Ragnachar

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Ragnachar was a Frankish petty king ( regulus ) end of the 5th century of the race of Merovingian and a relative of Clovis I .

Life

The historical work of Gregory of Tours ( Decem Libri Historiarum , 2nd book), on which all later reports are based, is the most important source on Ragnachar.

Ragnachar ruled Cambrai and established his sphere of influence in connection with the fall of the late Roman administration in Gaul . He was one of the numerous Frankish petty kings in this area, similar to Clovis I, who perhaps enjoyed a certain priority of honor, since his father Childerich I had held the Roman military command in the Belgica Secunda .

486 supported Ragnachar Clovis I in his military operation against the Gallo-Roman Syagrius . Syagrius was the son of the Roman magister militum Aegidius and ruled in Soissons , one of the last Roman enclaves in the fallen western empire . Ragnachar probably also supported Clovis because Syagrius' sphere of influence was adjacent to the Ragnachars. Together they defeated Syagrius' army; he was able to flee to the Visigoths , but was soon handed over to Clovis, who had him executed.

With the fall of the Syagrius Empire, the balance of power between the Frankish petty kings shifted in favor of Clovis. This finally took action against Ragnachar, but the chronology of the events is uncertain. Clovis probably began his operations towards the end of his reign, when he had already defeated the Alamanni and Visigoths, but certainly not before the year 490.

Clovis also eliminated the petty kings Chararich and Sigibert of Cologne , but it is not entirely clear in which order the events took place. According to Gregory's report, Ragnachar led a dissolute life and was therefore despised by the Franks around him. Clovis managed to bribe several of Ragnachar's followers so that they called Clovis for help. Ragnachar, after losing the battle against Clovis's troops, was captured by his own people and handed over to Clovis, who had Ragnachar and his brothers Richar and Rignomer, who were at Le Mans , killed.

Clovis had thereby eliminated all possible competitors and paved the way for the unification of the Franks in one empire .

literature

Remarks

  1. ↑ Kettemann, Ragnachar , RGA 24, p. 99. On the general situation in Gaul, see also Ian N. Wood , The Merovingian Kingdoms , Harlow 1994, p. 5ff. (Chapter The Barbarians in Gaul ).
  2. ^ Gregory of Tours, Decem Libri Historiarum 2,42.
personal data
SURNAME Ragnachar
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Frankish small king (regulus)
DATE OF BIRTH 5th century
DATE OF DEATH 5th century or 6th century