Becher, Matthias Chlodwig I.

Der Aufstieg der Merowinger und das Ende der antiken Welt

When Clovis succeeded his father Childerich as King of the Franks in 481/82, the Western Roman Empire had recently collapsed in the storm of the Great Migration. Now Clovis had to determine the fate of his people in a world that still gained stability from the Roman heritage, but was already torn by bitter struggles for supremacy. In this situation, Clovis tried to secure his own power and the position of his people with brutal force, diplomatic cleverness and a risky religious-political decision. Successful rulers find it easier to find a biographer, even in difficult times. In the case of Clovis, Bishop Gregory of Tours (538/39-594) took on this task. We have him to thank for an extremely valuable, but also tendentious, biography of his protagonist, which is characterised by the enthusiasm of the cleric for the religious and political achievements of the King of the Franks. The medievalist Matthias Becher has critically evaluated this and many other sources and offers his own sharply contoured portrayal of Clovis, in which he highlights both his historical achievements and the dark sides of his rule against the backdrop of a dramatic era. He concludes the cleverly illustrated volume, which is well equipped with maps, with an outlook on Clovis's legacy.