The Franks were originally a group of Germanic peoples living near the Rhine River in the area of Germania Inferior, which was the northernmost province of the Roman Empire in continental Europe. They lived under Roman influence for centuries but emerged as a dominant power after the collapse of Roman control, eventually ruling a large empire in western Europe. The term "Frank" appeared first in the 3rd century AD. The Franks were divided into subgroups including the Salians, Ripuarians, and Chatti, and were known for becoming a multilingual, Catholic Christian people. Under leaders like Clovis I, the Franks expanded their territory and established a powerful kingdom that laid the foundation for much of medieval Europe, including what later became France and parts of Germany. Their empire eventually evolved into the Carolingian Empire under Charlemagne and played a key role in shaping Western Europe during the early medieval period.
