Francia
Francia was a kingdom founded in 481 AD. It may also be called the Kingdom of the Franks, Frankish Kingdom, or Frankish Empire. It was first a province of the Western Roman Empire founded by Clovis I. Before that it was a Germanic state. After the Treaty of Verdun in 843, West Francia became the predecessor of France, and East Francia became that of Germany.
Kingdom of Franks Regnum Francorum (Latin) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 481–800/843 | |||||||||
 | |||||||||
| Status | Kingdom | ||||||||
| Capital | Aachen | ||||||||
| Official languages | Latin | ||||||||
| Religion | Catholicism | ||||||||
| Government | Patrimonial monarchy | ||||||||
• first king | Clovis I | ||||||||
• last king | Charlemagne | ||||||||
| Establishment | |||||||||
• Clovis I became king of Franks | 481 | ||||||||
• Charlemagne becomes the Holy Roman Emperor | 800 | ||||||||
| 843 | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Today part of | France, Germany, Italy | ||||||||
Francia Media
The partition of the Frankish kingdom among the four sons of Clovis with Clotilde presiding, Grandes Chroniques de Saint-Denis (Bibliothèque municipale de Toulouse)
The division of the Frankish kingdom on Clovis's death (511). The kingdoms were not geographic unities because they were formed in an attempt to create equal-sized fiscs. The discrepancy in size reveals the concentration of Roman fiscal lands.
The division of Gaul on Chlothar I's death (561). Though more geographically unified realms were created out of the second fourfold division, the complex division of Provence created many problems for the rulers of Burgundy and Austrasia.
Gaul as a result of the Treaty of Andelot (587). The treaty followed the division of Charibert I's kingdom between the three surviving brothers. It gave Guntram's portion with Poitou and Touraine to Childebert II in exchange for extensive lands in southern and central Aquitaine.
The Frankish Kingdom of Aquitaine (628). The capital of Aquitaine was Toulouse. It included Gascony and was the basis of the later Duchy of Aquitaine.
Francia and neighbouring Slavic peoples c. 650
Gaul at the death of Pepin of Heristal (714). At this time the vast duchy of Aquitaine (yellow) was not a part of the Frankish kingdom.
The growth of Frankish power, 481–814, showing Francia as it originally was after the crumbling of the Western Roman Empire. It was located northeasterly of that during the time of Constantine the Great.
