Contents

5.1 The Invasions.............................................................................................................................. 94

5.1.1 The First Germanic Wave: The Visigoths (Late Fourth Century)................................

5.1.2 The Second Wave: The Suebi, Vandals and Alani (Early Fifth Century)............... 96

5.1.3 The Third Wave: Franks, Burgundians, Alamanni, Angles and Saxons (Mid

Fifth Century)................................................................................................................................ 96

5.1.4 The Last Wave: The Lombards..................................................................................... 97

5.2 The Germanic Kingdoms............................................................................................................ 97

5.2.1 Diversity Versus Unity................................................................................................. 97

5.2.2 The Social and Political Transformation of the Germanic Peoples.............................. 98

5.2.3 Roman Monarchy vs. German Royalty......................................................................... 99

5.2.4 The Gradual Assimilation of the Roman Imperial Tradition...................................... 101

5.2.5 The Structural Weaknesses of the New Kingdoms: Patrimonial Possession,

Inheritance and Protofeudalism................................................................................................... 102

5.3 The Church and the Preservation of the Roman “State” Tradition.......................................... 103

5.3.1 The Emergence of the Monastic Movement............................................................... 103

5.3.2 St. Gregory the Great and the Consolidation of Papal Authority........................ 104

5.3.3 Christianity and the New Germanic Peoples.............................................................. 105

5.3.4 The Church and the “Romanization” of the Germanic Kingdoms....................... 106

5.4 The Origin of the European “Nations?”................................................................................... 108

References........................................................................................................................................... 115

5.1