TheBattle of Vouillé(from LatinCampus Vogladensis) was fought in the northernmarchesof Visigothic territory, atVouillé,nearPoitiers(Gaul), around Spring 507 between theFranks,commanded byClovis,and theVisigoths,commanded byAlaric II.The Franks' victory resulted in their conquest ofGallia Aquitaniaand the death of Alaric II.
| Battle of Vouillé | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part ofFranco-Visigothic Wars | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Franks | Visigothic Kingdom | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Clovis I |
Alaric II† Apollinaris of Clermont | ||||||||
Background
editAfter Clovis's victories over theAlemannieast of theRhineand over theBurgundiansin theRhone Valley,the Franks' growing power posed a threat to Alaric II's territory inAquitaineandHispania.DespiteTheodoric the Great's attempts to broker a peace between the factions, Clovis began a campaign to seize Aquitaine and Alaric's center of power inToulouse.Alaric, his army, and a force ofAuvergnantsmilitia commanded byApollinaris of Clermontmarched north and met the Frankish army inGaul.[2]
Battle
editClovis's army was slowed by a rain-swollenVienne River,yet his forces were able to engage the Visigoths south of Vouillé.[3]With hismissile troopsstationed at the rear of his army, Clovis sent the rest of the army forward to fight hand-to-hand with the Visigoths.[3]Despite being in a superior army in size and equipment, Alaric's soldiers wavered as all of the Auvergnat commanders except Apollinaris were killed.[2]During the melée Clovis allegedly killed the Visigothic king Alaric, whereupon the Visigothic army broke and fled.[3]Clovis's army proceeded south and plundered Alaric's treasure at Toulouse.[2]
Aftermath
editAfter Clovis's success in this battle,ByzantineEmperorAnastasiusmade him an honorary consul and patrician.[4]The battle forced the Visigoths to retreat toSeptimania,which they continued to hold, and the Franks' success at Vouillé allowed them to control the southwestern part of France and to captureToulouse.Alaric's illegitimate sonGesalectried to organise a counterstrike atNarbonne,but he was deposed and ultimately killed when Narbonne was taken by Burgundian allies of the Franks. Clovis eventually drove the Goths out ofAngoulêmeand his son,Theuderic I,defeated the Goths in Hispania.[2]
Notes
edit- ^Encyclopedia of Barbarian Europe: Society in Transformation,ed. Michael Frassetto, (ABC-CLIO, 2003), 362.
- ^abcdShowalter, Dennis (2013).Medieval Wars: 500 - 1500.London: Amber Books. p. 20.ISBN9781782741190.OCLC959829638.
- ^abcBernard S. Bachrach,Merovingian Military Organization, 481-751(University of Minnesota Press, 1972), 11
- ^Clovis, Anastasius, and the Political Status 508 CE: The Frankis Aftermath of the Battle of Vouillé,Ralph W. Mathisen,The Battle of Vouillé, 507 CE: Where France Began,ed.Ralph W. Mathisenand Danuta Shanzer, (Walter de Gruyter Inc., 2012), 88.
References
edit- Bernard S. Bachrach,Merovingian Military Organization, 481-751,University of Minnesota Press, 1972.
- Encyclopedia of Barbarian Europe: Society in Transformation,ed.Michael Frassetto, ABC-CLIO, 2003.
Literature
edit- Eugen Ewig:Die Merowinger und das Frankenreich,Stuttgart u.a. 1993.
- Herwig Wolfram:Die Goten,München 2001.