| The Franks and Franconia |
The word Franconia, or Franken, was first used in 1013 and was applied to a portion of the land
occupied by the Franks. It is the name of the stem duchy of medieval Germany that stretched along
the valley of the Main from the Rhine to Bohemia, bounded on the north by Saxony and Thuringia,
and on the south by Swabia and Bavaria. It also included a district around Mainz, Spires and Worms
on the left bank of the Rhine. The Franks were comprised of West Germanic tribes living north and
east of the Lower Rhine first identified around 260 due to an invasion across the Rhine into the
Roman Empire. By legend, the Franks claimed that their people were descended from the ancient
Sicambri and Trojans. An anonymous work of 727 called 'Liber Historiae Francorum' states that
following the fall of Troy, 12,000 Trojans led by chiefs Priam and Antenor moved to the Tanais
(Don) river, settled in Pannonia near the Sea of Azov and founded a city called "Sicambria", and
then two generations later arrived at the Rhine in the late fourth century. An even earlier variation of
this story states that an early king named Francio was the namesake of the Franks. The Franks
founded one of the Germanic monarchies which replaced the Western Roman Empire.
occupied by the Franks. It is the name of the stem duchy of medieval Germany that stretched along
the valley of the Main from the Rhine to Bohemia, bounded on the north by Saxony and Thuringia,
and on the south by Swabia and Bavaria. It also included a district around Mainz, Spires and Worms
on the left bank of the Rhine. The Franks were comprised of West Germanic tribes living north and
east of the Lower Rhine first identified around 260 due to an invasion across the Rhine into the
Roman Empire. By legend, the Franks claimed that their people were descended from the ancient
Sicambri and Trojans. An anonymous work of 727 called 'Liber Historiae Francorum' states that
following the fall of Troy, 12,000 Trojans led by chiefs Priam and Antenor moved to the Tanais
(Don) river, settled in Pannonia near the Sea of Azov and founded a city called "Sicambria", and
then two generations later arrived at the Rhine in the late fourth century. An even earlier variation of
this story states that an early king named Francio was the namesake of the Franks. The Franks
founded one of the Germanic monarchies which replaced the Western Roman Empire.
Around the close of the 5th century, the territory was
conquered by Clovis, the first Frankish chief to make
himself king. He had conquered the Kingdom of Soissons
of the Romans and expelled the Visigoths from southern
Gaul, establishing Frankish hegemony over most of Gaul,
excluding Burgundy, Provence, and Brittany, which he left
to his successors, the Merovingians, to conquer. Clovis
divided his realm between his four sons, and they in turn
divided their kingdoms between their sons. Franconia was
eventually incorporated within the kingdom of Austrasia
and at a later period came under the rule of Charlemagne.
conquered by Clovis, the first Frankish chief to make
himself king. He had conquered the Kingdom of Soissons
of the Romans and expelled the Visigoths from southern
Gaul, establishing Frankish hegemony over most of Gaul,
excluding Burgundy, Provence, and Brittany, which he left
to his successors, the Merovingians, to conquer. Clovis
divided his realm between his four sons, and they in turn
divided their kingdoms between their sons. Franconia was
eventually incorporated within the kingdom of Austrasia
and at a later period came under the rule of Charlemagne.
By the end of the eighth century, the Frankish state ruled over large parts of western Europe. The
Carolingian Empire and its successor states were Frankish and one of the most active forces in
spreading Christianity over western Europe. After the treaty of Verdun in 843, Franconia became the
center of the East Frankish or German kingdom and was once the most important of the duchies
which arose on the ruins of the Carolingian empire. The land was divided into "counties" which were
ruled by counts, of whom the feuding families of Conradine and Babenberg were the most
prominent. Conrad, a member of the former family, took the title of "Duke of Franconia" around the
year 900 and was chosen as German king. In 911, he handed over the rule of Franconia to his
brother Eberhard, who remained on good terms with Conrad's successor Heinrich I. the Fowler, but
rose against the succeeding king, Otto the Great. Franconia's influence had began to decline as the
power of the Saxon kings increased. Eberhard was killed in battle in 939 and his territories were
divided into Rhenish Franconia and Eastern Franconia. The most influential family in Rhenish
Franconia was that of the Salians, headed early in the 10th century by Conrad the Red, duke of
Lorraine, and his son-in-law of Otto the Great. Conrad, his son Otto and his grandson Conrad are
sometimes called dukes of Franconia. In 1024, his great-grandson Conrad, also duke of Franconia,
was elected German king as Conrad II. and he founded the line of Franconian or Salian emperors.
