The
Franks ( or ) are historically first known as a group of
Germanic tribes that roamed the land between the
Lower and
Middle Rhine in the 3rd century AD, and second as the people of
Gaul who merged with the
Gallo-Roman populations during succeeding centuries, passing on their name to modern-day
France and becoming part of the heritage of the modern day
French people. Some Franks raided
Roman territory, while other Frankish tribes joined the Roman troops of Gaul. In later times, Franks became the military rulers of the northern part of
Roman Gaul. With the coronation of their ruler Charlemagne as by
Pope Leo III in 800 AD, he and his successors were portrayed as legitimate successors to the emperors of the
Western Roman Empire.