Romantic portrait of Charles.

Charles the Fat (Latin: Carolus Pinguis^[1]; 13 June 839 – 13 January 888) was the King of Alemannia from 876, King of Italy from 879, Holy Roman Emperor (as Charles III) from 881, King of East Francia from 882, and King of West Francia from 884. He was deposed in East Francia, Lotharingia, and possibly Italy (there the records are not clear) in 887. He died just a few weeks after his deposition in January 888. Image File history File links Die_deutschen_Kaiser_Karl_der_Dicke. ... Image File history File links Die_deutschen_Kaiser_Karl_der_Dicke. ... Romantics redirects here. ... For other uses, see Latin (disambiguation). ... is the 164th day of the year (165th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events Louis the Pious attempts to divide his empire among his sons. ... January 13 is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year A.D. 888. ... The following is a list of Dukes of Swabia, including the several holders of the title who were also Holy Roman Emperors. ... Events Seiwa is succeeded by Yozei as emperor of Japan. ... King of Italy is a title adopted by many rulers after the fall of the Roman Empire. ... Events Wilfred the Hairy, Count of Barcelona, founded the benedictine monastery at Ripoll. ... The Holy Roman Emperor was, with some variation, the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, the predecessor of modern Germany, during its existence from the 10th century until its collapse in 1806. ... Events Charles the Fat is crowned western emperor Louis III routs Norman pirates at Saucourt_en_Vimeu Births Deaths Emperor Seiwa of Japan Heads of states France - Louis III, king of France (879_882) Categories: 881 ... The following list of German Kings and Emperors is one of several Wikipedia lists of incumbents. ... Events Carloman, King of the West Franks becomes sole king upon the death of his brother. ... Kings ruled in France from the Middle Ages to 1848. ... Events May 15 - Pope Marinus I dies. ... Eastern Francia were the lands of Louis the German after the Treaty of Verdun of 843. ... Lotharingia (yellow), as established by the Treaty of Verdun, 843, and reduced by the Treaty of Mersen, 870 Lotharingia was a short-lived kingdom in western Europe, the aggregate of territories belonging to Lothair, King of Lotharingia (reigned 855–869), who received it in 855 from his father, Lothair I...

Granted lordship over Alemannia in 876 by the divisio regnorum (division) of Louis the German's kingdom, he succeeded his in Italy upon the abdication of his older brother Carloman, incapacitated by a stroke. Crowned Emperor in 881 by Pope John VIII, his succession to the territories of his brother Louis the Younger the following year reunited the entire Kingdom of the East Franks (later Germany). Upon the death of his nephew Carloman II, he inherited all of West Francia (later France) also, thus reviving, if only briefly, the entire Carolingian Empire. Alemannia (red) and Upper Burgundy (green) around AD 1000. ... Louis the German (also known as Louis II or Louis the Bavarian or German Ludwig der Deutsche) (804 – August 28, 876), the third son of the emperor Louis the Pious and his first wife, Ermengarde of Hesbaye, was the king of Bavaria from 817, when his father partitioned the empire... Carloman (830-880) was the eldest son of Louis the German, king of East Francia (Germany), and Emma, daughter of the count Welf. ... For other uses, see Stroke (disambiguation). ... John VIII was pope from 872 to 882. ... For the King of France known as Louis the Younger, see Louis VII of France. ... Carloman (c. ... Map of Carolingian Empire The term Carolingian Empire is sometimes used to refer to the realm of the Franks under the dynasty of the Carolingians. ...

Usually considered lethargic and inept — he is known to have had repeated illnesses and was believed to have suffered from epilepsy — he twice purchased peace with Viking raiders, including at the famous siege of Paris in 886. Nevertheless, contemporary opinion of him was not nearly so negative as modern historiographical opinion, which itself is seeing a turnaround. Viking, also called Norseman or Northman, refers to a member of the Scandinavian seafaring traders, warriors and pirates who raided and colonized wide areas of Europe from the 8th to the 11th century[1] and reached east to Russia and Constantinople, referred to as Varangians by the Byzantine sources and... Combatants Franks Danes Commanders Odo, Count of Paris Sigfred and Rollo Strength 200 men-at-arms 30,000 The Siege of Paris of 885 to 886 was a Viking siege of Paris, then capital of the kingdom of the West Franks. ...

Youth and inheritance

Charles was the youngest of the three sons of Louis the German, first King of East Francia, and Emma, a Welf. Charles was the great grandson of Charlemagne. An incidence of demonic possession is recorded in his youth, in which he was said to have been foaming at the mouth before he was taken to the altar of the church. This greatly affected his father and himself, he was described as "a very Christian prince, fearing God, with all his heart keeping His commandments, very devoutly obeying the orders of the Church, generous in alms-giving, practising unceasingly prayer and song, always intent upon celebrating the praises of God." Louis the German (also known as Louis II or Louis the Bavarian or German Ludwig der Deutsche) (804 – August 28, 876), the third son of the emperor Louis the Pious and his first wife, Ermengarde of Hesbaye, was the king of Bavaria from 817, when his father partitioned the empire... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Hemma is a holy word in the Hemmadom religion. ... The House of Welf (or House of Guelph) is a European dynasty that has included many German and British monarchs from the 11th century until the 20th century. ... Charlemagne (left) and Pippin the Hunchback. ...

