Franks
Topic: Medieval Europe: Feudalism and the Three Orders · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 2 "An Empire Across Three Continents"; Class 11, Ch 4 "The Three Orders"
Meaning
The Franks were a Germanic tribe who settled in Gaul, the old Roman name for the land that is now France. They gave the country its name, 'France'. After the Roman Empire fell, they built one of the strongest kingdoms in western Europe. Their kings worked closely with the Church.
Example
Clovis became king of the Franks in 481. From 486 the Franks began to conquer northern Gaul. In 496, Clovis and the Franks became Christians. This tie with the Church helped later Frankish kings, such as Charlemagne, who was crowned emperor by the Pope in 800.
Don't confuse with
- Angles and Saxons: also Germanic peoples, but they settled in England in the sixth century. 'England' comes from 'Angle-land'. 'France' comes from the Franks.