Causes: Desire to extend the limits of Frankish territory and to ward off attacks from without.
Leaders: (1) Clovis (486-511), Charles Martel (814-741), Pepin the Short (751-768), Charlemagne (768-814).
Chief Actions: (1) Soissons (486), Clovis conquers Alemanni and becomes a Catholic Christian (496), Battle of Tours (732), Conquest of Burgundy (534), Charlemagne conquers Lombards (774-776), Saxons (772-804), Bavarians (788), Avars (791), Northern Spain (778).
Results: Franks become leading power in the West and revive the Western Empire. (Christmas day, 800).
HEPTARCHIC WARS IN ENGLAND—588-828.
Causes: Struggle for supremacy among the seven Teutonic kingdoms.
Leaders: Ethelbert (Kent), Edwin (Northumbria), Offa (Mercia), Egbert (Wessex).
Chief Events: The supremacy was successively held by kings of Kent, Northumbria, Mercia, and Wessex, Maserfield (642), Ellandun (825).
Result: All England at last united under Egbert, king of Wessex (802-837).
SARACEN OR MOHAMMEDAN WARS—632-1492.