Carolingian Empire and its successor states were Frankish and one of the most active forces in
spreading Christianity over western Europe. After the treaty of Verdun in 843, Franconia became the
center of the East Frankish or German kingdom and was once the most important of the duchies
which arose on the ruins of the Carolingian empire. The land was divided into "counties" which were
ruled by counts, of whom the feuding families of Conradine and Babenberg were the most
prominent. Conrad, a member of the former family, took the title of "Duke of Franconia" around the
year 900 and was chosen as German king. In 911, he handed over the rule of Franconia to his
brother Eberhard, who remained on good terms with Conrad's successor Heinrich I. the Fowler, but
rose against the succeeding king, Otto the Great. Franconia's influence had began to decline as the
power of the Saxon kings increased. Eberhard was killed in battle in 939 and his territories were
divided into Rhenish Franconia and Eastern Franconia. The most influential family in Rhenish
Franconia was that of the Salians, headed early in the 10th century by Conrad the Red, duke of
Lorraine, and his son-in-law of Otto the Great. Conrad, his son Otto and his grandson Conrad are
sometimes called dukes of Franconia. In 1024, his great-grandson Conrad, also duke of Franconia,
was elected German king as Conrad II. and he founded the line of Franconian or Salian emperors.
Rhenish Franconia gradually evolved into a land of free towns and minor nobles, and sections of it
passed to the count palatine of the Rhine, the Archbishop of Mainz, the bishops of Worms and
Spires and other clerical and lay nobles; and the name Franconia, or Francia orientalis, was
confined to the eastern portion of the duchy. The bishops of Wurzburg were granted considerable
powers from 822 to 1025 and by the time of Emperor Heinrich II., they had judicial authority over
all of eastern Franconia. The emperors nominally retained the duchy until 1115, when Emperor
Heinrich V. appointed his nephew Conrad of Hohenstaufen as Duke of Franconia.
passed to the count palatine of the Rhine, the Archbishop of Mainz, the bishops of Worms and
Spires and other clerical and lay nobles; and the name Franconia, or Francia orientalis, was
confined to the eastern portion of the duchy. The bishops of Wurzburg were granted considerable
powers from 822 to 1025 and by the time of Emperor Heinrich II., they had judicial authority over
all of eastern Franconia. The emperors nominally retained the duchy until 1115, when Emperor
Heinrich V. appointed his nephew Conrad of Hohenstaufen as Duke of Franconia.
The title of Bishop of Würzburg was retained by the successors of Johann ll
until the bishopric was secularized in 1802. When the greater parts of
Franconia were united with Bavaria, the name Franconia fell into disuse until
it was revived by King Ludwig of Bavaria in 1837 when he named the three
northern sections of his kingdom Upper, Middle and Lower Franconia.
until the bishopric was secularized in 1802. When the greater parts of
Franconia were united with Bavaria, the name Franconia fell into disuse until
it was revived by King Ludwig of Bavaria in 1837 when he named the three
northern sections of his kingdom Upper, Middle and Lower Franconia.
Conrad's son Friedrich took the title of Duke of Rothenburg instead of Duke
of Franconia, but in 1196, on the death of Conrad of Hohenstaufen, son of
the emperor Friedrich I., the title fell into disuse. The bishop of Würzburg
regained his former power in the duchy in the meantime. Early in the 15th
century, the bishop's title was assumed by Johann II. When Germany was
divided into circles by the emperor Maximilian I. in 1500, the name Franconia
was given to that circle which included the eastern part of the old duchy.
of Franconia, but in 1196, on the death of Conrad of Hohenstaufen, son of
the emperor Friedrich I., the title fell into disuse. The bishop of Würzburg
regained his former power in the duchy in the meantime. Early in the 15th
century, the bishop's title was assumed by Johann II. When Germany was
divided into circles by the emperor Maximilian I. in 1500, the name Franconia
was given to that circle which included the eastern part of the old duchy.
Top Left: Imperial Circles 1512
Bottom left: Franken today