The French under the Merovingians

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1850 Excerpt: ... that city had been plundered by Genseric and the Vandals. Theodoric, to whom he had come to sue for peace, offered him his alliance and the help of his warriors if he would seize the empire which had become vacant. In fact, Avitus was proclaimed emperor at Toulouse, by the Visigoths, on the 10th of July, 455, and this ceremony was repeated at Aries, the 15th of August in the same year, in the midst of an assembly of the public functionaries of Gaul. The new Augustus afterwards set out for Rome, with a view of causing himself to be acknowledged by the senate, whilst Theodoric, in concert with him, entered Spain to fight the Suevians, whose spoils were offered to him by Avitus as a reward. All that he could win from them was to remain his, on condition that he would govern it in the name of the Romans. Theodoric gained over their king, whose name was Rechiarius, and who was also his brother-in-law, a decisive victory, not far from Astorga. He put Rechaiarius, who had fallen into his hands, to death, and he almost annihilated his nation.13 Thus rose the monarchy of the Visigoths, and it seemed destined to extend at once over all Gaul and Spain. Theodoric the Second did not however accomplish the conquest of this second country-. He was called from it by the disasters of Avitus, his ally, who was shortly after deposed at Rome, and probably put to death. He had to defend himself against his successor, Majorian, who in the last period of the empire brought back that talent and virtue to the throne, which seemed only to belong to the Roman republic. Majorian visited Gaul and Spain; he was acknowledged by those provinces; and he assembled in them, not the national troops, for there existed none, but some barbarian auxiliaries, for the expedition which he meditated...