In AD 859, Charles was made Count of the Breisgau, an Alemannic march against southern Lotharingia.^[2] In 863, his rebellious eldest brother Carloman revolted against their father. The next year, Louis the Younger followed Carloman in revolt and Charles joined him. Carloman was invested with Bavaria as co-king. In 865, the elder Louis was forced to divide his lands amongst his heirs: Bavaria went to Carloman; Saxony (with Franconia and Thuringia) went to Louis; and Alemannia (Swabia with Rhaetia) went to Charles. Lotharingia was to be divided between the younger two. Aerial view of Breisgau Breisgau is the name of an area in southwest Germany, placed between the river Rhine and the foothills of the Black Forest around Freiburg im Breisgau in the state of Baden-Württemberg. ... Mark or march (or various plural forms of these words) are derived from the Frankish word marka (boundary) and refer to a border region, e. ... Carloman (830-880) was the eldest son of Louis the German, king of East Francia (Germany), and Emma, daughter of the count Welf. ... For the King of France known as Louis the Younger, see Louis VII of France. ... For other uses, see Bavaria (disambiguation). ... Location Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) Administration Country NUTS Region DED Capital Dresden Minister-President Georg Milbradt (CDU) Governing parties CDU / SPD Votes in Bundesrat 4 (from 69) Basic statistics Area  18,416 km² (7,110 sq mi) Population 4,252,000 (11/2006)[1]  - Density 231 /km... Franconia (German: Franken) is a historic region in modern Germany, which today forms three administrative regions of the German federal state of Bavaria: Lower Franconia (Unterfranken), Middle Franconia (Mittelfranken), and Upper Franconia (Oberfranken). ... The Free State of Thuringia (German: Freistaat Thüringen) is located in central Germany and is considered one of the smaller of Germanys sixteen Bundesländer (federal states), with an area of 16,200 km² and 2. ... Raetia as province of the Roman Empire, ca. ... Lotharingia (yellow), as established by the Treaty of Verdun, 843, and reduced by the Treaty of Mersen, 870 Lotharingia was a short-lived kingdom in western Europe, the aggregate of territories belonging to Lothair, King of Lotharingia (reigned 855–869), who received it in 855 from his father, Lothair I...

When, in 875, the Emperor Louis II, who was also King of Italy, died, having come to terms with Louis the German whereby Carloman would succeed in Italy, Charles the Bald of West Francia invaded the peninsula and had himself crowned king and emperor.^[3] Louis the German sent first Charles and then Carloman himself, with armies containing Italian forces under Berengar of Friuli, their cousin, to possess the Italian kingdom.^[4] This was not, however, successful until the death of Charles the Bald in 877. Louis II, (825 – 875), Holy Roman Emperor (sole ruler 855 – 875), eldest son of the emperor Lothair I, became the designated king of Italy in 839, and taking up his residence in that country was crowned king at Rome by Pope Sergius II on June 15, 844. ... King of Italy is a title adopted by many rulers after the fall of the Roman Empire. ... Charles the Bald[1] (numbered Charles II of France and the Holy Roman Emperor) (French: , German: ) (13 June 823 – 6 October 877), Holy Roman Emperor (875–877) and king of West Francia (840–877), was the youngest son of Emperor Louis the Pious, by his second wife Judith. ... Berengar of Friuli (? - 16 April 924) was a Margrave of Friuli, King of Italy (from 888 on) and Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire from 915 on. ...

In 876, Louis died and the inheritance went as planned after a conference at Ries, though Charles received less of his share of Lotharingian than planned. In his charters, Charles' reign in Germania is dated from his inheritance in 876. The Nördlinger Ries is a depression in western Bavaria, Germany, located north of the Danube in the district of Donau-Ries. ...

Acquisition of Italy

The brothers acted cooperatively and there was no war over the division of the patrimony: a rare occurrence in Dark Age Europe. In 877, Carloman inherited Italy from their uncle Charles the Bald of West Francia. Louis divided Lotharingian and offered a third to Carloman and a third to Charles. In 878, Carloman returned his Lotharingian share to Louis, who divided it evenly with Charles. In 879, Carloman was incapacitated by a stroke and divided his domains between his brothers: Bavaria to Louis and Italy to Charles. Charles dated his reign in Italia from this point. Petrarch, who conceived the idea of a European Dark Age. From Cycle of Famous Men and Women, Andrea di Bartolo di Bargillac, c. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... Charles the Bald[1] (numbered Charles II of France and the Holy Roman Emperor) (French: , German: ) (13 June 823 – 6 October 877), Holy Roman Emperor (875–877) and king of West Francia (840–877), was the youngest son of Emperor Louis the Pious, by his second wife Judith. ... Western Francia was the land under the control of Charles the Bald after the Treaty of Verdun of 843, which divided the Carolingian Empire of the Franks into an East, West, and Middle. ...

In 880, Charles joined Louis III and Carloman, joint kings of West Francia, in besieging Boso of Provence in Vienne from August to September, but they failed to dislodge him. Provence was legally a part of the Italian kingdom (from 863). In August 882, Charles sent Richard the Justiciar, Count of Autun, to take the city, which he did (in September). After this, Boso could not regain most of his realm and was restricted to the vicinity of Vienne. Louis III (c. ... Carloman (c. ... Kings ruled in France from the Middle Ages to 1848. ... Boso was a Frankish noblemen, related to the Carolingian dynasty, and rose to be King of Provence. ... This article is about the French département. ... Richard of Autun (ca. ...

