The Frankish Expansion and the Birth of a Kingdom

Following the collapse of Roman rule in the Low Countries, the Franks assert their dominance, expanding into a patchwork of small, independent kingdoms. These early Frankish realms emerge as a mixture of Romanized and Germanic influences, shaped by both lingering imperial structures and the tribal traditions of their rulers.

By the 490s, Clovis I consolidates these territories in the southern Netherlands, forging a single Frankish kingdom. From this strategic base, he embarks on an ambitious campaign into Gaul, defeating rival Germanic rulers and absorbing Roman remnants into his growing domain. His conquests, culminating in the defeat of the Visigoths at Vouillé (507 CE), will establish the Franks as the dominant power in what becomes medieval France.

As the Franks migrate southward, those settling in formerly Roman territories gradually adopt Vulgar Latin, the common tongue of the Gallo-Roman population. This linguistic shift, combined with their political unification under Clovis, helps lay the groundwork for the later evolution of Old French, while those remaining in the north retain and develop what will become Old Dutch.