singularly misrepresented this intervention of Clovis, pretending that, at the instigation of his wife Clotilda, he sought to avenge her grievances against her uncle Gondebad (see <a href="../cathen/04066a.htm">CLOTILDA</a>) and that the latter king, besieged in <a href="../cathen/02158a.htm">Avignon</a> by Clovis, got rid of his opponent through the agency of Aredius, a faithful follower. But in these poems there are so many fictions as to render the history in them indistinguishable.</p> <p>An expedition, otherwise important and profitable was undertaken by Clovis in the year 506 against Alaric II, King of the <a href="../cathen/15476b.htm">Visigoths</a> of Aquitaine. He was awaited as their deliverer by the <a href="../cathen/03449a.htm">Catholics</a> of that kingdom, who were being cruelly <a href="../cathen/11703a.htm">persecuted</a> by <a href="../cathen/01707c.htm">Arian</a> fanatics, and was encouraged in his enterprise by the Emperor Anastasius, who wished to crush this ally of <a href="../cathen/14576a.htm">Theodoric</a>, King of the <a href="../cathen/11347d.htm">Ostrogoths</a>. Despite the diplomatic efforts made by the latter to prevent the <a href="../cathen/15546c.htm">war</a>, Clovis crossed the Loire and proceeded to Vouille, near <a href="../cathen/12178c.htm">Poitiers</a>, where he defeated and slew Alaric, whose demoralized troops fled in disorder. The <a href="../cathen/06238a.htm">Franks</a> took possession of the <a href="../cathen/15476b.htm">Visigoth</a> Kingdom as far as the Pyrenees and the Rhone, but the part situated on the left bank of this river was stoutly defended by the armies of <a href="../cathen/14576a.htm">Theodoric</a>, and thus the <a href="../cathen/06238a.htm">Franks</a> were prevented from seizing Arles and Provence. Notwithstanding this last failure, Clovis, by his conquest of Aquitaine, added to the <a href="../cathen/06238a.htm">Frankish</a> crown the fairest of its jewels. So greatly did the Emperor Anastasius rejoice over the success attained by Clovis that, to testify his satisfaction, he sent the <a href="../cathen/06238a.htm">Frankish</a> conqueror the insignia of the consular dignity, an <a href="../cathen/07462a.htm">honour</a> always highly appreciated by the barbarians.</p> <p>The annexation of the Rhenish Kingdom of Cologne <a href="../cathen/04380a.htm">crowned</a> the acquisition of Gaul by Clovis. But the history of this conquest, also, has been disfigured by a legend that Clovis instigated Chloderic, son of Sigebert of Cologne, to <a href="../cathen/15108a.htm">assassinate</a> his <a href="../cathen/11478c.htm">father</a>, then, after the perpetration of this foul deed, caused Chloderic himself to be assassinated, and finally offered himself to the Rhenish <a href="../cathen/06238a.htm">Franks</a> as king, protesting his innocence of the crimes that had been committed. The only historical element in this old story, preserved by <a href="../cathen/07018b.htm">Gregory of Tours</a>, is that the two kings of Cologne met with violent deaths, and that that Clovis, their relative, succeeded them partly by right of birth, partly by popular choice. The criminal means by which he is said to have reached this throne are pure creation of the barbarian <a href="../cathen/07672a.htm">imagination</a>.</p> <p>Master now of a vast kingdom, Clovis displayed the same talent in governing that he had displayed in conquering it. From <a href="../cathen/11480c.htm">Paris</a>, which he had finally made his capital, he administered the various provinces through the agency of counts (<em>comites</em>) established in each city and selected by him from the aristocracy of both races, conformably to the principle of absolute equality between Romans and barbarians, a principle which dominated his entire policy. He caused the Salic Law (<em>Lex Salica</em>) to be reduced to written form, revised end adapted to the new social conditions under which his fellow barbarians were subsequently to live. Acknowledging the <a href="../cathen/03744a.htm">Church</a> as the foremost civilizing force, he protected it in every way possible, especially by providing for it the National Council of <a href="../cathen/11318b.htm">Orléans</a> (511), at which the <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishops</a> of Gaul settled many questions pertaining to the relations between Church and state. Hagiographic legends attribute to Clovis the founding of a great many <a href="../cathen/03041a.htm">churches</a> and <a href="../cathen/04340c.htm">monasteries</a> throughout <a href="../cathen/06166a.htm">France</a>, and although the accuracy of this claim cannot be positively established, it is nevertheless certain that the influence of the council in this matter must have been considerable. However, history has preserved the memory of foundation which was undoubtedly due to Clovis: the church of the Apostles, later of Sainte-Geneviève, on what was then Mons Lucotetius, to the south of <a href="../cathen/11480c.htm">Paris</a>. The king destined it as a mausoleum for himself and his queen Clotilda, and before it was completed his mortal remains were there <a href="../cathen/03071a.htm">interred</a>. Clovis died at the age of forty-five. His sarcophagus remained in the <a href="../cathen/04558a.htm">crypt</a> of Sainte-Geneviève until the time of the <a href="../cathen/13009a.htm">French Revolution</a>, when it was broken open by the revolutionists, and his ashes scattered to the winds, the sanctuary of the beautiful church being destroyed.