Third king in the Merovingian dynasty. Clovis was the most powerful monarch of his time and is by far the best know of all the Merovingians. Not only did he annex and conquer much of France and Germany, unifying a number of petty, squabbling bush-kingdoms, but he converted to Catholicism in AD 496, a major political and spiritual victory for the Roman Church (see Catholicism). At the time of his conversion, almost all Europe adhered to the Arian heresy. By converting, Clovis essentially rescued the Church from extinction.
In return for Clovis II’s conversion, the Roman Church granted him the title of ēNovus Constantine” (New Constantine) and pledged to support to him and his heirs forever, founding a new Empire in the West with Clovis II and his descendants as emperors. The Church betrayed this pact in 751 (see Pepin III).