DBAHC: Wank The Franks

[AltoRegnant]

Ignoring that amusing title, the Franks were a notable Germanic tribe in gaul, centered around the northern portion. They were never the masters of gaul, the power mainly being in Visogothic Aquitaine. But the Franks were no slouches either, with strong generalship being prominent in many of their rulers- it's just that with the Saxons in the east and the Visogoths in the south, they simply didn't have the mass to go against one without being vulnerable to the other. Unfortunately, the kingdom collapsed to a severe viking raid in the eleven hundreds

But what if, by some miracle, maybe a marriage to a christian saxon chief, the Franks were able to march to war and unite Gaul almost a millennia early? Is it possible?
--
ooc: the Aquitaine visogoths still managed to repel the Muslims, but that's the only supplementary thing i have

 

[Tyrann Philip II]

It'd be near impossible. With the Visigoths and Saxons constantly invading Gaul, Frankish internal bickering, and reinvigorated Roman conquests would constantly hound the chance of a Frankish Kingdom. If the poor bastards can somehow manage to play the Saxons and Visigoths against each other, or get lucky and have the two's attention diverted elsewhere, we might be able to see a decent size Kingdom of the Franks emerge, but the unification of Gaul seems highly unlikely. Even if some Frankish State managed to form in these horrid circumstances, there's always the constant possibility that the Goths, Saxons, or Romans could just wheel their armies around and run over the aspiring nation.

 

[AltoRegnant]

It'd be near impossible. With the Visigoths and Saxons constantly invading Gaul, Frankish internal bickering, and reinvigorated Roman conquests would constantly hound the chance of a Frankish Kingdom. If the poor bastards can somehow manage to play the Saxons and Visigoths against each other, or get lucky and have the two's attention diverted elsewhere, we might be able to see a decent size Kingdom of the Franks emerge, but the unification of Gaul seems highly unlikely. Even if some Frankish State managed to form in these horrid circumstances, there's always the constant possibility that the Goths, Saxons, or Romans could just wheel their armies around and run over the aspiring nation.

Rome wasn't really an issue for the Visogoths though- the ERE knew that much more than Savoy would cause the same issues that caused the fall of the west. They actually militarily supported the franks when the goths invaded and the goths when the franks invaded. But what if the Franks turned to another method- the sea. Could they perhaps carve a state in Britain before the Anglo-Saxons united under Alfred the great, the last time foreigners touched the Anglish seas?

 

[Tyrann Philip II]

Rome wasn't really an issue for the Visogoths though- the ERE knew that much more than Savoy would cause the same issues that caused the fall of the west. They actually militarily supported the franks when the goths invaded and the goths when the franks invaded. But what if the Franks turned to another method- the sea. Could they perhaps carve a state in Britain before the Anglo-Saxons united under Alfred the great, the last time foreigners touched the Anglish seas?

Who knows about the actual capabilities of the ERE's army, once things in Italy calmed down trigger happy generals constantly stormed into Africa and Spain (with limited success of course) to attempt to prove themselves to the Emperors. As for a Franco-Roman alliance, keep in mind that the ERE created alliances of convenience multiple times, and would happily stab the Franks in the back as soon as it pleased them. Invading Britain is a risky gamble, but could indeed have massive payoffs. No real Kingdoms had managed to form in England, and the small bands of Saxons would be easy prey, but the question still remains of how the Franks would assembly and supply such an invasion force.

 

[AltoRegnant]

Who knows about the actual capabilities of the ERE's army, once things in Italy calmed down trigger happy generals constantly stormed into Africa and Spain (with limited success of course) to attempt to prove themselves to the Emperors. As for a Franco-Roman alliance, keep in mind that the ERE created alliances of convenience multiple times, and would happily stab the Franks in the back as soon as it pleased them. Invading Britain is a risky gamble, but could indeed have massive payoffs. No real Kingdoms had managed to form in England, and the small bands of Saxons would be easy prey, but the question still remains of how the Franks would assembly and supply such an invasion force.

A small invasion of Kent and some settlement afterwards would probably be easy enough to supply, if they can insure peace with Saxony...


But I'm interested in what this could mean for western Europe, since Anglia has been the most powerful nation in western Europe except for the Umaayads before their collapse

 

[pyroclastic]

Maybe try an early POD? The first waves of Germanic invasion in the WRE only involved a few tens of thousands of people per tribe. Maybe the Franks could have beaten the Visigoths around 500AD, when both sides would have had small armies. It's a bit of a cheap shot since you'd have to give the Franks a talented chieftain as a general, but we're not talking a genius on the level of Alexander, McClellan or Santa Anna here. Even a merely competent commander could have turned the tide given the overall low level of military organization.

 

[M79]

Reread your title. The puns write themselves.