Sigobert the Lame
Encyclopedia
Sigobert the Lame (died ca. 509) was a king of the Franks
in the area of Zülpich
and Cologne
.
He was presumably wounded at the knee at the Battle of Tolbiac
against the Alamanni
.
According to Gregory of Tours
, he was murdered by his son Chlodoric
upon the instigation of Clovis I
, sometime after his victory on the Visigoths (507). Clovis then accused Chlodoric of murder and had him killed in his turn. In this way Clovis became king of Sigobert's and Chlodoric's people.
Gregory suggests that Chlodoric was murdered in the same campaign that also killed the Frankish King Chararic
. Before, Clovis had killed Ragnachar
and his brothers.
After all these murders Gregory tells us that Clovis lamented that he had left no family anymore, implying that amongst his own casualties were close relatives.
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
in the area of Zülpich
Zülpich
Zülpich is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany between Aachen and Bonn. It belongs to the district Euskirchen.The town is commonly agreed to be the site with the Latin name of Tolbiacum, famous for the Battle of Tolbiac, fought between the Franks under Clovis I and the Alamanni; the...
and Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
.
He was presumably wounded at the knee at the Battle of Tolbiac
Battle of Tolbiac
The Battle of Tolbiac was fought between the Franks under Clovis I and the Alamanni, traditionally set in 496. The site of "Tolbiac", or "Tulpiacum" is usually given as Zülpich, North Rhine-Westphalia, about 60km east of the present German-Belgian frontier, which is not implausible...
against the Alamanni
Alamanni
The Alamanni, Allemanni, or Alemanni were originally an alliance of Germanic tribes located around the upper Rhine river . One of the earliest references to them is the cognomen Alamannicus assumed by Roman Emperor Caracalla, who ruled the Roman Empire from 211 to 217 and claimed thereby to be...
.
According to Gregory of Tours
Gregory of Tours
Saint Gregory of Tours was a Gallo-Roman historian and Bishop of Tours, which made him a leading prelate of Gaul. He was born Georgius Florentius, later adding the name Gregorius in honour of his maternal great-grandfather...
, he was murdered by his son Chlodoric
Chlodoric the Parricide
Chlodoric the Patricide murdered his own father, Sigobert the Lame, in order to take his kingdom. Chlodoric acted upon the instigation of Clovis I a rival king of the Salian Franks. After Sigobert's death Clovis then accused Chlodoric of the murder and had him killed in his turn for the crime...
upon the instigation of Clovis I
Clovis I
Clovis Leuthwig was the first King of the Franks to unite all the Frankish tribes under one ruler, changing the leadership from a group of royal chieftains, to rule by kings, ensuring that the kingship was held by his heirs. He was also the first Catholic King to rule over Gaul . He was the son...
, sometime after his victory on the Visigoths (507). Clovis then accused Chlodoric of murder and had him killed in his turn. In this way Clovis became king of Sigobert's and Chlodoric's people.
Gregory suggests that Chlodoric was murdered in the same campaign that also killed the Frankish King Chararic
Chararic (Frankish king)
Chararic was a Frankish king from sometime before 486 until his death sometime after 507. The primary source for his career is Gregory of Tours....
. Before, Clovis had killed Ragnachar
Ragnachar
Ragnachar or Ragnarius was a Frankish petty king who ruled from Cambrai. According to Gregory of Tours, Ragnachar "was so unrestrained in his wantonness that he scarcely had mercy for his own near relatives", an attribute he shared with his contemporary, fellow king and relative, Clovis.In 486,...
and his brothers.
After all these murders Gregory tells us that Clovis lamented that he had left no family anymore, implying that amongst his own casualties were close relatives.