Imperial coronation and activities

On 18 July 880, Pope John VIII sent a fat letter to Guy II of Spoleto to seek peace, but the duke ignored him and invaded the Papal States. John responded by begging the aid of Charles in his capacity as King of Italy. In gratefulness, he crowned him Emperor on 12 February 881. His rise to power was accompanied by hopes of a general revival in western Europe, but he proved unequal to the task. Charles did little to help against Guy, however. Papal letters as late as November were still petitioning Charles for action. is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see number 880. ... John VIII was pope from 872 to 882. ... Guy II (sometimes III, died late 882 or early 883) was the eldest son and successor of Lambert I as duke of Spoleto and margrave of Camerino. ... Coat of arms Map of the Papal States; the reddish area was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy in 1860, the rest (grey) in 1870. ... is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events Charles the Fat is crowned western emperor Louis III routs Norman pirates at Saucourt_en_Vimeu Births Deaths Emperor Seiwa of Japan Heads of states France - Louis III, king of France (879_882) Categories: 881 ...

As emperor, Charles began the construction of a palace at Sélestat in Alsace. He modelled it after the Palace at Aachen which Charlemagne, whom he consciously sought to emulate, as indicated by the Vita Karoli Magni of Notker the Stammerer, had built. As Aachen was in the kingdom of his brother, it was necessary for Charles to buid a new palace for his court in his own power base of western Alemannia.^[5] Sélestat was also more central to the Empire than Aachen. Sélestat (German: Schlettstadt) is a commune of northeastern France, in the Bas-Rhin département, of which it is a sous-préfecture. ... (New region flag) (Region logo) Location Administration Capital Regional President Departments Bas-Rhin Haut-Rhin Arrondissements 13 Cantons 75 Communes 903 Statistics Land area1 8,280 km² (??? mi) km² Population (Ranked 14th)  - January 1, 2006 est. ... Possible reconstruction of Charlemagnes palace Charlemagnes Palace in Aachen was a collection of residential, political and religious buildings used by Charlemagne as the centre of power of his Carolingian Empire. ... Charlemagne (left) and Pippin the Hunchback. ... Notker of St. ...

In February 882, Charles convoked a diet in Ravenna. The duke, emperor, and pope made peace and Guy and his uncle, Guy of Camerino, vowed to restore stolen papal lands. In a March letter to Charles, John claimed that the vows went unfulfilled. In 883, Guy, now Duke of Spoleto, was accused of treason at an imperial synod held at Nonantula late in May.^[6] He returned to the Spoleto and made an alliance with the Saracens. Charles sent Berengar, equipped with an army, to deprive Guy of Spoleto. Berengar was initially successful until an epidemic of disease, which ravaged all Italy, affecting the emperor and his entourage as well as Berengar's army, forced him to retire.^[7] Province of Ravenna Ravenna is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. ... Guy III (d. ... The independent Duchy of Spoleto in southern Italy was a Lombard territory founded about 570 by the Lombard dux Faroald. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ...

In 883, Charles signed a treaty with Giovanni II Participazio, Doge of Venice, granting that any assassin of a doge who fled to the territory of the empire would be fined 100 lbs of gold and banished. Giovanni II Participazio (or Particiaco) was the thirteenth (historical) or fifteenth (traditional) Doge of Venice after the death of his father, Orso I, in 881 until his resignation in 887. ... Grand Procession of the Doge, 16th century For about a thousand years, the chief magistrate and leader of the Most Serene Republic of Venice was styled the Doge, a rare but not unique Italian title derived from the Latin Dux, as the major Italian parallel Duce and the English Duke. ... Officially the pound is the name for at least three different units of mass: The pound (avoirdupois). ...

East Francia

In the early 880s, the remnants of the Great Heathen Army, defeated by Alfred the Great at the Battle of Edington in 878, began to settle in the Low Countries. They were opposed with some success by Louis, Charles' brother, but he died after a short campaign on 20 January 882 and Charles succeeded to his kingdom, thus reuniting the whole East Frankish realm again. Charles called for an assembling of the army of the whole nation of the East Franks in the summer and he marched off to besiege the chief Viking camp at Asselt. Not much later, Charles opened negotiations with the Viking chiefs, Godfrey and Sigfred. Godfrey accepted Christian baptism and agreed to become Charles's vassal. He was married to Gisela, daughter of Lothair II. Sigfred was bribed off. Despite the insinuations of some modern chroniclers, no contemporary account criticises Charles actions during this campaign.^[8] The Great Heathen Army, also known as the Great Army, was a Viking army which pillaged and conquered much of England in the late 9th century. ... Alfred (also Ælfred from the Old English: Ælfrēd //) (c. ... The Battle of Edington (May 878) was a battle which took place near Edington in the county of Wiltshire in the south-west of England. ... It has been suggested that Regents: Low Countries be merged into this article or section. ... is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events Carloman, King of the West Franks becomes sole king upon the death of his brother. ... The Siege of Asselt was a Frankish siege of the Viking camp at Asselt in Frisia in the year 882. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... The two kingdoms which came under the rule of Sigurd after the Battle of Brávellir. ... Lothair (825 - August 8, 869), was the second son of the emperor Lothair I. On his fathers death in 855, he received for his kingdom a district lying west of the Rhine, between the North Sea and the Jura mountains, which was called Regnum Lotharii and early in the...

