Descrizione:
Fabulous as are the chronicles of this period, it is, ho w ever, certain that the Franks, albeit the least civilized of the usurpers, became in time a powerful race; extended their conquests to the banks of the Loire; and were governed, somewhere about the year 48 5, by a Christian king named Clovis, who was the grandson of Mcrcvée, and principal founder of the French monarchy. It must he confessed that Christianity produced no bene ficial efi'ect upon these wild converts. On the contrary, it appeared only to increase the ferocity of their dispositions and Clovis, who received from his clergy the title of Most Christian King, has left a reputation stained by every crime. It was during the reign of this monarch that the Court removed to Pan's. Clovis died in the year 511, after having secured to the Franks all that district which lies between the Rhine, the Rhone, the ocean, and the Pyrenees. The city of Paris, des tined afterwards to become the most elegant of modern capitals, was at this timc confined to the narrow limits of the Isle de la Cité, and consisted of some few churches and hovels surrounded by a fortification. A palace was situated beyond the walls, on the south bank of the river; the abbeys of St. Genevieve, St. Germain l'auxerrois, St. Germain-des-pres, and others, were scattered about the vicinity; and the grounds in the neighbourhood of the river, having been partially cleared of their primeval forests, were planted with vineyards and fig trees. |
