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Frankish campaign against the Thuringians (491)

April 15, 2024

A Frankish campaign against the Thoringi is said to have taken place around 491 AD, and resulted in a defeat for the latter. These Thoringi are usually identified as the Thuringii (or 'Thuringians').[1][2][3]

Reconstruction edit

 
Reconstructed map of the conquests of Clovis. Note the question marks in Germany.

Five years after the Frankish king, Clovis I, ascended to the throne, he set about extending his influence over, not just over other Frankish kingdoms, but also over other Germanic tribes, including the Alemanni and Thuringians.[4] In 486, Clovis advanced deep into Gaul with other Salian kings, and attached and defeated their last Roman ruler, Syagrius, at Soissons in 486.[5] Thereafter he embarked on a campaign against the Burgundians, before turning on the Thuringians.[2]

The only source for this event is a single sentence written by the 6th-century historian Gregory of Tours, who records that Clovis "conquered the Thoringi" in the tenth year of his reign (dated to 491–492):

Nam decimo regni sui anno Thoringis bellum intulit eosdemque suis diccionibus subiugavit.
In the tenth year of his reign he [=Clovis] made war on the Thoringi and brought them under his dominion.

— Gregory of Tours, History of the Franks (Book 2, Chapter 27)[6][7]

According to Bachrach (2001), this event should be situated in the area of the modern-day state of Hesse. This tribe, whose 'heartland' Bachrach claimed was further east, was bounded to the north by Frisia, to the south by Alemannia and to the east by the River Weser, on the far side of which was part of Saxony.[8]

Most scholars think the territory of this particular Thuringian group was absorbed into the Frankish kingdom; however, the 'main region' of the Thuringians was not conquered until 531 when Clovis's sons, Chlotar I and Theudebert I, subjected them.[9][8]

Alternative views edit

Guy Halsall (2007) cast doubt on the reliability of the passage in the History of the Franks, because 'the Thuringians clearly retained their independence' and were not fully subjected by the Franks until 531–4. He stated that 'Clovis' alleged victory over and subjection of the Thuringians' is 'probably unlikely', and pointed out that scholars disagree about the size of the Thuringian kingdom, with some arguing for 'a 'Greater Thuringia' stretching from the Elbe to the mouth of the Rhine and including the Saxon areas', while others hold a minimal view that restricts the Thuringian kingdom to a 'core area' in modern eastern Germany, with the river Unstrut as its southwestern limit.[10] Finally, Halsall adds that the event cannot be dated.[10] Despite the 10th regnal year of Clovis provided by Gregory of Tours, the reliability of this claim has been disputed as well. Edward James (1988) stated: 'Whenever Gregory's dates for Clovis's reign can be checked by external sources, Gregory is wrong.'[11]

Scholars Lanting & van der Plicht (2010) argued that Gregory of Tours' mention of Thoringia, in terminum Thoringorum and Thoringi in Book II Chapter 9 and 27 are misspellings that have been misinterpreted. Although many later readers associated this name with the eastern German realm of Thuringia (German: Thüringen), Gregory tells that the Franks 'came from Pannonia and all dwelt at first on the bank of the Rhine, and then crossing the Rhine they passed into Thoringia'.[7][note 1] As both Pannonia and Thuringia lie to the east of the Rhine, crossing the Rhine made the Franks move to the west (towards modern Belgium, the Netherlands and France), away from Thuringia (in modern eastern Germany). More likely, Gregory actually meant the Civitas Tungrorum, the land of the Tungri (or Tungria, centred around modern Tongeren), which was located west of the Rhine, and in the direction of the Loire (which he explicitly situated south of Thoringia), Rhône and Somme rivers that he mentioned next, and the city of Cambrai that the Franks conquered next.[12] As eastern German Thuringia wasn't annexed to the Frankish Empire until 531–4, Gregory couldn't have meant that region, but the Civitas Tungrorum is a very plausible alternative for 491–2.[12]