From 882 to 884, the Wilhelminer War dominated the Marcha Orientalis (later Austria). Arnulf of Carinthia, Charles's illegitimate nephew, allied with the rebel Engelschalk II against Charles' appointed margrave in the region, Aribo. Svatopluk I, ruler of Great Moravia, took up Aribo's cause and, at Kaumberg, in 884, took oaths of fidelity to Charles. Though the emperor lost his vassals of the Wilhelminer family and his relationship with his nephew was broken, he gained powerful allies in the Moravian dux and other Slavic duces in the area. Wilhelminer War was a minor war fought in the Marcha Orientalis (later Austria) from 882 to 884. ... The March of Pannonia was a frontier march of the Carolingian Empire erected in the mid-ninth century against the threat of Great Moravia and lasting only as long as the strength of that state. ... Later romantic portrait of Arnulf. ... Engelschalk II was the margrave (comes terminalis, frontier count) of the Marcha Orientalis, sometimes Ostmark (Eastern March) or Awarenmark (Avar March), in the late ninth century in opposition to Aribo. ... Aribo (876-909) was the last Margrave of the Carolingian March on the Danube, mostly in what is today Lower Austria. ... Svatopluk (-modern Czech name; modern Slovak name: Svätopluk; Old Slavic Свѧтопълкъ; reconstructed name: Sventopluk; some names in Latin texts: Suentopolcus, Zventopluk, Suatopluk, Zwentibald) (around 830 - 894) from the Mojmírs dynasty was the prince of the Nitrian principality (850s - 871) and then the king of Great Moravia (871 - 894). ... Great Moravia was an empire existing in Central Europe between 833 and the early 10th century. ... Kaumberg is a town in the district of Lilienfeld in the Austrian state of Lower Austria. ...

In 885, fearing Godfrey and his brother-in-law, Hugh, Duke of Alsace, Charles arranged for a conference at Spijk, near Lobith, inviting the Viking leader to fall into a trap. Godfrey was executed and Hugh was blinded and sent to Prüm. Hugh (circa 855 – 895) was the only son of Lothair II, an illegitimate child by his relationship with Waldrada. ... Spijk () is a town in the Dutch province of Groningen. ... Rijnwaarden is a municipality in the eastern Netherlands. ... The title of this article contains the character ü. Where it is unavailable or not desired, the name may be represented as Pruem. ...

Succession matters

Charles, childless by his marriage to Richgard, tried to have his illegitimate son by an unknown concumbine, Bernard, recognised as his heir in 885, but met the opposition of several bishops. He had the support of Pope Hadrian III, whom he invited to an assembly in Worms in October 885, but who died on the way, just after crossing the river Po.^[9] Hadrian was going to depose the obstructing bishops, as Charles doubted he could do this himself, and legitimise Bernard.^[10] Based on the unfavouring attitude of the chronicler of the Mainz continuation of the Annales Fuldenses, the chief of Charles's opponents in the matter was probably Liutbert, Archbishop of Mainz. Because Charles had called together the "bishops and counts of Gaul" as well as the pope to meet him at Worms, it seems likely that he planned to make Bernard King of Lotharingia.^[11] Notker the Stammerer, who considered Bernard as a possible heir, wrote in his Deeds of Charlemagne: Saint Richardis (circa 840 – 18 September between 894 and 896) was the Holy Roman Empress of Charles the Fat. ... Bernard or Bernhard (died 891 or 892) was the only child of Charles the Fat. ... Adrian III (also known as Hadrian III) was Pope from May 17, 884 to September, 885. ... Wormser Dom Worms (pronounced ) is a city in the southwest of Germany. ... Po redirects here, for alternate uses see Po (disambiguation). ... The Annales Fuldenses or Annals of Fulda is a medieval chronicle compiled at the Abbey of Fulda. ... Liutbert or Ludbert (died 889) was the Archbishop of Mainz from 863 until his death. ... The rulers of Lorraine have held different posts under different governments over different regions. ... Notker of St. ...

I will not tell you [Charles the Fat] of this [the Viking sack of the Abbey of Prüm] until I see your little son Bernard with a sword girt to his thigh.^[12]

Perhaps Notker was awaiting Bernard's kingship, when Prüm would be avenged. Viking, also called Norseman or Northman, refers to a member of the Scandinavian seafaring traders, warriors and pirates who raided and colonized wide areas of Europe from the 8th to the 11th century[1] and reached east to Russia and Constantinople, referred to as Varangians by the Byzantine sources and... The Abbey of Prüm is a former Benedictine abbey in Lorraine, now in the Diocese of Trier (Germany), founded by a Frankish widow Bertrada, and her son Charibert, count of Laon, 23 June 720. ...

After the failure of his first attempt, Charles set about to try again. He had the term proles (offspring) inserted into his charters as it had not been in previous years, probably because he desired to legitimise Bernard.^[13] In early 886, Charles met the new Pope Stephen V and probably negotiated for the recognition of his son as his heir. An assembly was planned for April and May of the next year at Waiblingen. Pope Stephen cancelled his planned attendance on 30 April 887. Nevertheless, at Waiblingen, Berengar, who by a brief feud with Liutward had lost the favour of the emperor, came in early May 887, made peace with the emperor, and compensated for the actions of the previous year by dispensing great gifts.^[14] Note: In sources prior to the 1960s, this pope is sometimes called Stephen VI and Pope Stephen IV is sometimes called Stephen V. See Pope-elect Stephen for detailed explanations. ... Waiblingen is a town in the southwest of Germany, located in the center of the densely populated Stuttgart Region, directly neighboring Stuttgart. ... is the 120th day of the year (121st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events Emperor Uda ascends to the throne of Japan Births Deaths September 18 - Pietro I Candiano, Doge of Venice (killed in battle) Emperor Koko of Japan Categories: 887 ...

Charles probably abandoned his plans for Bernard and instead adopted Louis of Provence as his son at an assembly at Kirchen in May.^[15] It is possible, however, that the agreement with Louis was only designed to engender support for Bernard's subkingship in Lotharingia. In June or July, Berengar arrived in Kirchen, probably pining to be declared Charles's heir; he may in fact have been so named in Italy, where he was acclaimed (or made himself) king immediately after Charles's deposition.^[16] Odo, Count of Paris, may have had a similar purpose in visiting Charles at Kirchen.^[17] On the other, hand the presence of these magnates at these two great assemblies may merely have been necessary to confirm Charles' illegitimate son as his heir (Waiblingen), a plan which failed when the pope refused to attend, and then to confirm Louis instead (Kirchen).^[18] Louis the Blind (c. ... Kirchen is a town in the district of Altenkirchen in the north of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. ... Odo (or Eudes) (c. ...

