Editing Clovis I (section)

==Middle reign (492–506)==
===Barbarian bonding===
{{See also|Audofleda}}
Around 493 AD, he secured an alliance with the [[Ostrogoths]] through the marriage of his sister [[Audofleda]] to their king, [[Theodoric the Great]].<ref name=BeerAdvocate/>
In the same year, the neighboring [[Chilperic II of Burgundy|King of the Burgundians]] was slain by his brother, [[Gundobad]]; bringing civil strife to that kingdom. Allegedly, Gundobad proceeded to drown his sister-in-law and force his niece, Chrona, into a convent. Another niece, [[Clotilde]], fled to the court of the third brother, [[Godegisel]]. Finding himself in a precarious position, Godegisel decided to ally himself to Clovis by marrying his exiled niece to the Frankish king.<ref name=encbrit>{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Clotilda, Saint|volume=6|page=557|short=1}}</ref>

===Assault of the Alamanni===
{{See also|Battle of Tolbiac}}
[[File:Ary Scheffer - Bataille de Tolbiac 496.jpg|thumb|Clovis I leading the Franks to victory in the [[Battle of Tolbiac]], in [[Ary Scheffer]]'s 1836 painting]]

In 496, the [[Alamanni]] invaded and some Salians and Ripuarians ''reguli'' (kings) defected to their side. Clovis met his enemies near the strong fort of [[Tolbiac]]. During the fighting, the Franks suffered heavy losses. Clovis, together with over three thousand Frankish companions, may have converted to Christianity around this time.{{sfn|Bachrach|1972|p=6}} With the help of the Ripuarian Franks he narrowly defeated the Alamanni in the [[Battle of Tolbiac]] in 496.<ref name="BeerAdvocate"/> Now Christian, Clovis confined his prisoners, Chararic and his son, to a monastery.<ref name="Chararic"/>

===Business in Burgundy===
{{See also|First Franco-Visigothic war (496–498)#Burgundian civil war (500–501)}}
In 500 or 501, Godegisel began scheming against his brother Gundobad. He promised his brother-in-law territory and annual tribute for defeating his brother. Clovis was eager to subdue the political threat to his realm and crossed into the Burgundian territory. Gundobad then moved against Clovis and called his brother for reinforcements. The three armies met near [[Dijon]], where both the Franks and Godegisel's forces defeated the dumbfounded Gundobad, who escaped to [[Avignon]]. Clovis pursued him and laid siege to the city. After some months, Clovis was convinced to abandon the siege and settled for an annual tribute from Gundobad.{{sfn|Bachrach|1972|p=9}}

===Armorici allies===
In 501, 502 or 503, Clovis led his troops to [[Armorica]]. He had previously restricted his operations to minor raids, but now the goal was subjugation. Clovis failed to complete this objective via military means; therefore, he was constrained to statecraft. This proved fruitful, for the Armonici shared Clovis's disdain for the Arian Visigoths. [[Armorica]] and its fighters were thus integrated into the Frankish realm.{{sfn|Bachrach|1972|p=10}}