Childeric I

     Childeric I was born circa 436. He was the son of Merovech King of France and Verica. Childeric I married Basina II de Thuringia, daughter of King Basin of Thuringia and Basina de Saxe, in 463; For as she herself said, "I want to have the most powerful man in the world, even if I have to cross the ocean for him". This remark of hers may have been related to Childeric's successful invasion of the Roman Empire and his attempt to settle a Frankish kingdom on Roman soil.
She is the mother of the man who is remembered as the founder of the Frankish realm and modern France.¹ Childeric I died on 26 November 481 at Tournai, France (present day Belgium). He was buried at near Tournai, Hainaut, Belgium; Childeric's tomb was discovered in 1653 (May 27) by a Mason doing repairs in the church of Saint-Brice in Tournai, Belgium. Numerous precious objects were found, including a richly ornamented sword, a torse-like bracelet, jewels of gold and garnet cloisonné, gold coins, a gold bull's head and a ring with the inscription CHILDERICI REGIS ("of Childeric the king"), which identified the tomb. Some 300 golden bees were also found.²
     The Salian Franks, in treaty with the Roman Empire, had settled in Belgica Secunda, between the Meuse and Somme rivers, making their capital at Tournai. Childeric's role as a barbarian ally of the Romans was important. He helped the Roman military commander Aegidius to repel the Visigoths near Orléans (463); at the request of Aegidius' successor, Count Paulus, he attacked the Visigoths again in 469. Soon afterward he cleared Anglo-Saxon pirates from the district southwest of Orléans around Angers. Childeric's tomb at Tournai was discovered in 1653.³