Battle of Vézeronce
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Vézeronce took place on June 25, 524 close to Vézeronce-Curtin
(then Veseruntia) in Isère
. It was part of the Burgundian War initiated by the four successors of the Frankish king Clovis I
: Childebert I
, Chlodomir, Chlothar I, and Theuderic I
.
The Burgundian king
Sigismund
was defeated, but Chlodomir, the leader of the Frankish army, was killed in battle, traditionally by Gundomar III
, brother of Sigismund. In vengeance, Sigismund and his two sons were slain by the Franks after the battle. Clotaire and Childebert then completed their conquest at Vézeronce by defeating Gundomar and his allied Ostrogoths.
Aside from the definitive defeat of the Burgundians, which reversed their fortunes permanently and assured the annexation of their kingdom to the Merovingians
', the chief legacy of the battle within Francia was the division of Chlodomir's kingdom among his brothers and the dispossession (and murder) of his young heirs.
A helmet was found in the peat marsh of Saint-Didier
, to the north of the battle site in 1871 and is conserved in the Musée Dauphinois
, Grenoble
. The helmet is of Byzantine
craftsmanship and was probably that of a Frankish chieftain.
Vézeronce-Curtin
Vézeronce-Curtin is a commune in the Isère department in south-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Isère department* Battle of Vézeronce...
(then Veseruntia) in Isère
Isère
Isère is a department in the Rhône-Alpes region in the east of France named after the river Isère.- History :Isère is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from part of the former province of Dauphiné...
. It was part of the Burgundian War initiated by the four successors of the Frankish king 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...
: Childebert I
Childebert I
Childebert I was the Frankish king of Paris, a Merovingian dynast, one of the four sons of Clovis I who shared the kingdom of the Franks upon their father's death in 511...
, Chlodomir, Chlothar I, and Theuderic I
Theuderic I
Theuderic I was the Merovingian king of Metz, Rheims, or Austrasia—as it is variously called—from 511 to 533 or 534....
.
The Burgundian king
King of Burgundy
The following is a list of the Kings of the two Kingdoms of Burgundy, and a number of related political entities devolving from Carolingian machinations over family relations.- Kings of the Burgundians :...
Sigismund
Sigismund of Burgundy
Sigismund was king of the Burgundians from 516 to his death. He was the son of king Gundobad, whom he succeeded in 516. Sigismund and his brother Godomar were defeated in battle by Clovis' sons and Godomar fled. Sigismund was taken by Chlodomer, King of Orléans, where he was kept as a prisoner. He...
was defeated, but Chlodomir, the leader of the Frankish army, was killed in battle, traditionally by Gundomar III
Godomar
Godomar , son of king Gundobad, was king of Burgundy. He ruled Burgundy after his elder brother's death in 524 until 534.Both he and his brother Sigismund of Burgundy were defeated in battle by Clovis' sons. Godomar fled and Sigismund was taken prisoner by Chlodomer, King of Orléans. Godomar then...
, brother of Sigismund. In vengeance, Sigismund and his two sons were slain by the Franks after the battle. Clotaire and Childebert then completed their conquest at Vézeronce by defeating Gundomar and his allied Ostrogoths.
Aside from the definitive defeat of the Burgundians, which reversed their fortunes permanently and assured the annexation of their kingdom to the Merovingians
Merovingian dynasty
The Merovingians were a Salian Frankish dynasty that came to rule the Franks in a region largely corresponding to ancient Gaul from the middle of the 5th century. Their politics involved frequent civil warfare among branches of the family...
', the chief legacy of the battle within Francia was the division of Chlodomir's kingdom among his brothers and the dispossession (and murder) of his young heirs.
A helmet was found in the peat marsh of Saint-Didier
Saint-Didier
Saint-Didier may refer to the following places in France:*Saint-Didier, Côte-d'Or, in the Côte-d'Or département*Saint-Didier, Ille-et-Vilaine, in the Ille-et-Vilaine département...
, to the north of the battle site in 1871 and is conserved in the Musée Dauphinois
Musée dauphinois
The Musée dauphinois is a county museum, located in Grenoble .The museum was founded in 1906 by the ethnographer Hipollyte Müller....
, Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
. The helmet is of Byzantine
Byzantine army
The Byzantine army was the primary military body of the Byzantine armed forces, serving alongside the Byzantine navy. A direct descendant of the Roman army, the Byzantine army maintained a similar level of discipline, strategic prowess and organization...
craftsmanship and was probably that of a Frankish chieftain.
External links
- Collections Archéologie at the Musée dauphinois website.