With the rise of the bishops also as secular rulers of Cologne, the history of Cologne increasingly becomes synonymous with the history of the diocese of Cologne. In the 7th century, Bishop Kunibert (ca. 600-664) in particular embodies this development. He is the city ruler, prince of the church, priest, head of the court of the King of the Franks, and at times even regent of the empire. More about Kunibert's remarkable career in this episode.

Cologne in the Merovingian period (6.-8. century). The people of Cologne continued to prosper as the Frankish Empire grew during this time. The dynasty established by Chlodwig ruled over the Franks and their conquered territories in Gaul. We will take a look at society, language, economy, Frankish suburban settlements, and an attack by the Saxons against Deutz.

After the collapse of the (Western) Roman Empire, the whole of Europe is in upheaval. Peoples once disparagingly called barbarians by the Romans are founding their empires on the former territory of the Imperium Romanum. On the Rhine and in northeastern Gaul, it is the Franks who once, as neighbors of the Romans on the right bank of the Rhine, only made the step across the Rhine and thus extended their dominion. Unlike other peoples of the so-called migration of peoples, they did not have to move far to find a new homeland like, for example, the Ostrogoths and Visigoths. But even if a map at that time suggests this. The rule of the Franks in the region is not completely uniform. Countless small princes rule their small area of influence as quasi warlords. In Cologne, a Frankish petty king named Sigibert resides in the Praetorium, Cologne's former governor's palace. He is worried about his small kingdom. For south of Cologne down the Rhine, the Alemanni have also extended their dominion and are expanding northward. To prevent Cologne from falling into the hands of the Alemanni, he asks his friend Clovis, who rules in northeastern Gaul, for help. Clovis agrees. What Sigibert does not know. Clovis himself not only wants to be ruler of his Frankish sub-kingdom. Clovis wants to be king of all Franks. And Sigibert stands in the way. The decision as to whether the Franks will live in a united empire in the future is made in Cologne around the year 500. Where else ;)

For SEO: Battle of Zülpich, Battle of Tolbiacum, St. Gereon, Köln, Germany

Let's discover Cologne after the end of Roman rule in the Rhineland in the late 5th century. Now the Franks are in the area. How might have the city looked like? More Info and Links to this podcast: linktr.ee/thofCGN

Roman central power broke down in the 5th century in Cologne and the Rhineland. The political power that had held control over the region for five centuries was gone. Time to look back on Cologne's first 500 years of existence. How does the Roman heritage up until today influence modern-day city of Cologne?

Dive into the second half of the 5th century. This period marks the end of the Roman era of Cologne. The Roman Empire is declining in the west of Europe. Our beloved city of Cologne, however, did not. It continues to exist and will enter a new era.

In this episode, we return to the realm of legends. This time we meet Ursula, a Breton princess. With her eleven or eleven thousand (!) virgin girlfriends, she is on her way back from a pilgrimage to Rome. This pilgrimage was supposed to be her bachelorette party for the strictly devout Christian princess from northwestern Gaul. On the way back home, she also passes Cologne by ship. But the Huns are besieging the city at this time. And no one less than Attila the Hun has an eye on the beautiful Ursula. What happens then is well known to every child growing up in Cologne. So it's time you learned it, too.

Dive with me into the time of the "Migration Period." The time from 375 to about 570, because not only in the Far East of the Roman Empire people are experiencing the effects of this time. Our Cologne on the Rhine will also soon realize that significant upheavals are about to take place. But until now, Cologne is still a safe place. Time to look at two men that left their footprint on late antique Cologne: the military commander Arbogast and the Christian bishop Severin of Cologne.

The short Frankish rule over the Roman colony of Cologne ended after only one year in 356. We want to look as far as possible from the sources to see how late antique Cologne developed at the end of the 4th century. Many are tempted to see the end of Roman rule in late antiquity, both in general and regionally, as a stringent downward spiral that was ultimately to culminate in the fall of Rome in 475.
Surprisingly, the area around Cologne was supposed to remain comparatively quiet in the late 4th century.

Cologne, at the beginning of the year 356. The Franks plundered and conquered Cologne. Thus, the northern border of the Roman Empire is open wide for the Germanic enemies. How did it come about that the city could be conquered at all, although it had such mighty stone walls? And how did the Roman central power react to the fall of its colony on the Rhine? You can find out in this episode. The Frankish rule was not to last long in Cologne, but it clearly showed the weakness of the Roman Empire.