West Francia

Charles the Fat in the Grandes Chroniques de France

When Carloman of West Francia died on 12 December 884, the nobles of that kingdom invited his uncle, Charles, to assume the kingship. Charles gladly accepted, it being the third kingdom to "fall into his lap."^[19] According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Charles succeeded to all of the kingdom of Carloman save Brittany, but this does not seem to have been true.^[20] It is likely that Charles was crowned by Geilo, Bishop of Langres, as rex in Gallia on 20 May 885 at Grand in southern Lorraine.^[21] Though Geilo even developed a special West Frankish seal for him, Charles's government in the West, however, was always very impersonal and he left most day-to-day business to the higher nobility. Image File history File links Charles_the_Fat. ... Image File history File links Charles_the_Fat. ... Philip Augustus captures Tours in 1189. ... is the 346th day of the year (347th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events May 15 - Pope Marinus I dies. ... The initial page of the Peterborough Chronicle. ... Historical province of Brittany, showing the main areas with their name in Breton language The traditional flag of Brittany (the Gwenn-ha-du), formerly a Breton nationalist symbol but today used as a general civic flag in the region. ... Geilo or Gilon (died 888) was the Bishop of Langres from 880 until his death. ... is the 140th day of the year (141st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events Vikings besiege Paris Stephen VI elected pope Oldest known mentioning of Baky Births Emperor Daigo of Japan Deaths Pope Adrian III April 6: Saint Methodius, bishop and Bible translator Categories: 885 ... Grand is a village in the French département of Vosges, famous for its Roman amphitheatre, mosaics and aqueduct. ...

Though West Francia (the future France) was far less menaced by the Vikings than the Low Countries, it was heavily hit nonetheless. In 885, a huge fleet led by Sigfred sailed up the Seine, for the first time in years, and besieged Paris. Sigfred demanded a bribe again, but this time Charles refused. He was in Italy at the time and Odo, Count of Paris, snuck some men through enemy lines to seek his aid. Charles sent Henry, Count of Saxony, to Paris. In 886, as disease began to spread through Paris, Odo himself went to Charles to seek support. Charles brought a large army and encircled the army of Rollo and set up a camp at Montmartre. However, Charles had no intention of fighting. He sent the defenders down the Seine to ravage Burgundy, which was in revolt. When the Vikings withdrew from France next spring, he gave them 700 pounds of promised silver. Charles prestige in France was greatly diminished. This article is about the river in France. ... Combatants Franks Danes Commanders Odo, Count of Paris Sigfred and Rollo Strength 200 men-at-arms 30,000 The Siege of Paris of 885 to 886 was a Viking siege of Paris, then capital of the kingdom of the West Franks. ... Odo (or Eudes) (c. ... Henry (died 886), a son of Count Poppo of Grapfeld, one of the first Babenbergs, was variously known as count of Saxony or margrave and duke of Franconia. ... Rollo on the Six Dukes statue in the Falaise town square. ... Montmartre seen from the centre Georges Pompidou (1897), a painting by Camille Pissarro of the boulevard that led to Montmartre as seen from his hotel room. ... Coat of arms of the second Duchy of Burgundy and later of the French province of Burgundy Burgundy (French: ; German: ) is a historic region of France, inhabited in turn by Celts (Gauls), Romans (Gallo-Romans), and various Germanic peoples, most importantly the Burgundians and the Franks; the former gave their...

Charles issued a number of charters for West Frankish recipients during his stay in Paris during and after the siege. He recognised rights and privileges granted by his predecessors to recipients in the Spanish March and Provence, but especially in Neustria, where he had contact with Nantes at a time when the Breton duke Alan I was known to be powerful in the county of Nantes. It is probable that Charles granted Alan the right to be titled rex;^[22] as emperor he would have had that prerogative and Alan's use of the title appears legitimate. A charter datable to between 897 and 900 makes reference to the soul of Karolus on whose behalf Alan had ordered prayers to be said in the monastery of Redon. This was probably Charles the Fat. The Marca Hispanica (Spanish Mark or March) was a buffer zone beyond the province of Septimania, first set up by Charlemagne in 795 as a defensive barrier to keep the Muslim Moors out of the Frankish Kingdom. ... Neustria & Austrasia The territory of Neustria originated in A.D. 511, made up of the regions from Aquitaine to the English Channel, approximating most of the north of present-day France, with Paris and Soissons as its main cities. ... Traditional city flag City coat of arms Motto: Favet Neptunus eunti (Latin: Shall Neptune favour the traveller) Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country Region Pays de la Loire Department Loire-Atlantique (44) Mayor Jean-Marc Ayrault  (PS) (since 1989) City Statistics Land area¹ 65. ... Coat of arms of the Dukes of Brittany from 1312; described by one of the few known one-word blazons in existence, simply Ermine. ... Alan I (French: ; died 907), called the Great, was the Count of Vannes and Duke of Brittany (dux Brittonium) from 876 until his death. ... The counts of Nantes were originally the Frankish rulers of the Nantais under the Carolingians. ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Deposition, death, and legacy

