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Chapter 31: Partitions of Francia
By the early 9th century, Francia remains the dominant power of Western Europe. With the passing of Charlemagne, and the Frankish gavelkind succession, resulting in division of the realm among all sons, a process of fragmentation is about to begin.
The first succession proved to be relatively simple, for Louis the Pious was the only surviving son of Charlemagne; meanwhile Bernard had become king of Italy. Louis the Pious has in Ordination Imperii divided the realm among his three sons, with Lothar being promised the imperial heirloom, Pepin Aquitaine and Louis the German Bavaria with its marches.
Bernard however felt left out, and rebelled; the war ended briefly with his death.
Having sensed the opportunity and a weakening of the Empire after the firm grip of Charlemagne, the neighbouring peoples, many of whom had been tributaries, had revolted. In the northeast, the pagan peoples of on the Baltic coasts revolted: an alliance of Danes, and Slavic Sorbs and Odobrites united against the Frankish yoke. Further south, they were joined by Croats, wishing to conquer Slavonia. In Italy, Spoleto stopped paying tribute.
The succession after the death of Louis the Pious was resolved by the Treaty of Verdun. Francia was divided into three, which became known as West Francia, Middle Francia and East Francia.
West Francia consisted of Aquitaine, Neustria and Lower Burgundy, as well as Septimania. The gross majority of the populace would speak a Gallo-Romance dialect, while in the Massif Central, a few would still cling on to their Arverne Celtic idiom.
Eastern Francia consisted of the tribal duchies of Saxony, Upper Francia, Bavaria and Alamannia (with Rhaetia), as well as all the eastern marches and Thuringia. The dominant tongue was known as Theodisk, that is, a dialect continuum of Continental West Germanic. In the Alpine valleys, one could still find pockets of Latinate speakers, but Germanic was the prevalent language.
And then there was Middle Francia. It consisted of Lombardy, Tuscany and Friuli in Italy, of Upper Burgundy and Provence, of Alsatia; of Frisia and western Austrasia, that is, Babant, Toxandria and Ripuaria. Unlike the other two, Middle Francia lacked geographic and ethnic unity, for it contained places as different as the marshes of Frisia and the Appenine forests; its population spoke by majority Romance but also Germanic. A country in this shape was only temporary; either would it extend its borders to achieve a more viable perimeter, or it would break apart.
Such a fate happened upon the death of Lothar in 855. With the treaty of Prum, Louis II of Italy receives, well Italy. Provence and Lower Burgundy were inherited by Charles of Provence, while all the rest goes to Lothair II, which would become known as Lotharingia.
After the death of Charles of Provence, the majority of his realm passes to Italy; smaller parts to Lotharingia.
A treaty of Meerssen following the death of Lothar II effectively divided his realm between Western and Eastern Francia; thus the number of successor states being reduced to three; ultimately however, by 880, the kingdoms of Arelate and Upper Burgundy were restored.
Thus, the Carolingian empire falls apart, divided into West Francia, East Francia, Lombardy, Arelate and Burgundy
The first succession proved to be relatively simple, for Louis the Pious was the only surviving son of Charlemagne; meanwhile Bernard had become king of Italy. Louis the Pious has in Ordination Imperii divided the realm among his three sons, with Lothar being promised the imperial heirloom, Pepin Aquitaine and Louis the German Bavaria with its marches.
Bernard however felt left out, and rebelled; the war ended briefly with his death.
Having sensed the opportunity and a weakening of the Empire after the firm grip of Charlemagne, the neighbouring peoples, many of whom had been tributaries, had revolted. In the northeast, the pagan peoples of on the Baltic coasts revolted: an alliance of Danes, and Slavic Sorbs and Odobrites united against the Frankish yoke. Further south, they were joined by Croats, wishing to conquer Slavonia. In Italy, Spoleto stopped paying tribute.
The succession after the death of Louis the Pious was resolved by the Treaty of Verdun. Francia was divided into three, which became known as West Francia, Middle Francia and East Francia.
West Francia consisted of Aquitaine, Neustria and Lower Burgundy, as well as Septimania. The gross majority of the populace would speak a Gallo-Romance dialect, while in the Massif Central, a few would still cling on to their Arverne Celtic idiom.
Eastern Francia consisted of the tribal duchies of Saxony, Upper Francia, Bavaria and Alamannia (with Rhaetia), as well as all the eastern marches and Thuringia. The dominant tongue was known as Theodisk, that is, a dialect continuum of Continental West Germanic. In the Alpine valleys, one could still find pockets of Latinate speakers, but Germanic was the prevalent language.
And then there was Middle Francia. It consisted of Lombardy, Tuscany and Friuli in Italy, of Upper Burgundy and Provence, of Alsatia; of Frisia and western Austrasia, that is, Babant, Toxandria and Ripuaria. Unlike the other two, Middle Francia lacked geographic and ethnic unity, for it contained places as different as the marshes of Frisia and the Appenine forests; its population spoke by majority Romance but also Germanic. A country in this shape was only temporary; either would it extend its borders to achieve a more viable perimeter, or it would break apart.
Such a fate happened upon the death of Lothar in 855. With the treaty of Prum, Louis II of Italy receives, well Italy. Provence and Lower Burgundy were inherited by Charles of Provence, while all the rest goes to Lothair II, which would become known as Lotharingia.
After the death of Charles of Provence, the majority of his realm passes to Italy; smaller parts to Lotharingia.
A treaty of Meerssen following the death of Lothar II effectively divided his realm between Western and Eastern Francia; thus the number of successor states being reduced to three; ultimately however, by 880, the kingdoms of Arelate and Upper Burgundy were restored.
Thus, the Carolingian empire falls apart, divided into West Francia, East Francia, Lombardy, Arelate and Burgundy
- Tomislav Addai
- Word Count: 530