carolingian empire

In 869, Lothair II of Lotharingia died without any legitimate children but instead of the Kingdom passing to his brother Louis II of Italy, The Kingdom was divided between his uncles Louis II "the German" of Germany and Charles II "the Bald" of France. In 876 Louis the German died and his...

What is the earliest point at which the Low Countries can be a unified, independent state? And how would this be accomplished? Ideally, I'm searching a way that leads to an independent state (so no unification under a foreign power) where Old or Middle Dutch is the main language or at least...

The Fall of the Carolingian Empire was far from inevitable, and even as late as the Ottonians it almost came back together (Otto the Great managed to gain the fealty of West Francia), it still could have been united in a very decentralized state. Supposing the unity of the Empire was preserved...

Historically speaking, it's unlikely that a marriage alliance between Charlemagne of the Carolingian Empire and Empress Irene of the Byzantine Empire would have brought their two empires together. So, my question is: what would need to change for this to be plausible, even if unlikely? Despite...

I'm not exactly sure how this would happen, but I suppose the easiest would be for an Otto the Great analogue to be born in France around the 950s. What I'm interested in are the effects of such an arrangement on the development of Germany as a nation, does it become a strong centralized kingdom...

assuming Lothair dies as a kid, or never exists at all, could something like this be the eventual division of the Carolingian Empire? what might that entail for the two portions of Frankia? Would this result in a vague france wank, given the wealth of Italy, or will they be doomed to even...

How would they split the country? What about Italy?

Is there anyway France could control all of the Low Countries (Belgium, The Netherlands, and Luxembourg) permanently before the Revolution? I imagine a different partition of the Carolingian empire or if Louis XIV was devoted to that single goal could go a long way. What would some of the...

Theophanes the Confessor claims that after Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne Holy Roman Emperor, Byzantine Empress Irene of Athens attempted to secure a marriage alliance with him. He further claims that this effort was frustrated by one of her advisors, a eunuch named Aetios. Personally, I think...