James, Edward The Franks (0631179364)
The Franks first come to light in the third century A.D. as a group of barbarians living in the marshy lowlands of the Rhine frontier of the Roman Empire. By 800 they had become the political heirs of the Romans in the West. Using documentary and archaeological evidence, this book traces the history of the Franks from their barbaric origins to the period of civil and military dominance in Western Europe. It describes the evolution of their society and culture, their conversion to Christianity, the way they ruled and their influence on subsequent ages.