Gregory of Tours

A History of the Franks

Gregory of Tours

Written in the 6th century by the Bishop of Tours, «Historia Francorum» is a ten volume work that recounts the world's history from creation, focusing on the movement of Christianity into Gaul. From the life of Saint Martin of Tours to the conversion of the Franks and the conquest of Clovis, «Historia» also details the procession of Frankish kings down to Gregory's own time. The later books grow more personal, ultimately reflecting the author's arrest from a misplaced charge of treason. Though written largely as a fight against heresy, «Historia» is widely considered a dramatic narrative of French history. Detailed and engaging, this historical document is also a skillful unraveling of many years of transition from the Roman period to Medieval period, reflective of the little-known flowering of historical recovery in the 'Dark Ages.' In this volume we have a selection of this expansive work edited and translated by Earnest Brehaut.