and of the
powerful God of whom she had so often spoken. Then he raised his
hands to heaven and earnestly prayed to that God.

"O God of Clotilde," he cried, "help me in this my hour of need.
If thou wilt give me victory now I will believe in thee."

Almost immediately the course of the battle began to change in
favor of the Franks. Clovis led his warriors forward once more,
and this time the Alemanni fled before them in terror. The Franks
gained a great victory, and they believed it was in answer to the
prayer of their king.

When Clovis returned home he did not forget his promise. He told
Clotilde how he had prayed to her God for help and how his prayer
had been heard, and he said he was now ready to become a Christian.
Clotilde was very happy on hearing this, and she arranged that her
husband should be baptized in the church of Rheims on the following
Christmas day.

Meanwhile Clovis issued a proclamation to his people declaring
that he was a believer in Christ, and giving orders that all the
images and temples of the heathen gods should be destroyed. This
was immediately done, and many of the people followed his example
and became Christians.

[Illustration: THE BAPTISM OF CLOVIS]

Clovis was a very earnest and fervent convert. One day the bishop
of Rheims, while instructing him in the doctrines of Christianity,
described the death of Christ. As the bishop proceeded Clovis became
much excited, and at last jumped up from his seat and exclaimed:

"Had I been there with my brave Franks I would have avenged His
wrongs."

On Christmas day a great multitude assembled in the church at Rheims
to witness the baptism of the king. A large number of his fierce
warriors were baptized at the same time. The service was performed
with great ceremony by the bishop of Rheims, and the title of "Most
Christian King" was conferred on Clovis by the Pope. This title
was ever afterwards borne by the kings of France.

Like most of the kings and chiefs of those rude and barbarous times,
Clovis often did cruel and wicked things. When Rheims was captured,
before he became a Christian, a golden vase was taken by some soldiers
from the church. The bishop asked Clovis to have it returned, and
Clovis bade him wait until the division of spoils. All the valuable
things taken by soldiers in war were divided among the whole army,
each man getting his share according to rank. Such things were
called spoils.

[Illustration: CLOVIS FINDS