Research Notes:

Chlodio appears to have been the first Frankish leader to have invaded northern France. Gregory of Tours records that, according to "the consular lists", Chlodio "a man of high birth and marked ability among his people" was king of the Franks and lived in the castle of Duisburg [Dispargum] in Thuringia. He reports that Chlodio defeated the Romans and captured the town of Cambrai, before occupying Gaul as far as the river Somme Assuming that Chlodio was a historical figure, he was presumably only one of several local Frankish leaders as Gregory also reports that "the Franks…set up in each country district and each city long-haired kings chosen from the foremost and most noble family of their race"... The Liber Historiæ Francorum names "Faramundo rege, Chlodionem filium eius" when recording that he succeeded his father, in a later passage stating that he reigned for 20 years, but there is no basis for assuming that Faramund was a historical figure. ¹

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Chlodio became chief of the Thérouanne area in 414 AD. From there, he invaded the Roman Empire in 428, defeating a Roman force at Cambrai, and settled in Northern Gaul, where other groups of Salians were already settled. Although he was attacked by the Romans, he was able to maintain his position and, 3 years later in 431, he extended his kingdom south to the Somme River in the future Francia. In AD 448, 20 years after his reign began, Chlodio was defeated at Vicus Helena in Artois by Flavius Aëtius, the commander of the Roman army in Gaul....

The non-contemporary Liber Historiae Francorum says his father was Pharamond, whom many believe to have been a legendary person linked to the lineage sometime in the 8th century. The Chronicle of Fredegar makes Chlodio son of Theudemeres, one of the leaders of the Salian Franks and king of Thérouanne (409–414). ²