Gregory of tours was a famous historian of Gaul. For two years he was bishop of tours. The book History of the franks is his most notable work. It is a huge work that covers a lot of miracle stories, natural events, the life of saints and martyrs, debate dialogues of the church, lives of peasants lives of noble people. Bible verses are used frequently throughout the work. Along with his own biography, the complex relationships between many tribes including Visigoths, Lombards and Huns are also included in the book.
Book 1 begins with the declaration of the author that he is the bishop of tours. He is a clergyman who disapproves heresy, unlike Arian sect. The narrative begins with the description of the New Testament and how the Christian religion is spreading in Goul. After that, he goes on covering how the religion started spreading there and all the major events. At the end of the first book, Saint Martin dies. Book 2 narrates how the Merocingian dynasty started flourishing in the first place. It ends in 511 AD when king Clovis dies. He conquered a huge amount of land. His wife Clotilde converted him to Christian.
Book 3 follows the events between 511AD to 548AD. King Clovis had four heirs. They all decided the kingdom into four parts. Then Lothar, Theodric, Chlodomer and Childebert started to fight among themselves for supremacy of frank kingdom. After a few years, Clothar became the powerful king in the realm. King Theodric died in 534. After his death, his son Theudebert became the king. The book ends with his death. He dies and the kingdom passes to Theudobald in 548AD.
In book 4 Clothar and Childebert die. In his last days, Clothar ruled the entire realm. After his death, four of his sons divide the kingdom. Once again quarrel began between them. King Sigibert had the most strong military force. At the end of book 4, he is murdered. Wife of king Chilperic, Fredegund was responsible for this assassination. In book 5 we are introduced with the wife and son of Sigibert who are still living. They are protected by king Gunthram. In this book, Gregory shows his personal knowledge of the kingdom. This book is longer than the previous ones. His obsessions of the ecclesiastical problems of people are also covered in this book.
In book 6, the son of Sigibert, Childebert the second betrays his adoptive, Guntharam. He now made an alliance with Chilperic. In 584, Chilperic is murdered. In 619 AD, when Fredegund dies, his son Clothar the second becomes the king. Fredegund and Clothar were protected by king Guntharam. Book 6 also covers the Gundovald rebellion and show how it failed. A lot of Frankish nobles supported the rebels. Maurice, Emperor of Byzantine supported the rebels. However, king Guntharam crushed the rebellion.
Book 8 only covers one year, 585 AD. In book 9, there is a mention of a treaty called the treaty of Andelot which was signed by Childebert, his mother Brunhilda and Guntharam. It is a treaty of alliance. Book 10 is the events that happened between 587AD and 589AD. In this book, 18 of the bishops of the tour are described. It ends by giving a brief summary of all his previous works.
