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Balance of power across the Channel: reassessing Frankish hegemony in southern England (sixth–early seventh century)
Author(s) -
Bavuso Irene
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
early medieval europe
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.1
H-Index - 24
eISSN - 1468-0254
pISSN - 0963-9462
DOI - 10.1111/emed.12481
Subject(s) - hegemony , kingdom , context (archaeology) , representation (politics) , sixth century , history , power (physics) , balance (ability) , ancient history , genealogy , archaeology , political science , law , politics , psychology , geology , paleontology , physics , quantum mechanics , neuroscience
Relations between southern Britain and the Merovingian kingdoms in the sixth and early seventh centuries have largely been understood in terms of a Frankish hegemony extending across the Channel. However, a re‐examination of the small group of written sources on which this idea is based shows that they do not necessarily imply such overlordship. Sixth‐century archaeological evidence points to a different and more complex picture of Frankish influence: displaying links with the Franks was crucial for the self‐representation of elites in southern England, and should be understood in the context of extensive transmarine contacts.

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