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Battle of Vézeronce

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524 battle during the Frankish invasion of Burgundy
Battle of Vézeronce
Part of the invasion of Burgundy

Illuminated miniature of the battle from a manuscript of the Grandes chroniques de France, 1390-1410
Date25 June 524 AD
Locationnear Vézeronce-Curtin, France
Result Burgundian victory
Belligerents
Burgundian Kingdom Frankish Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
Godomar Chlodomer †
Strength
Unknown Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown Unknown

The Battle of Vézeronce was fought on 25 June 524 AD near Vézeronce-Curtin (then Veseruntia), now in Isère, France, between the Franks led by King Chlodomer and the Burgundians commanded by King Godomar.

Background

The battle was part of an expedition against the Burgundians initiated by the four sons and heirs of the Frankish king Clovis I: Childebert I, Chlodomer, Chlothar I, and Theuderic I. After a previous incursion by the brothers in 523, Burgundian king Sigismund had been captured and executed, on the orders of Chlodomer, and was succeeded by his brother, Godomar. Chlodomer wanted to seize with his brothers what remained of the Burgundian Kingdom, and resumed his campaign in the spring of 524.

Battle

The two armies clashed near the modern village of Vézeronce, in an area of a vast plain. In Gregory of Tours's account of the battle, the Frankish troops of King Chlodomer quickly took the advantage and repelled the Burgundians led by Godomar. However, believing he was joining a group of Frankish warriors, Chlodomer threw himself into the midst of enemy soldiers and was slain. His head was stuck on a pike and displayed by the Burgundians to their enemies. Godomar won the battle, however, his kingdom was lost to the Merovingians within a decade.

6th-century helmet found near the battlefield of Vézeronce

A helmet was found in the peat marsh of Saint-Didier, to the north of the battle site in 1871, and is conserved in the Musée dauphinois, Grenoble. The helmet is of Byzantine craftsmanship, and was likely that of a Frankish chieftain.

References

  1. Dennis Showalter (2013). Medieval Wars 500–1500. Amber Books Limited. p. 604. ISBN 9781782741190.
  2. Kortum 2010, p. 127.
  3. Gregory of Tours, Historia Francorum
  4. Wood 2014, p. lxiv.

Sources

  • Kortum, Han-Henning (2010). "Merovingian Franks". In Rogers, Clifford J. (ed.). The Oxford Encyclopedia of Medieval Warfare and Military Technology. Vol. 1. Oxford University Press.
  • Wood, Ian (2014). The Merovingian Kingdoms, 450–751. Routledge.

45°20′N 05°30′E / 45.333°N 5.500°E / 45.333; 5.500

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