[Carnyx]

Originally Posted by Lutiferre

I am aware, but I am not aware of its extent, and I am just wondering why you have seemingly taken the name of this Germanic ancestor, and whether that suggests you are predominantly Frankish today?

In other words, the extent of your non-Frankish "blood".

The Franks assimilated, adopting a new language, new habits, etc. you know that. But first there has been a period of bilinguism (frankish/latin) among the Franks and the Gallo-Romans (among the nomenclatura, that is). But IMO, the assimilation was mutual, so to speak. Germanic names became very common among natives, names of which many ended up as family names, etc. Our romance language was "re-shaped" (pronounciation, the add of lots of new words from germanic and the grammar). And finally the non-germanic Gallos from north of France recognized themselves as "Francis". Those of the south were "Romanis".

Later in the crusades, the knights of the French kingdom, already known as France, were knew by the name of "Francs" (Franks); which didn't mean they were Franks, though.

Still, as some member like Cirrus have already mentioned in another threads, it's only recently that the Gauls have definitively been granted the rank of ancestors of the French, then the version has been approved by the Republic ("Nos ancêtres les Gaulois..." = our Gallic ancestors) and became official, somehow.

For it was when we got into trouble with our German neighbour that the Gauls reappeared in our history (Napoléon the IIIrd); before the XIXth century, the Frankish ancestry was more fancied. Oh of course there was some precedent in the Renaissance and with romanticism in the XVIIIth c., when the Celts were re-discovered and somewhat fantazised.

It's hard to evaluate with accuracy what part of our ancestry is dominant or not. Anyway, it's pretty evident we are predominantly non Frankish (it just takes you a pare of eyes to notice that), even though the Germanic impact on our history and destiny can't be denied. I know some like to claim our population has changed much since the time of the Franks, that France lost its "germanicity" -well, I hope they mean in the Oïl countries only- ("degermanized" or whatever the name you give to the phenomenon) which is quite... I don't know... ridiculous may be an appropriate word.

Maybe, but then why is it called "France", if the Franks today are a minority?

Today? They have always been. A little % I'd say. They were the ones who made us a great nation, led us, the first kings were Frankish. By extension the name of the inhabitants was changed from Gauls to Francis, we became "Francs", the inhabitants of the country ruled by the Franks. That's the only reason why.

After Charlemagne's death (notice the two Francie)

Originally Posted by Mynydd

Is it not more like the Flemish or Southern Flemish (and NW French) who would be descendants of the Franks?

Indeed.

And then there is also the Burgundians, who were East Germanic. I don't think that this is shared with any other nation.

And Alamans, Vandals, some Sueves and even a few Saxons and your all time fav', the Goths. Oh and while we are at it, some non-Germanic guys, the Allans (they left a print in many localities: alains). It was full of diversity back then.


I agree with Breha and Cirrus here.