Notes edit

  1. ^ Tradunt enim multi, eosdem de Pannonia fuisse degressus, et primum quidem litora Rheni amnes incoluisse, dehinc, transacto Rheno, Thoringiam transmeasse, ibique iuxta pagus vel civitates regis crinitos super se creavisse de prima et, ut ita dicam, nobiliore suorum familia.[6]

References edit

  1. ^ Cusack (1998), p. 69.
  2. ^ a b Forrest, Evans and Gibbons (2012), p. 71.
  3. ^ Commire (1994), p. 274.
  4. ^ Middleton (2005), p. 195
  5. ^ Blunsom (2013), p. 151.
  6. ^ a b Gregory of Tours, History of the Franks. Book II. Latin original.
  7. ^ a b Gregory of Tours, History of the Franks. Book II. Translated by Earnest Brehaut (1916).
  8. ^ a b Bachrach (2001), p. 5.
  9. ^ White (1971), p. 24.
  10. ^ a b Halsall, Guy (2007). Barbarian Migrations and the Roman West, 376-568. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 393–395. ISBN 9780521434911. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  11. ^ Mathisen, Ralph W.; Shanzer, Danuta (2012). The Battle of Vouillé, 507 CE: Where France Began. Boston/Berlin: Walter de Gruyter. p. xiii–xiv. ISBN 9781614510994. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  12. ^ a b Lanting, J. N.; van der Plicht, J. (2010). "De 14C-chronologie van de Nederlandse Pre- en Protohistorie VI: Romeinse tijd en Merovische periode, deel A: historische bronnen en chronologische thema's". Palaeohistoria 51/52 (2009/2010) (in Dutch). Groningen: Groningen Institute of Archaeology. pp. 45–46. ISBN 9789077922736. Retrieved 1 September 2020.

