Northern Europe experiences mass migrations from around the fifth to the seventh century; this period and its material culture are referred to as the Germanic Iron Age.

The Germanic Iron Age begins with the fall of the Roman Empire and the rise of the Celtic and Germanic kingdoms in Western Europe.

It is followed, in Northern Europe and Scandinavia, by the Viking Age.

During the decline of the Roman Empire, an abundance of gold flows into Scandinavia; there are excellent works in gold from this period.

Gold is used to make scabbard mountings and bracteates.

After the Western Roman Empire falls, gold becomes scarce and Scandinavians begin to make objects of gilded bronze, with decorative figures of interlacing animals.

In the EGIA, the decorations tended to be representational—the animal figures are rather faithful anatomically; in the LGIA, they will tend to be more abstract or symbolic—intricate interlaced shapes and limbs.

The LGIA in the eighth century blends into the Viking Age and the proto-historical period, with legendary or semi-legendary oral tradition recorded a few centuries later in the Gesta Danorum, heroic legend and sagas, and an incipient tradition of primary written documents in the form of runestones.

The western extent of modern-day Switzerland is part of the territory of the Kings of the Burgundians from the end of the fourth century.

The Alemanni settle the Swiss plateau in the fifth century and will settle the valleys of the Alps in the eighth century, forming Alemannia.

Modern-day Switzerland is therefore then divided between the kingdoms of Alemannia and Burgundy.

The entire region becomes part of the expanding Frankish Empire in the sixth century, following Clovis I's victory over the Alemanni at Tolbiac in 504, and later Frankish domination of the Burgundians.

The Barbarian Invasions resume from the beginning of the fifth century, and Germanic tribes such as the Vandals, Suebi and Alans cross the Rhine and settle in Gaul, Spain and other parts of the collapsing Roman Empire.
 
At the end of the Antiquity period, ancient Gaul is divided into several Germanic kingdoms and a remaining Gallo-Roman territory, known as the Kingdom of Soissons, also known as the Domain of Syagrius.

Simultaneously, Celtic Britons, fleeing the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain, settle the western part of Armorica.

As a result, the Armorican peninsula will be renamed Brittany, Celtic culture is revived and independent petty kingdoms arise in this region.

The pagan Franks, from whom the ancient name of "Francie" is derived, originally settle the north part of Gaul, but under Clovis I conquer most of the other kingdoms in northern and central Gaul.

In 498, Clovis I is the first Germanic conqueror after the fall of the Roman Empire to convert to Catholic Christianity, rather than Arianism; thus France is given the title "Eldest daughter of the Church" (French: La fille aînée de l'Église) by the papacy, and French kings will be called "the Most Christian Kings of France" (Rex Christianissimus).

The Franks embrace the Christian Gallo-Roman culture and ancient Gaul s eventually renamed Francia ("Land of the Franks").

The Germanic Franks adopt Romanic languages, except in northern Gaul where Roman settlements are less dense and where Germanic languages emerge.

Clovis makes Paris his capital and establishes the Merovingian dynasty, but his kingdom does not survive his death.

The Franks treat land purely as a private possession and divide it among their heirs, so four kingdoms emerge from Clovis's: Paris, Orléans, Soissons, and Rheims.

Atlantic West Europe (388–531): From Roman Gaul to Frankish Dominance

Between 388 and 531, Atlantic West Europe—covering the regions of northern and central France, including Aquitaine, Burgundy, Alsace, the Low Countries, and the Franche-Comté—underwent profound transformations. This period marked the decline of Roman authority, the migration and settlement of Germanic peoples, the rise of powerful Frankish kingdoms, and the increasing influence of the Catholic Church.

Political and Military Transformations

• Late Roman Authority (388–410)

  • Stability under Emperor Theodosius I (r. 379–395) gave way to political uncertainty following his death.

  • The usurper Constantine III temporarily seized control of Gaul, leading to weakened Roman defenses and vulnerability to barbarian incursions.

• Barbarian Migrations and Kingdoms (411–450)

  • Visigoths, Burgundians, and Franks established independent realms within former Roman territories.

  • The Visigoths, granted territory as Roman foederati, expanded into Aquitaine and established Toulouse as their capital.

  • The Burgundians established themselves along the Rhône Valley, creating a kingdom centered at Lyon.

• The Rise of the Merovingians (451–481)

  • The Battle of the Catalaunian Plains (451), led by Roman general Aetius with Visigothic and Frankish allies, halted Attila the Hun’s westward advance.

