Bructères

The Bructères are Germanic people . They were established at the beginning of our era with Hanover and in Westphalia. Their territory lay between Lippe and the sources of Ems.

From -12, they were subjected as well as the Sicambres and Usipètes by the Roman general Drusus, who penetrated the country by the Lippe river, with foundation of the camp of Aliso on Lippe. The Chauques, the She-cats and the Chérusques were also subjected to Elba. Tibère continued the conquest following the death of Drusus into -8. Ubiens, combined Romans, were transferrés on left bank of the Rhine close to Cologne. But in year 1, the German ones were raised. In year 4, Tibère refranchit the Rhine and subjected again Bructères, Chérusques, Chattuaires. The territories of Sicambres and Bructères were completely subjected to the yoke of Rome and started to change under the Roman presence. Then Quinctilius Varus was named commander-in-chief of the troops of Germanic and all was degraded. He wanted with any force to impose the Roman law and his notion of the private property (unknown at the German ones) and to remove the local habits, in particular Thing, assembly where the companion was judged by his pars. It was the general revolt, animated not chérusque the Arminius, to which united Bructères. They took part in the fight against the Romains until the defeat of Varus to the Teutoburg.

In 58, the chief of the Ampsivariens Boiocalus request their assistance like that of the Tenctères for a ground conflict on the lower Rhine with the Romans. But under the threat of Rome, neither they nor Tenctères will move.

In 69, into German free, they support the revolt of the Bataves to support Vespasien. They are pushed there by their famous virgin prophetess Velléda who predicted the victory to them and which played a diplomatic part between them and Romans. At the time of their defeat in 77 or 78 by C.Rutilius Rufus she was trailed in Rome in triumph.

They were sent several times to the circus games.

Tacite affirms that they were then destroyed (like the Ampsivariens). But they will reappear later, perhaps with stronger bonds with the others Francs.

They invaded several times left bank of the Rhine by carrying out raids, in particular into 250, ect…

In 310, Constantin gains victorious campaigns against the Francs and Alamans linked in Bructères, Chamaves, Chérusques and Tubing.

In 388, with the She-cats and the Ampsivariens, they devastated left bank of the Rhine and Cologne. During winter 389, the Roman general Arbogast went to Cologne, and, crossing the Rhine, devastated in reprisals the country of Bructères, which is more close to bank, and a Chamave village, without nobody presenting himself, if it is not some Ampsuares or She-cats. (Sulpice Alexandre, according to Gregoire de Tours). But on December 31st, 406, like the other Francs charged to support Rome, they did not take part in the great invasions (Vandals, Suèves, Alains) which began in Mainz on the cold Rhine and defended the files Roman.

According to Ferdinand Batch, they would constitute the main part of the Francs ripuaires (the term appears only into 727), with Ampsivariens and Tenctères (perhaps they gathered following the various defeats against Rome and with the attacks of the Alamans and the Great invasions). After 410, they would have invaded all western bank of the Rhine to the Charbonnière forest, from Cologne to Mainz by taking Trier. In 428 Aetius takes again Trier to them and installs them like federate for Cologne and Mainz. They would have taken again the middle price of the Moselle and Trier only after 454 with died of Aetius. Their capital will be Cologne. It will be the core of the Austrasie.

The language of Charlemagne was the Francique ripuaire or bructère.

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