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CHLODIO

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chlodio (c. 392-448; also spelled Clodio, Clodius, Clodion, Cloio or Chlogio) was a king of the Salian Franks from the Merovingian dynasty. He was known as the Long-Haired King and lived at a place on the Thuringian border called Dispargum. He became chief of the Therouanne area in 414 A.D. From there, he invaded the Roman Empire in 428, defeating a Roman force at Cambrai, and settled in Northern Gaul, where other groups of Salians were already settled. Although he was attacked by the Romans, he was able to maintain his position and, 3 years later in 431, he extended his kingdom south to the Somme River. In 448, 20 years after his reign began, Chlodio was defeated at an unidentified place called Vicus Helena by Flavius Aëtius, the commander of the Roman Army in Gaul. Like all Merovingian kings, Chlodio had long hair as a ritual custom. His successor may have been Merovech, after whom the dynasty was named 'Merovingian'. One legend has it that his father was Pharamond. However, the Pharamond legend appears to be a later concoction created in the 8th century. Modern genealogical research list his parents as: Theudemeres , king of Thérouanne (409-414) (18 years), born in 374, dead on 15 August 414 aged 40, head of the Salian Franks F Blésinde from Cologne (17 years), born in 375, dead in 418 aged 43 which, unlike the Pharamond myth with reports of sea creatures and mythical beings, seems rather quite ordinary.