The Emergence of Europe (286-843) Part XV: The Longbeards Conquer Italy

A series of civil wars and repeated invasions by Germanic tribes caused the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. Following the end of imperial authority, several Germanic tribes struggled against each other for control of territory. The Franks became the dominant power in Gaul, but Greater Frankia repeatedly broke apart during wars between rival claimants for the throne. Finally, Charlemagne united the Franks, and greatly expanded the size of the kingdom. However, his grandsons proved unwilling to share the empire, and divided it in 843, laying the foundations for France and Germany. Episode fifteen explains that the newly reunited Roman empire suffered a setback when the Lombards conquered much of Italy. Preoccupied with a war against the Persian empire, the empire was unable to retake the lands lost to the Lombards. Meanwhile, Clothar had outlasted his brothers, nephew and even his grand-nephew to reunite greater Frankia into a single kingdom. When he died three years later, the kingdom was divided once again among his four sons. However, unlike their father's generation, the younger generation of Frankish kings would prove to be less united.

 

Cast of Characters:

Alboin-king of the Lombards (560-572)

Clothar-king of the Franks (558-561), king of Soissons (511-558), son of Clovis

Charibert-king of Normandy and Aquitaine (561-567), son of Clothar

Guntram-king of Burgundy (561-592), son of Clothar

Sigibert-king of Austrasia (561-575), son of Clothar

Chilperic- king of Neustria (561-584), son of Clothar

Brunhild-queen of Austrasia (567-575), wife of Sigibert, daughter of Athanagild, king of Hispania

Justinian-emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire (527-565), nephew of former emperor Justin

Justin II-emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire (565-578), nephew of Justinian

Narses-general of the Eastern Roman Empire

Athanagild-king of Hispania (554-567)

 

Sources:

Christendom: The Triumph of a Religion-Peter Heather

Barbarian Migrations and the Roman West 376-568-Guy Halsall

The Fall of the Roman Empire: A New History of Rome and the Barbarians-Peter Heather

The Fall of Rome and the End of Civilization-Bryan Ward-Perkins

The Inheritance of Rome-A History of Europe from 400 to 1000-Chris Wickham

Empires of Faith: The Fall of Rome to the Rise of Islam, 500-700-Peter Sarris

Powers and Thrones: A New History of the Middle Ages-Dan Jones

The Restoration of Rome: Barbarian Popes and Imperial Pretenders-Peter Heather

Theodoric the Great: King of Goths, Ruler of Romans-Hans-Ulrich Wiemer, Translated by John Noel Dillon

The Franks-Edward James

Lost to the West: The Forgotten Byzantine Empire that Rescued Western Civilization-Lars Brownsworth

Byzantium: The Early Centuries-John Julius Norwich

Justinian: Emperor, Soldier, Saint-Peter Sarris

Visigothic Spain 409-711-Roger Collins

History of the Goths-Herwig Wolfram, translated by Thomas J. Dunlap

Ravenna: Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe-Judith Herrin

 

Image Credit

By Unknown author - [1] 'Grandes Chroniques de France, Mandragore, BNF, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=723625