c. 466-511

Frankish king who was the first ruler to succeed in building a stable nation after the fall of the Roman Empire. A Germanic barbarian who converted to Christianity, he treated his conquering Franks and the conquered Gallo-Romans as equals, providing a civilizing influence unknown in other areas of the former Empire. He was the first king of the Merovingian dynasty; from his nation have arisen the modern states of France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.