With Charles increasingly seen as spineless and incompetent, matters came to a head in late 887. In the summer of that year, having given up on his son's succession, Charles received Odo and Berengar, Margrave of Friuli, a relative of his, at his court. He may have accepted neither, one, or both of these as his heir in their respective kingdoms. His inner circle then began to fall apart. First, he accused his wife Richardis of having an affair with his chief minister and archchancellor, Liutward, bishop of Vercelli. She proved her innocence in an ordeal of fire and left him for the monastic life.^[23] He then turned against Liutward, who was hated by all, and removed him from office, appointing Liutbert, Archbishop of Mainz, in his stead. Berengar of Friuli (? – 16 April 924) was the Margrave of Friuli from 874, King of Italy from 888, and Holy Roman Emperor from 915 until his death. ... The Duchy of Friuli was one of the great territorial Lombard duchies which was preserved as a frontier march by the Carolingians and their successors. ... Saint Richardis (circa 840 – 18 September between 894 and 896) was the Holy Roman Empress of Charles the Fat. ... // History (Latin Archicancellarius) Effective An archichancellor is the highest chancellor of a major chancery See also Grand chancellor Honorary In the Holy Roman empire, the style Erzkanzler (literally archchancellor) was one of the Erzamter awarded as high profile sinecures to the Prince-Electors, and the only one with multiple incidence... Liutward was the archchancellor of the Holy Roman Empire from 878 and the bishop of Vercelli from 880 by appointment of Charles the Fat, whose chief minister he was. ... Vercelli (Varséj in Piedmontese; Vercellae in Latin) is a commune and city of about 46,000 inhabitants in the Province of Vercelli, Italy. ... Liutbert or Ludbert (died 889) was the Archbishop of Mainz from 863 until his death. ...

In that year, his first cousin once removed, Ermengard, daughter of the Emperor Louis II and wife of Boso of Provence, brought her son Louis to him for protection. Charles confirmed Louis in Provence (he may even have adopted him) and allowed them to live at his court. He probably intended to make Louis heir to the whole realm and the imperium. On 11 November, he called an assembly to Frankfurt. While there he received news that an ambitious nephew, Arnulf of Carinthia, had fomented a general rebellion and was marching into Germany with an army of Bavarians and Slavs. The next week saw the collapse of all his support in East Francia. The last to abandon him were his loyal Alemanni, though the men of Lotharingia never seem to have formally accepted his deposition. By 17 November, Charles was out of power, though the exact course of events is unknown. Asides from rebuking his faithlessness, he did little to prevent Arnulf's move — he had recently been ill again — but assure that Bernard was entrusted to his care and possibly Louis too. He asked for a few estates in Swabia on which to live out his days and thus received Neidingen. There he died six weeks later, on 13 January 888. Ermengard (also Ermengarda, Ermengarde, or Irmingard) was the only daughter of Louis II, Holy Roman Emperor. ... Louis II, (825 – 875), Holy Roman Emperor (sole ruler 855 – 875), eldest son of the emperor Lothair I, became the designated king of Italy in 839, and taking up his residence in that country was crowned king at Rome by Pope Sergius II on June 15, 844. ... Boso was a Frankish noblemen, related to the Carolingian dynasty, and rose to be King of Provence. ... Louis the Blind (c. ... is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Frankfurt (disambiguation). ... Later romantic portrait of Arnulf. ... The Alamanni, Allemanni or Alemanni, are a Germanic tribe, first mentioned by Dio Cassius, under the year 213. ... 17 November is also the name of a Marxist group in Greece, coinciding with the anniversary of the Athens Polytechnic uprising. ... January 13 is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year A.D. 888. ...

Charles' empire broke asunder, never to be restored. According to Regino of Prüm, each part of the realm elected a "kinglet" from its own "bowels". It is probable that Arnulf desired the whole empire, but the only part he received other than East Francia was Lotharingia. The French elected Odo, though he was opposed at first by Guy III of Spoleto, who also opposed Arnulf in Lotharingia. Guy sought the kingship in Italy after his failures in Francia, though there Berengar had already been crowned. Louis was crowned in Provence as Charles had intended and he sought the support of Arnulf and gained it, probably through supplication to him. Odo would eventually submit to Arnulf's supremacy as well. In Upper Burgundy, one Rudolph, a dux of the region, was elected as king in a distinctly non-Carolingian creation, probably the result of his failure to succeed in the whole of Lotharingia. In Aquitaine, Ranulf II declared himself king and took the guardianship of the young Charles the Simple, the Carolingian heir to the West, refusing to recognise Odo's election. Reginon or Regino of Prüm (? - 915) was a medieval chronicler. ... Coat of arms of the 2nd duchy of Burgundy and later of the French province of Burgundy Burgundy (French: Bourgogne) is a historic region of France, inhabited in turn by Pre-Indo-European people, Celts (Gauls), Romans (Gallo-Romans), and various Germanic peoples, most importantly the Burgundians and the Franks. ... Rudolph I, born 859, died October 25, 912, King of (Upper or Transjurane) Burgundy from his election in 888 until his death. ... [Note : The Roman numerals after the names indicate which duke of that name they were and are not necessarily the same as their ordinals for their other titles. ... Ranulf II (also spelled Rannoux, Rannulf, Ramnulf, and Ranulph; 850 – 5 August 890) was Count of Poitou from 866 and Duke of Aquitaine from 887. ... Charles the Simple or Charles (September 17, 879 - October 7, 929) was a member of the Carolingian dynasty. ...

It is unknown if these elections were a response to Charles's East Frankish deposition or to his death. Only those of Arnulf and Berengar can be certainly placed before his death. Only the magnates of the East ever formally deposed him. He was buried with honour in Reichenau after his death and the Annales Fuldenses heap praises on his piety and godliness. Indeed, contemporary opinion of Charles is consistently kinder than later historiography, though it is a modern suggestion that his lack of apparent successes is the excusable result of near constant illness and infirmity. Alternate uses: Reichenau island Reichenau is a village in the municipality of Tamins in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland, where the two Rhine tributaries Vorderrhein and Hinterrhein meet. ... The Annales Fuldenses or Annals of Fulda is a medieval chronicle compiled at the Abbey of Fulda. ...