  • Merovingian Franks under Childeric I consolidated power around Tournai, laying the groundwork for Frankish dominance.

• Frankish Consolidation under Clovis (482–511)

  • Clovis united the Frankish tribes, defeated Syagrius, the last Roman ruler in Gaul (486), and expanded his territory significantly.

  • His conversion to Catholicism (c. 496) secured the support of the Gallo-Roman populace and the Catholic Church.

  • The decisive defeat of the Visigoths at Vouillé (507) significantly expanded Frankish control into Aquitaine.

• Division and Expansion (512–531)

  • Upon Clovis’s death in 511, his sons—Theuderic, Chlodomer, Childebert, and Chlothar—divided the Frankish kingdom, each ruling semi-autonomous territories.

  • Continued Frankish expansion culminated in the conquest and integration of Burgundy by 534.

Economic and Social Developments

• Decline and Transformation of Urban Life

  • Roman urban centers deteriorated; trade networks weakened as imperial structures collapsed.

  • Increasing ruralization occurred, with populations moving toward countryside estates and fortifications, heralding medieval rural feudal society.

• Shifts in Economic Foundations

  • A transition from Roman monetary economy to more localized, agrarian economies took place, emphasizing landholdings and agricultural production.

  • The foundation for medieval manorial systems was established as local elites consolidated rural power.

Religious and Cultural Developments

• Growth of Ecclesiastical Authority

  • Bishops, notably figures like Sidonius Apollinaris (bishop of Clermont), assumed greater civil and religious authority, managing civic affairs amid declining Roman administration.

  • Councils, such as the Council of Agde (506), standardized ecclesiastical practices and reinforced Catholic dominance in the region.

• Spread and Consolidation of Catholicism

  • The collapse of Arian Visigothic power in Gaul solidified Catholicism’s religious supremacy.

  • Monasticism expanded, preserving classical texts and cultural traditions, laying foundations for medieval intellectual life.

Legacy and Significance

By 531, Atlantic West Europe had fundamentally shifted from Roman governance to fragmented barbarian kingdoms and ultimately to consolidated Frankish rule under the Merovingians. Clovis's unification efforts and strategic religious alignment firmly established the Catholic Frankish kingdom as the predominant power, creating cultural and political legacies that defined medieval European history.

The Frankish Expansion and the Unification of the Low Countries

With the collapse of Roman rule in the Low Countries, the Franks expand their influence, establishing multiple small kingdoms across the region.

By the 490s, Clovis I consolidates these territories in the southern Netherlands, forging a single Frankish kingdom. From this stronghold, he launches further conquests into Gaul, laying the foundations for what will become the Frankish dominion over much of Western Europe.

As the Franks migrate southward, many gradually adopt the Vulgar Latin spoken by the local Gallo-Roman population, a linguistic shift that will contribute to the emergence of early Romance languages in the region.

The Frankish Expansion and the Unification of the Low Countries

With the collapse of Roman rule in the Low Countries, the Franks expand their influence, establishing multiple small kingdoms across the region.

By the 490s, Clovis I consolidates these territories in the southern Netherlands, forging a single Frankish kingdom. From this stronghold, he launches further conquests into Gaul, laying the foundations for what will become the Frankish dominion over much of Western Europe.

As the Franks migrate southward, many gradually adopt the Vulgar Latin spoken by the local Gallo-Roman population, a linguistic shift that will contribute to the emergence of early Romance languages in the region.

Bishop Avitus of Vienne has published treatises in confutation of the Nestorian, Eutychian, and Sabellian heresies; he has also written against the Pelagian errors of Faustus, abbot of Lerins, and converted many Jews who had settled in his diocese (Venant. Fortun. l. v. c. 5).

Atlantic West Europe (508–519): Frankish Consolidation, Burgundian Stability, and Ecclesiastical Strengthening

Between 508 and 519, Atlantic West Europe saw the Merovingian Franks consolidate territorial and political gains following the decisive Battle of Vouillé (507). The Frankish Kingdom under Clovis I stabilized its dominance over Gaul, integrating Gallo-Roman traditions, legal structures, and ecclesiastical institutions. Meanwhile, the Burgundian kingdom preserved a degree of autonomy under careful diplomacy, and the Visigothic presence receded definitively into Iberia.

