Charles II the bald came out winner of the decisive battle of Andernach in 876, his nephew Louis III of Germany being accidentally killed at the beginning of the battle and his army being routed. So the Carolingian king of western Francia, also emperor and king of Italy and Burgundy since the death of his nephew emperor Louis II (firstborn son of emperor Lothar I) took control of the eastern half of Lotharingia, that is the whole of median Francia. He also struck agreed with his remaining nephews from eastern Francia that the frontier between them should as much as possible be put on the Rhine. So they exchanged what was to be Palatinate for eastern Frisia.
And they also struck a deal that could be called the great family divide up.
Eastern Francia was to lead the struggle northwards against the danes and other northmen, and eastwards against the slavs and other pagan barbarians.
Western-Median Francia was to lead the struggle against the moors, especially in Spain, and to deal with its own share of northmen.
Louis II, only son of Charles II the bald, was born healthy and was not afflicted with stuttering. This was a key factor in his asserting his authority and his ability to lead his men in a time of almost permanent warfare.
As far as internal matters were concerned, when Archbishop of Cologne Hugh the Abbot dies in 886, Louis II decided there was no way the Robertians will get back all the honores and abbacies their father Robert the strong had held in Neustria and that Charles II had entrusted to Hugh the Abbot at Robert the strong’s death. Hugh, who had close family links with both the emperor and the Robertians, had been a remarkably competent and loyal lieutenant for Louis II.
Louis II was a clever Carolingian who had perfectly understood the forces at work. The king had to remain the richest man in the kingdom. He also perfectly remembered that Robert the strong had been a disloyal vassal and that preventing the emergence of a too powerful vassal was a vital interest for his power as well for the lasting of his dynasty. As a teenager, he had witnessed the revolt of vassals against his father and perfectly understood that what the carolingians had inflicted to the merovingians could be inflicted on them by a new rising dynasty. So if he decided to employ the 2 young Robertians Odo and Robert, he handed over to them only a part of the honores and abbacies Hugh the Abbot intended to hand over to them. Louis II retained for himself the key abbacies of Tours, Orleans, Auxerre, Marmoutier and Arras.
On the strategic side of his government, Louis II was aware of the difficulties of running an empire extending from the north sea to the Atlantic and middle Italy. As a solution to govern efficiently this vast space and maintiain its unity, he decided that there had to be some new kind of delegation that was more secure than hereditary fiefs. There had to be viceroy in peripheral areas of the empire, that is especially in Italy. But to ensure his loyalty, this viceroy had to be chosen among the very few whose loyalty was unquestionable. As much as possible, he had to be the heir of the imperial crown or another son or nephew of the emperor. This viceroyalty being was revocable at any moment, the viceroy being watched over by missi dominici that also depended directly on the emperor.
Louis II’s firstborn son Louis was made viceroy of Italy. However, though a good warrior, this too “hot” tempered young man was to die young, from a stupid horse riding accident when he was chasing a too desirable young woman.
Louis II’s second son Carloman was made Prince and entrusted to lead the fight against the moors from the march of Spain. He however died young and childless from a hunting accident, so when Louis II dies in 898, his third Charles born in 879 became king and emperor Charles III.
Charles III was to be a remarkable king, finding a lasting solution to the Viking raidings by settling them on the mouth of the Seine river and initiating their integration process in the French kingdom.
To be continued …
And they also struck a deal that could be called the great family divide up.
Eastern Francia was to lead the struggle northwards against the danes and other northmen, and eastwards against the slavs and other pagan barbarians.
Western-Median Francia was to lead the struggle against the moors, especially in Spain, and to deal with its own share of northmen.
Louis II, only son of Charles II the bald, was born healthy and was not afflicted with stuttering. This was a key factor in his asserting his authority and his ability to lead his men in a time of almost permanent warfare.
As far as internal matters were concerned, when Archbishop of Cologne Hugh the Abbot dies in 886, Louis II decided there was no way the Robertians will get back all the honores and abbacies their father Robert the strong had held in Neustria and that Charles II had entrusted to Hugh the Abbot at Robert the strong’s death. Hugh, who had close family links with both the emperor and the Robertians, had been a remarkably competent and loyal lieutenant for Louis II.
Louis II was a clever Carolingian who had perfectly understood the forces at work. The king had to remain the richest man in the kingdom. He also perfectly remembered that Robert the strong had been a disloyal vassal and that preventing the emergence of a too powerful vassal was a vital interest for his power as well for the lasting of his dynasty. As a teenager, he had witnessed the revolt of vassals against his father and perfectly understood that what the carolingians had inflicted to the merovingians could be inflicted on them by a new rising dynasty. So if he decided to employ the 2 young Robertians Odo and Robert, he handed over to them only a part of the honores and abbacies Hugh the Abbot intended to hand over to them. Louis II retained for himself the key abbacies of Tours, Orleans, Auxerre, Marmoutier and Arras.
On the strategic side of his government, Louis II was aware of the difficulties of running an empire extending from the north sea to the Atlantic and middle Italy. As a solution to govern efficiently this vast space and maintiain its unity, he decided that there had to be some new kind of delegation that was more secure than hereditary fiefs. There had to be viceroy in peripheral areas of the empire, that is especially in Italy. But to ensure his loyalty, this viceroy had to be chosen among the very few whose loyalty was unquestionable. As much as possible, he had to be the heir of the imperial crown or another son or nephew of the emperor. This viceroyalty being was revocable at any moment, the viceroy being watched over by missi dominici that also depended directly on the emperor.
Louis II’s firstborn son Louis was made viceroy of Italy. However, though a good warrior, this too “hot” tempered young man was to die young, from a stupid horse riding accident when he was chasing a too desirable young woman.
Louis II’s second son Carloman was made Prince and entrusted to lead the fight against the moors from the march of Spain. He however died young and childless from a hunting accident, so when Louis II dies in 898, his third Charles born in 879 became king and emperor Charles III.
Charles III was to be a remarkable king, finding a lasting solution to the Viking raidings by settling them on the mouth of the Seine river and initiating their integration process in the French kingdom.
To be continued …