Alemanni (or Alamanni)

Germanic people who from the 2nd century occupied an area bounded by the rivers Rhine, Danube, and Main. They were part of the medieval western German grouping of peoples that also included Franks, Saxons, Frisians, and Thuringians. Late in the 5th century they crossed the Rhine and Danube and settled in what is now Alsace and northern Switzerland, where they introduced the German language. They were fully absorbed into the East Frankish kingdom in the 9th century. Their name survives through the French and Spanish words for German (Allemagne, Alemania).

Their armies were composed of well-armed horseriders, and they were formidable enemies of the papacy, particularly as members of the German raid into Gaul, Spain, and Italy in 276. An attempt to push northeast from Alsace was thwarted by Clovis I, King of the Salian Franks, at the battle of Tolbiac (modern Zülpich) in 496. Following this defeat, the northern Alemanni became part of the Frankish kingdom and the southern Alemanni surrendered to Theodoric the Ostrogoth. He in turn lost this territory to the Franks 535–37. During the reign of Pepin II (697–714) the Alemanni gained virtual independence but were subjugated once again by Charles Martel.