</p> <div class="CMtag_300x250" style="display: flex; height: 300px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; "></div> <p>The history of this monarch has been so hopelessly distorted by popular poetry and so grossly disfigured by the vagaries of the barbarian <a href="../cathen/07672a.htm">imagination</a> as make the portrayal of his character wellneigh impossible. However, from authentic accounts of him it may be concluded that his private life was not without virtues. As a statesman he succeeded in accomplishing what neither the genius of <a href="../cathen/14576a.htm">Theodoric the Great</a> nor that of any contemporary barbarian king could achieve: upon the ruins of the Roman Empire he built up a powerful system, the influence of which dominated <a href="../cathen/05607b.htm">European</a> civilization during many centuries, and from which sprang <a href="../cathen/06166a.htm">France</a>, <a href="../cathen/06484b.htm">Germany</a>, <a href="../cathen/02395a.htm">Belgium</a>, <a href="../cathen/10759a.htm">Holland</a>, and <a href="../cathen/14358a.htm">Switzerland</a>, without taking into account that northern <a href="../cathen/14169b.htm">Spain</a> and northern <a href="../cathen/08208a.htm">Italy</a> were also, for a time, under the civilizing regime of the <a href="../cathen/06238a.htm">Frankish</a> Empire.</p> <p>Clovis left four sons. Theodoric, the eldest, was the issue of union prior to that contracted with Clotilda, who was, however, the mother of the three others, Clodomir, Childebert, and Clotaire. They divided their father's kingdom among themselves, following the barbarian principle that sought promotion of personal rather than national interests, and looked upon royalty as the personal prerogative of the sons of kings. After the death of Clovis his daughter Clotilda, named after her mother, married Amalric, king of the <a href="../cathen/15476b.htm">Visigoths</a>. She died young, being cruelly abused by this <a href="../cathen/01707c.htm">Arian</a> prince, who seemed eager to wreak vengeance on the daughter of Clovis for the tragic death of Alaric II.</p> <div class='catholicadnet-728x90' id='cathen-728x90-bottom' style='display: flex; height: 100px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; '></div> <div class="cenotes"><h2>Sources</h2><p class="cenotes">ARNDT (ed.), GREGORY OF TOURS, Historia ecclesiastica Francorum in Mon. Germ. Hist:. Script. RR. Merovingicarum; JUNGHANS, Die Gesdichte der frankischen Konige Childerich und Chlodovich (Gottingen, 1857), tr. by MONOD as Histore critique de rois Childeric et Clovis (Paris, 1879); RAJNA, Le origini dell' epopea francese (Florence, 1884); KURTH, Histoire poetique des Merovingiens (Paris 1893): IDEM, Clovis (Tours, 1896, and Paris, 1901).</p></div> <div class="pub"><h2>About this page</h2><p id="apa"><strong>APA citation.</strong> <span id="apaauthor">Kurth, G.</span> <span id="apayear">(1908).</span> <span id="apaarticle">Clovis.</span> In <span id="apawork">The Catholic Encyclopedia.</span> <span id="apapublisher">New York: Robert Appleton Company.</span> <span id="apaurl">http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04070a.htm</span></p><p id="mla"><strong>MLA citation.</strong> <span id="mlaauthor">Kurth, Godefroid.</span> <span id="mlaarticle">"Clovis."</span> <span id="mlawork">The Catholic Encyclopedia.</span> <span id="mlavolume">Vol. 4.</span> <span id="mlapublisher">New York: Robert Appleton Company,</span> <span id="mlayear">1908.</span> <span id="mlaurl"><http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04070a.htm>.</span></p><p id="transcription"><strong>Transcription.</strong> <span id="transcriber">This article was transcribed for New Advent by Joseph P. Thomas.</span> <span id="dedication"></span></p><p id="approbation"><strong>Ecclesiastical approbation.</strong> <span id="nihil"><em>Nihil Obstat.</em> Remy Lafort, Censor.</span> <span id="imprimatur"><em>Imprimatur.</em> +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York.</span></p><p id="contactus"><strong>Contact information.</strong> The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is webmaster <em>at</em> newadvent.org. Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.</p></div> </div> <div id="ogdenville"><table summary="Bottom bar" width="100%" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td class="bar_white_on_color"><center><strong>Copyright © 2023 by <a href="../utility/contactus.htm">New Advent LLC</a>. Dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.</strong></center></td></tr></table><p align="center"><a href="../utility/contactus.htm">CONTACT US</a> | <a href="https://cleanmedia.net/p/?psid=491-308-20180429T2217479770">ADVERTISE WITH NEW ADVENT</a></p></div> <ins class="CANBMDDisplayAD" data-bmd-ad-unit="30849120210203T1734389107AB67D35C03D4A318731A4F337F60B3E" style="display:block"></ins> <script src="https://secureaddisplay.com/au/bmd/"></script>  <ins class="CMAdExcludeArticles"></ins> </body> </html>