Abstract: This book, the first of its kind in English, surveys the development of the Frankish Church under the Merovingian and Carolingian kings (c.500–900 a.d.), and the special difficulties that it encountered. The first three chapters look at the Gallo–Roman religious experience beneath the Frankish Church, the journey from Germanic paganism to Christianity, and the contribution of Gregory's history of the Gallo–Frankish Church to the development of the Frankish Church. Chs 4 to 9 examine developments in the Church in the Merovingian period (the first dynasty of Frankish kings, 481–751). Chs10 to 16 examine developments in the Carolingian period (the dynasty of Frankish kings that started with Pippin III and included his sons Carloman and Charlemagne, 751–887). Ch. 16 specifically addresses unsolved problems in the Church, viz. the Jews, the marriage bond and missionary activities.

Keywords: Carolingian period, Charlemagne, Christianity, Frankish Church, Gallo–Frankish Church, Gallo–Roman religion, Germanic paganism, Gregory, history, Merovingian period, religious history