Clovis I. Son of Childreric I, was born about 465. Clovis is regarded as the real founder of the French monarchy. He succeeded Childeric in 481. The victory of Soissons, which Clovis gained in 486, over Syagrius, rendered him master of all the Roman possessions in the center of Gaul. Victorious when opposed to the Germans at Tobiac near Cologne, in 496, he is said to have made a vow of embracing Christianity, and to have kept his promise. He was baptized by St. Remigius, Archbishop of Rheims. Having conquered Alaric, king of the Visigoths, in 507, he gained most of the south provinces, but was himself overthrown near Aries by Theodoric in 507. Died 511.

---