Bibliography edit

April 15, 2024
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A Frankish campaign against the Thoringi is said to have taken place around 491 AD and resulted in a defeat for the latter These Thoringi are usually identified as the Thuringii or Thuringians 1 2 3 Contents 1 Reconstruction 2 Alternative views 3 Notes 4 References 5 BibliographyReconstruction edit nbsp Reconstructed map of the conquests of Clovis Note the question marks in Germany Five years after the Frankish king Clovis I ascended to the throne he set about extending his influence over not just over other Frankish kingdoms but also over other Germanic tribes including the Alemanni and Thuringians 4 In 486 Clovis advanced deep into Gaul with other Salian kings and attached and defeated their last Roman ruler Syagrius at Soissons in 486 5 Thereafter he embarked on a campaign against the Burgundians before turning on the Thuringians 2 The only source for this event is a single sentence written by the 6th century historian Gregory of Tours who records that Clovis conquered the Thoringi in the tenth year of his reign dated to 491 492 Nam decimo regni sui anno Thoringis bellum intulit eosdemque suis diccionibus subiugavit In the tenth year of his reign he Clovis made war on the Thoringi and brought them under his dominion Gregory of Tours History of the Franks Book 2 Chapter 27 6 7 According to Bachrach 2001 this event should be situated in the area of the modern day state of Hesse This tribe whose heartland Bachrach claimed was further east was bounded to the north by Frisia to the south by Alemannia and to the east by the River Weser on the far side of which was part of Saxony 8 Most scholars think the territory of this particular Thuringian group was absorbed into the Frankish kingdom however the main region of the Thuringians was not conquered until 531 when Clovis s sons Chlotar I and Theudebert I subjected them 9 8 Alternative views editGuy Halsall 2007 cast doubt on the reliability of the passage in the History of the Franks because the Thuringians clearly retained their independence and were not fully subjected by the Franks until 531 4 He stated that Clovis alleged victory over and subjection of the Thuringians is probably unlikely and pointed out that scholars disagree about the size of the Thuringian kingdom with some arguing for a Greater Thuringia stretching from the Elbe to the mouth of the Rhine and including the Saxon areas while others hold a minimal view that restricts the Thuringian kingdom to a core area in modern eastern Germany with the river Unstrut as its southwestern limit 10 Finally Halsall adds that the event cannot be dated 10 Despite the 10th regnal year of Clovis provided by Gregory of Tours the reliability of this claim has been disputed as well Edward James 1988 stated Whenever Gregory s dates for Clovis s reign can be checked by external sources Gregory is wrong 11 Scholars Lanting amp van der Plicht 2010 argued that Gregory of Tours mention of Thoringia in terminum Thoringorum and Thoringi in Book II Chapter 9 and 27 are misspellings that have been misinterpreted Although many later readers associated this name with the eastern German realm of Thuringia German Thuringen Gregory tells that the Franks came from Pannonia and all dwelt at first on the bank of the Rhine and then crossing the Rhine they passed into Thoringia 7 note 1 As both Pannonia and Thuringia lie to the east of the Rhine crossing the Rhine made the Franks move to the west towards modern Belgium the Netherlands and France away from Thuringia in modern eastern Germany More likely Gregory actually meant the Civitas Tungrorum the land of the Tungri or Tungria centred around modern Tongeren which was located west of the Rhine and in the direction of the Loire which he explicitly situated south of Thoringia Rhone and Somme rivers that he mentioned next and the city of Cambrai that the Franks conquered next 12 As eastern German Thuringia wasn t annexed to the Frankish Empire until 531 4 Gregory couldn t have meant that region but the Civitas Tungrorum is a very plausible alternative for 491 2 12 Notes edit Tradunt enim multi eosdem de Pannonia fuisse degressus et primum quidem litora Rheni amnes incoluisse dehinc transacto Rheno Thoringiam transmeasse ibique iuxta pagus vel civitates regis crinitos super se creavisse de prima et ut ita dicam nobiliore suorum familia 6 References edit Cusack 1998 p 69 a b Forrest Evans and Gibbons 2012 p 71 Commire 1994 p 274 Middleton 2005 p 195 Blunsom 2013 p 151 a b Gregory of Tours History of the Franks Book II Latin original a b Gregory of Tours History of the Franks Book II Translated by Earnest Brehaut 1916 a b Bachrach 2001 p 5 White 1971 p 24 a b Halsall Guy 2007 Barbarian Migrations and the Roman West 376 568 Cambridge Cambridge University Press pp 393 395 ISBN 9780521434911 Retrieved 2 September 2020 Mathisen Ralph W Shanzer Danuta 2012 The Battle of Vouille 507 CE Where France Began Boston Berlin Walter de Gruyter p xiii xiv ISBN 9781614510994 Retrieved 3 September 2020 a b Lanting J N van der Plicht J 2010 De 14C chronologie van de Nederlandse Pre en Protohistorie VI Romeinse tijd en Merovische periode deel A historische bronnen en chronologische thema s Palaeohistoria 51 52 2009 2010 in Dutch Groningen Groningen Institute of Archaeology pp 45 46 ISBN 9789077922736 Retrieved 1 September 2020 Bibliography editBachrach Bernard S Early Carolingian Warfare Prelude to Empire Philadelphia Penn 2001 ISBN 978 0 8122 2144 2 Blunsom E O The Past and Future of Law Xlibris 2013 ISBN 978 1 4628 7515 3 self published source Commire Anne Historic World Leaders A K Gale 1994 ISBN 978 0 8103 8408 8 Cusack Carole M Conversion Among the Germanic Peoples London Cassell 1998 ISBN 0304701556 Forrest Glen C Anthony A Evans and David Gibbons The Illustrated Timeline of Military History New York Rosen 2012 ISBN 978 1 4488 4794 5 Middleton John ed World Monarchies and Dynasties London Routledge 2005 ISBN 0 7656 8050 5 White Lynn jr Viator Medieval and Renaissance Studies Vol 1 London UCP 1971 ISBN 0 520 01702 1 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Frankish campaign against the Thuringians 491 amp oldid 1218469738, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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