References

• MacLean, Simon. Kingship and Politics in the Late Ninth Century: Charles the Fat and the end of the Carolingian Empire. Cambridge University Press: 2003.
• Leyser, Karl. Communications and Power in Medieval Europe: The Carolingian and Ottonian Centuries. London, 1994.
• Reuter, Timothy. Germany in the Early Middle Ages, c. 800-1056. Longman, 1991.
• Reuter, Timothy (trans.) The Annals of Fulda. (Manchester Medieval series, Ninth-Century Histories, Volume II.) Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1992.
• Duckett, Eleanor. Death and Life in the Tenth Century. University of Michigan Press, 1968.
• Smith, Julia M. H. Province and Empire: Brittany and the Carolingians. Cambridge University Press: 1992.
• Annales Fuldenses translated by Timothy Reuter, with commentary (subscription needed).

Timothy Reuter (1947 – 2002), grandson of the former mayor of Berlin Ernst Reuter, was a British historian who specialized in the study of medieval Germany, particularly the social, military and ecclesiastical institutions of the Ottonian and Salian periods (10th-12th centuries). ...

Notes

v • d • e Holy Roman Emperors

Carolingian Empire Charles I • Louis I • Lothair I • Louis II • Charles II • Charles III • Guy • Lambert • Arnulf • Louis III • Berengar Holy Roman Empire Otto I • Otto II • Otto III • Henry II • Conrad II • Henry III • Henry IV • Henry V • Lothair II • Frederick I • Henry VI • Otto IV • Frederick II • Henry VII • Louis IV • Charles IV • Sigismund • Frederick III • Maximilian I • Charles V • Ferdinand I • Maximilian II • Rudolph II • Matthias • Ferdinand II • Ferdinand III • Leopold I • Joseph I • Charles VI • Charles VII • Francis I • Joseph II • Leopold II • Francis II Reginon or Regino of Prüm (? - 915) was a medieval chronicler. ... The following list of Frankish Kings is one of several Wikipedia lists of incumbents. ... Louis the German (also known as Louis II or Louis the Bavarian or German Ludwig der Deutsche) (804 – August 28, 876), the third son of the emperor Louis the Pious and his first wife, Ermengarde of Hesbaye, was the king of Bavaria from 817, when his father partitioned the empire... The Franks were originally lead by dukes (military leaders) and reguli (petty kings). ... Later romantic portrait of Arnulf. ... For the King of France known as Louis the Younger, see Louis VII of France. ... The Franks were originally lead by dukes (military leaders) and reguli (petty kings). ... The rulers of Lorraine have held different posts under different governments over different regions. ... Carloman (830-880) was the eldest son of Louis the German, king of East Francia (Germany), and Emma, daughter of the count Welf. ... King of Italy is a title adopted by many rulers after the fall of the Roman Empire. ... Berengar of Friuli (? - 16 April 924) was a Margrave of Friuli, King of Italy (from 888 on) and Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire from 915 on. ... The following is a list of the Kings of Burgundy // Kings of the Burgundians Gebicca (late 4th century–407) Godemar Giselcar Gundicar (413–436) Aetius moves the Burgundians into Sapaudia (Upper Rhone Basin) Gunderic/Gundioc (436–473) opposed by Chilperic I (443–c. ... Rudolph I, born 859, died October 25, 912, King of (Upper or Transjurane) Burgundy from his election in 888 until his death. ... Charles the Bald[1] (numbered Charles II of France and the Holy Roman Emperor) (French: , German: ) (13 June 823 – 6 October 877), Holy Roman Emperor (875–877) and king of West Francia (840–877), was the youngest son of Emperor Louis the Pious, by his second wife Judith. ... The Holy Roman Emperor was, with some variation, the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, the predecessor of modern Germany, during its existence from the 10th century until its collapse in 1806. ... Guy III (d. ... Boso was a Frankish noblemen, related to the Carolingian dynasty, and rose to be King of Provence. ... The following is a list of the Kings of Burgundy. ... Louis the Blind (c. ... Carloman (c. ... It has been suggested that Regents: France and French States be merged into this article or section. ... Odo (or Eudes) (c. ... The persons who held the title of Duke of Aquitaine (French: Duc dAquitaine}, which became part of France in 1449 but was an independent duchy before that date, with the years they held it, were: // Dukes of Aquitaine Edward III claimed the title of King of France in 1339... Ranulf II (also spelled Rannoux, Rannulf, Ramnulf, and Ranulph; 850 – 5 August 890) was Count of Poitou from 866 and Duke of Aquitaine from 887. ... The Holy Roman Emperor was, with some variation, the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, the predecessor of modern Germany, during its existence from the 10th century until its collapse in 1806. ... Charlemagne (left) and Pippin the Hunchback. ... Louis the Pious, contemporary depiction from 826 as a miles Christi (soldier of Christ), with a poem of Rabanus Maurus overlaid. ... Lothair I Lothair I (German: Lothar, French: Lothaire, Italian: Lotario) (795 – 2 March 855), king of Italy (818 – 855) and Holy Roman Emperor (840 – 855), was the eldest son of the emperor Louis the Pious and his wife Ermengarde of Hesbaye, daughter of Ingerman, duke of Hesbaye. ... Louis II, (825 – 875), Holy Roman Emperor (sole ruler 855 – 875), eldest son of the emperor Lothair I, became the designated king of Italy in 839, and taking up his residence in that country was crowned king at Rome by Pope Sergius II on June 15, 844. ... Charles the Bald[1] (numbered Charles II of France and the Holy Roman Emperor) (French: , German: ) (13 June 823 – 6 October 877), Holy Roman Emperor (875–877) and king of West Francia (840–877), was the youngest son of Emperor Louis the Pious, by his second wife Judith. ... Guy III (d. ... Lambert of Spoleto (?