Chlodio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chlodio |
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| A King of Franks | |||||
An imagined portrait (ca. 1720) of Chlodio
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| Reign | 20 years | ||||
| Died | Probably after 450 | ||||
| Issue | Merovech (uncertain, but probable relative) | ||||
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| Father | possibly Pharamond or Theodemer | ||||
Chlodio (died around 450 AD) was an early Frankish king. He is also known as Clodio, Clodius, Clodion, Cloio, or Chlogio. He led his people to attack and then rule lands that were part of the Roman Empire. These lands were near modern-day Cambrai and Tournai, close to the border between Belgium and France today.
Chlodio was the first Frankish ruler to gain control so far inside the Roman Empire. Before him, Franks mostly lived closer to the border regions. He might have been a descendant of the Salian Franks. These Franks had settled in an area called Texandria in the 300s AD.
A famous historian named Gregory of Tours wrote about Chlodio. He said that people in his time believed the Merovingian dynasty (a powerful family of kings) were related to Chlodio.
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What's in a Name?
The name Chlodio is a shorter version of older Frankish names. Examples include *Hlodowig (which became Clovis) or *Hlodhari (which became Chlothar). These names come from a Germanic word, *hlod-, which means 'famous'.
Stories and Records of Chlodio
Most of what we know about Chlodio comes from a few old writings. The most important one is by Gregory of Tours. He wrote that "Chlogio" (as he spelled the name) attacked from a fort called "Dispargum." This fort was near a "Thoringian" land, which was west of the Rhine River.
Gregory of Tours wrote that people believed the Franks first came from a place called Pannonia. Then, they settled along the Rhine River. After that, they crossed the river and moved through "Thuringia." They chose long-haired kings from their noblest families to rule each area.
Gregory also said that Chlodio was a very important and skilled Frankish king. He lived in the castle of Duisberg (Dispargum). The Romans controlled the land south of this area, all the way to the River Loire. Chlodio sent spies to the town of Cambrai. Once he knew what he needed, he attacked the Romans and captured the town. He then took control of the land up to the River Somme. Some people believed that Merovech, who was the father of King Childeric, was related to Chlodio.
Historians have different ideas about where "Dispargum" was. It could be Duisburg on the Rhine, or Duisburg near Brussels, or Diest in Belgium. The places in Belgium make more sense geographically. They are close to a large forest called the Silva Carbonaria, which was west of the Rhine. They are also near Toxandria, where the Salian Franks had settled. It's possible that "Thoringorum" actually referred to the "Civitas Tungrorum" area. This fits with Gregory's idea that the Franks moved into "Thuringia" on the left side of the Rhine.
So, Chlodio likely ruled the northern part of Gaul that was still Roman. He also controlled an area further northeast that was already Frankish.
Other Historical Accounts
Later writings, like the Liber Historiae Francorum and the Chronicle of Fredegar, added more details about Chlodio. These stories are not always seen as completely reliable, but they might contain some true facts. The Liber Historiae Francorum says that Chlodio first moved west through the Silva Carbonaria forest. This forest stretched from Brussels to the Sambre River. Then, he captured the Roman city of Turnacum (modern Tournai) before moving south to Cameracum (modern Cambrai). Historians believe the Franks probably took Tournai and Cambrai between 445 and 450 AD.
Around 448 AD, the Roman general Flavius Aëtius attacked a Frankish wedding party belonging to Chlodio. This happened at a village called Vicus Helena. The Romans won this battle. We know this because the future Roman emperor Majorian was there. A writer named Sidonius Apollinaris later wrote about this event. He said that "Cloio" (Chlodio) had taken over the land of the Atrebates. This area is now called Artois, north of the Somme River, between Tournai and Cambrai.
Chlodio and the Merovingian Kings
As mentioned, Gregory of Tours wrote that "some people said" Merovech was a descendant of Chlodio. Merovech is considered the ancestor of the 'Merovingian' dynasty. Merovech's son, Childeric I, is known for his connections to Romanized northern Gaul. It was only when Childeric's son, Clovis I, took power in that area that he turned his attention to other Frankish kingdoms.
According to Gregory, the original Franks living west of the Rhine had many kings. But they all belonged to one special noble family, which included Chlodio. However, another source, the Gesta episcoporum Cameracensium, suggests a different connection. It says that Clovis and his rival, King Ragnachar of Cambrai (the city Chlodio had controlled), were related through Clovis's mother, Basina. She was a "Thuringian" princess.
A Roman historian named Priscus wrote about a young Frankish prince he saw in Rome. This boy had long, fair hair and was adopted by General Aetius. Priscus also wrote that Attila the Hun used a Frankish king's death as an excuse for war. The king's children disagreed about who should rule next. The older son sided with Attila, and the younger with Aetius. Some historians think this dispute might have involved Chlodio's royal family. Others believe it was about Franks living near the Rhine.
See also
In Spanish: Clodión para niños
