During this stage Roman and Germanic cultures began to fuse. The Salian-Frankish chieftain Clovis defeated the Romans, and established a kingdom that included most of Gaul and south-west Germany. Clovis, who was said to have a mythical hero Merovech as an ancestor, became absolute ruler in 486 and ruled over this blend of societies.

During this period in history, known as the Merovingian Dynasty, Clovis conquered other roaming tribes and made them subjects of the Merovingian rule. The ruler was baptized and gradually, and somewhat reluctantly, the Franks converted to Christianity.

A prominent figure in the Christianization of the German tribes, considered the father of German Christianity, was the English missionary Saint Boniface (ca. 675-754).