–October 15, 898) was a Duke of Spoleto (as Lambert II, 894–898), King of Italy (892–898) and Emperor (894-898). ... Later romantic portrait of Arnulf. ... Louis the Blind (c. ... Berengar of Friuli (? – 16 April 924) was the Margrave of Friuli from 874, King of Italy from 888, and Holy Roman Emperor from 915 until his death. ... For others with the same name, see Otto I (disambiguation). ... Otto II and Theophano. ... Otto III in a medieval manuscript Otto III (980 – January 23, 1002, Paterno, Italy) was the fourth ruler of the Saxon or Ottonian dynasty. ... Henry II with his wife Cunigunde of Luxemburg Saint Henry II (972 – 13 July 1024), called the Holy or the Saint, was the fifth and last Holy Roman Emperor of the Saxon or Ottonian dynasty. ... Conrad II (c. ... Henry III, from a miniature of 1040. ... Henry IV (November 11, 1050 – August 7, 1106) was King of Germany from 1056 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1084, until his forced abdication in 1105. ... Henry IV (left) and son Henry V (right). ... Seal of Lothair III. on a deed from 1131 Lothair III of Supplinburg (1075 – 1137), was Duke of Saxony (1106), King of Germany (1125), and Holy Roman Emperor from 1133 to 1137. ... Frederick Barbarossa in a 13th century chronicle. ... Henry VI (November 1165 – 28 September 1197) was King of Germany from 1190 to 1197, Holy Roman Emperor from 1191 to 1197 and King of Sicily from 1194 to 1197. ... Otto IV of Brunswick (died 1218) was King of Germany (1208-1215) and Holy Roman Emperor from 1209 - 1215. ... Frederick II (December 26, 1194 – December 13, 1250), of the Hohenstaufen dynasty, was a pretender to the title of King of the Romans from 1212 and unopposed holder of that monarchy from 1215. ... Henry VII, (In German: Heinrich; in Italian: Arrigo), ca. ... Emperor Louis IV Louis IV of Bavaria (also known as Ludwig the Bavarian) of the House of Wittelsbach (1282 – October 11, 1347) was duke of Bavaria from 1294/1301 together with his brother Rudolf I, also count of the Palatinate until 1329 and, German king since 1314 and crowned as... Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor. ... Sigismund, aged approximately 50, depicted by unknown artist in the 1420s — the only contemporary portrait. ... Emperor Frederick III Frederick III of Habsburg (Innsbruck, September 21, 1415 – August 19, 1493 in Linz) was elected as German King as the successor of Albert II in 1440. ... Maximilian I of Habsburg (March 22, 1459 – January 12, 1519) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1508 until his death. ... For the Carlist claimant King Carlos V, see Infante Carlos, Count of Molina. ... Ferdinand in 1531, the year of his election as King of the Romans Ferdinand I (10 March 1503 – 25 July 1564) was an Austrian monarch from the House of Habsburg. ... Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II. His Coat of Arms Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor of the Habsburg dynasty (July 31, 1527 – October 12, 1576) was king of Bohemia from 1562, king of Hungary from 1563 and emperor of the Holy Roman Empire from 1564 until his death. ... Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II Rudolph IIs personal imperial crown, later crown of the Austrian Empire Rudolf II Habsburg was an emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, king of Bohemia, and king of Hungary. ... Holy Roman Emperor Matthias Matthias (February 24, 1557 - March 20, 1619) of the House of Habsburg reigned as Holy Roman Emperor from 1612-1619, as King of Hungary from 1608-1619 (as Matthias II), and as King of Bohemia from 1611-1617. ... Emperor Ferdinand II Ferdinand II (July 9, 1578 – February 15, 1637), of the House of Habsburg, reigned as Holy Roman Emperor from 1620-1637. ... Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor (July 13, 1608 – April 2, 1657), ruled February 15, 1637 – 1657. ... Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor Silver coin of Leopold I, 3 Kreuzers, dated 1670. ... Joseph I. Joseph I (July 26, 1678 – April 17, 1711), Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and Bohemia, Archduke of Austria, was the elder son of the emperor Leopold I and his third wife, Eleanora, Countess Palatine, daughter of Philip William of Neuburg, Elector Palatine. ... Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI Charles VI, (German Karl VI; in full Karl Josef Franz)Holy Roman Emperor (October 1, 1685 – October 20, 1740) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1711 to 1740 and the second son of Leopold I with his third wife, Eleonore-Magdalena of Pfalz-Neuburg. ... Holy Roman Emperor Charles VII Emperor Charles VII Albert (Brussels August 6, 1697 – January 20, 1745 in Munich), a member of the Wittelsbach family, was Prince-elector of Bavaria from 1726 and Holy Roman Emperor from January 24, 1742 until his death in 1745. ... Francis I Silver coin of Francis I, dated 1754. ... Joseph II (full name: Joseph Benedikt August Johannes Anton Michel Adam; March 13, 1741 – February 20, 1790) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. ... Leopold II (born Peter Leopold Joseph) (May 5, 1747 – March 1, 1792) was the penultimate Holy Roman Emperor from 1790 to 1792 and Grand Duke of Tuscany. ... Francis I in Austrian coronation regalia, 1832 Austrian thaler of Francis II, dated 1821. ...