As the Christian faith expanded throughout the Roman Empire, the entire territory became known as Christendom. Christianity had a tremendous impact on European society and the development of its laws. There were, however, many people living in "Christendom" who were not Christians. Many professed Christians had been forced to convert. In the fourth century, when the Roman Emperor Theodosius I (c. 466–511) declared the empire to be officially Christian, many non-believers became Christians in name only. Then in the fifth century, Clovis (c. 466–511), who was the first king to organize the Franks into what is now France, converted to Christianity. He ordered three thousand of his warriors to march into the rivers to be baptized. The ruler's religion decided the religion of his subjects. During the Middle Ages, everyone in Europe, except Jews and the Muslim Moors, formed the civilization known as Christendom. Unfortunately, many of these baptized but non-converted "Christians" brought with them their pagan rites, holidays (holy days), ceremonies, and practices which became identified with the Church.

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