Childeric I

Q: Who was King Childeric I?

King Childeric I (c. 436-481) was an early Merovingian king and a leader of the Salian Franks. He was the father of Clovis I.

Q: What did King Childeric I do?

King Childeric I expanded the power and influence of the Salian Franks in the mid to late 5th century CE. He may have acted as a Roman ally during the final decades of the Western Roman Empire.

Q: Who was Queen Basina?

Queen Basina, originally the queen of Thuringia, was the wife of King Childeric I and the mother of King Clovis I, and was therefore a member of the Merovingian Dynasty through marriage. She abandoned her first husband to marry Childeric, who impressed her with his boldness and power.

Harrison W. Mark

Childeric I

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Definition

Childeric I (r. c. 458-481) was a late antiquity king of the Salian Franks during the period of the fall of the Western Roman Empire. Childeric's reign solidified the Salians as a dominant Frankish tribe and helped pave the way for the unification of the Franks under his son and successor, Clovis I (r. 481-511), founder of the Merovingian Dynasty.

More about: Childeric I

Timeline

c. 458 CE - 481 CE
Reign of Childeric I establishes Frank presence; region known as Francia.

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