The Road to Old High German
The Franks, the Saxons & the rise of The Holy Roman Empire The Problem of Germania
In 9 CE the Roman quest to pacify Germania came to a crashing halt
The Rhein & Danube became the northern border of the Empire
It was, however, a relatively porous border
Interaction with Germanic tribes was hereafter a negotiated process
The Franks
Emerged in the 3rd century as a confederation of smaller tribes
The major subgroups in this confederation:
The Salians - in large parts of the modern Netherlands
The Ripuarians - along the Rhein
The Hessians - in the south along the Main The Franks (Regnum Francorum)
By the mid-fourth century, the Franks begin displacing the Romans
Their status is generally “federates” of Rome
In the course of the 5th century, the Franks continue to move south and southwest The Franks (Regnum Francorum)
Salian Franks bring order to Gaul
Gaul had been invaded many times: Alemanni, Visigoths, Burgundians, Huns
The Franks under Merovech stood with the Romans to defeat the Huns at Catalaunian Plains in 451 The Franks (Regnum Francorum)
Merovech is the namesake of the Merovingian dynasty > Childeric > Clovis (Chlodwig)
Clovis assumes control of the Franks, eliminating other Salian and Ripuarian leaders
Clovis converts to Catholicism, displaces the Romans from Gaul (486), soundly whips the Alemanni, and goes after the Goth and Burgundian “heretics” The Franks (Regnum Francorum)
Clovis’ death signals the beginning of a long period of war & subdivision of the Frankish Empire
In 718 Charles Martel (Karl Martel) assumes the throne of Francia
Re-centralizes Frankish rule of Francia
Subjugates the Bavarians, Alemanni, Frisians & Saxons
Halts Islamic advance into western Europe - Battle of Tours (732)
The Franks (Regnum Francorum)
Charles Martel > Pippin the Younger (a.k.a. Pippin the Short)
Pippin had 2 sons: Charles and Carloman
Charles (a.k.a Karl der Große / Charlemagne) remakes the Empire Charlemagne
Assumed control of the Franks in 768
Laid the foundations for modern Germany & France
Crowned as the first Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III in 800
Spurred the Carolingian Renaissance
United western Europe under his control, Christianized various groups at sword point The Saxons
Described by Roman and Frankish texts
Major Old Saxon text is the Heliand - a loose Bible translation
Other minor texts survived, although most destroyed in the process of Christianization
Very similar to, and part of the roots of, Old English The Spread of the Franks The Frankish Empire Frankish
Collection of Germanic and Italic dialects
The Germanic speaking parts of the Frankish Empire were no doubt a continuum of somewhat similar dialects
However, in the high mountains of what is now Bavaria & Switzerland, something was happening that would change the quality of many Germanic dialects and give birth to Old High German …..