# Burgundian Civil War

The Burgundian Civil War was a military conflict between the Burgundian kings Gundobad and Godigisel. The war took place around 500 in the former Roman provinces Gallia Lugdunesis I and Maxima Sequanorum, where a Burgundian state had emerged after the Fall of the Western Roman Empire. The kings were brothers who both controlled a part. Besides the two brothers, the kings of the Franks and Visigoths were involved.

## Sources

The story of this war is briefly described by the bishop of Tours Gregory in his Historia Francorum. This bishop wrote a history of the Franks in the second half of the 6th century, more than 75 years after the events took place. In his report the Burgundians as a neighboring people of the Franks are mentioned sideways - in a negative way. Thanks to this report, the course of the civil war can be reconstructed in broad outlines. However, Gregorius's account has the disadvantage that it contradicts other contemporary sources in some parts. The chronicle of Marius of Avenches, on the other hand, provides important additional information and dates the civil war in the year. 500. In addition to Gregory of Tours and Marius of Avenches, the letters of Avitus of Vienne are also of importance for this history.

## Background

The cause for this war must be sought in the succession problems after the death of Gundioc who, together with his brother Chilperic I had a power base in Gallia Lugdunensis I. Not Gundioc's sons, but Chilperik continued the kingship over the Burgundian people . The sons played a prominent role in the late Roman army. Of them, Gundobad in Italy reached the position of magister militum praesentalis, commander-in-chief of the army. Unfortunately is the story of Gregory of Tour's about the beginning of the events unreliable. With respect to Clovis he puts Gundobad in an evil light and blames him for the death of his brothers Gundomar and Chilperic II. Recent research believes that these two brothers had already been dead when Chilperic I died in 480 and Godegisel and Gundobad shared the rule. Political unrest and dissatisfaction with the territorial division may have been a powerful driver for rivalry between the remaining brothers and this eventually led to the conflict.

## Course
### Frankish intervention

Gundobad ruled most of the Burgundian territory with residences in Lyon and Vienne, while his brother Godegisel controlled a smaller area with the capital Geneva. According to Gregory of Tours, Godgisel was dissatisfied with this, and secretly asked the Frankish king Clovis for support against his more powerful brother. In return, he promised him estimates and transfer of territories in case of success. Together they plotted a plan to bring down Gundobad. In this plan, Godegisel remained friends with his brother so as not to arouse suspicion. In the course of 500, Clovis and his army attacked Gundobad on his territory, after which he turned to his brother for help and together the brothers marched against the invaders. However, when the three armies met near Dijon, the troops of Godigisel joined the army of the opponent and his brother had to defend himself alone.

### Battle of Dijon

In the battle the united armies defeated Gundobad, who fled to the far south of his empire, to Avignon. According to the chronicler Marius of Avenches, this battle took place at Dijon in the year 500.Godesel was satisfied with his success and considered himself the only king of the kingdom and went triumphantly to Vienne.

### Siege of Avignon

Despite the fact that they had reached the victory, the war had not yet been settled. Clovis marched alone to Avignon to capture Gundobad. The city was besieged for a long time until a Roman magistrate of the city and a general, Aridius, managed to convince Clovis that the city could not be taken. That is why Clovis reconciled with Gundobad left the kingdom after a conversation with Gundobad, who agreed to pay annual tribute.

### Gundobad's counterattack

Gundobad searched for a way to get rid of the unfavorable peace with Clovis and found it with the Aquitanian Goths who had been in war with the Franks three years earlier. With the Gothic rex Alarik II closed Gundobad in 501 an alliance. Assured of his support, he stopped paying the annual estimates and attacked his brother by besieging him in the city of Vienne. After the city capitulated, Gundobad executed Godegisel and many of his Burgundian followers, and thus re-established himself as the king of the Burgundians.

## Aftereffects

As a thank you for his help, Gundobad donated Avignon to the Goths and sent him the Frankish prisoners of war. Alarik then visited Clovis near the village Amboise, where Alarik agreed to release the prisoners, while Clovis returned all the Gothic territory he still had in his hands. Although not handed down, Gundobad may also be involved in this peace, which lasted only a few years. In the Frankish-Gothic War witch broke out in 507, Gundobad was an ally of Clovis.