Political and Military Developments

• Frankish Kingdom: Consolidation under Clovis I

  • Following the conquest of Visigothic territories in Gaul, Clovis I secured his gains by establishing stable governance across Aquitaine and southwestern Gaul, aligning closely with regional bishops and Gallo-Roman aristocrats.

  • He actively fostered administrative continuity by adopting Roman law traditions, notably issuing the Lex Salica (Salic Law) in revised form around 511, blending Roman and Germanic customs.

• Division of the Frankish Kingdom (511):

  • Clovis’s death in 511 led to the division of the Frankish kingdom among his four sons: Theuderic, Chlodomer, Childebert, and Chlothar.

  • Each son governed a portion of the realm from their regional capitals: Metz (Theuderic), Orléans (Chlodomer), Paris (Childebert), and Soissons (Chlothar). This partition initiated a complex phase of dynastic rivalries, although unity was maintained against external threats.

• Burgundian Stability under Gundobad and Sigismund:

  • King Gundobad (d. 516) maintained careful diplomatic relations with the Frankish rulers, preserving Burgundian territorial integrity.

  • His successor, Sigismund (r. 516–524), continued this balancing act, though Frankish pressures intensified. The kingdom remained autonomous, emphasizing internal governance and legal reforms.

• Visigothic Kingdom Retreat and Reorientation:

  • Visigothic territories north of the Pyrenees had been largely lost by 508. The remaining Visigothic kingdom reorganized south of the Pyrenees under King Theodoric the Great of the Ostrogoths, who intervened as regent following internal Visigothic strife.

  • Visigothic focus shifted definitively toward Iberia, leading to a long-term reorientation of Visigothic culture and governance toward Hispania.

Economic and Social Developments

• Integration of Roman and Frankish Economic Structures:

  • The Frankish kingdom's economic foundation became increasingly tied to extensive agricultural estates managed by bishops and aristocrats, who served as intermediaries between royal authority and local populations.

  • Economic integration between northern and southern Gaul expanded, driven by regional trade networks that benefited from the Frankish peace and internal stability.

• Growing Role of Aristocracy and Church:

  • Frankish and Burgundian aristocrats strengthened their roles in managing land and resources, often controlling local governance in cooperation with bishops.

  • Episcopal estates grew, becoming significant centers of economic and social power, further linking secular and religious authority.

Religious and Cultural Developments

• Strengthening of Catholic Orthodoxy:

  • Clovis’s embrace of Catholic Christianity continued to reshape religious identity. The Catholic Church gained unprecedented influence, with episcopal leaders such as Remigius of Reims playing crucial political roles.

  • Ecclesiastical synods (e.g., Council of Orléans in 511) helped standardize religious practices, clarify episcopal authority, and support Merovingian royal legitimacy.

• Continued Decline of Arianism:

  • Arian Christianity, previously dominant among Visigothic elites, rapidly diminished north of the Pyrenees under Frankish Catholic rule.

  • Catholicism’s dominance set the stage for religious uniformity and reduced sectarian tensions within the Frankish realms.

Legacy and Significance

By 519, Atlantic West Europe had undergone significant political and cultural reorientation:

• The Frankish kingdom consolidated its hold on Gaul, successfully blending Roman traditions with Frankish governance, and laying foundations for future medieval monarchies.

• Burgundy retained stability through skillful diplomacy and internal reform but increasingly operated in Frankish orbit.

• The Catholic Church emerged stronger than ever, closely intertwined with secular governance, significantly shaping Western Europe's religious, social, and cultural trajectories.

This era thus established enduring political structures and religious patterns that profoundly influenced the development of early medieval Europe.

The Death of Clovis I and the Division of the Frankish Kingdom (511 CE)

On November 27, 511 CE, Clovis I, the first king of all the Franks, dies at the age of forty-five in Paris, the capital he had established. His death marks the end of his personal rule, but the Merovingian Dynasty continues through his four sons.

Burial in the Abbey of St. Genevieve

• Clovis is buried in the Abbey of St. Genevieve, which he had founded on the south bank of the Seine.
• This symbolic resting place reinforces his legacy as a Christian king, intertwining Frankish monarchy with the Church.

The Partition of the Frankish Kingdom

As was customary among Germanic kings, Clovis' realm is divided among his sons, rather than passing to a single ruler. The Frankish Kingdom is split into four parts, with each son ruling from a different capital:

1. Childebert I – Rules from Paris

Theuderic I – Rules from Metz (Austrasia)