The Death of Charlemagne and Frankish Civil War
The most popular and successful king of the Franks: Charlemagne. He brought the Frankish Kingdom into the Classical Era through border expansions and trade systems. He connected the Franks to the WRE and beyond, giving Europe a sense of stability. But it was his son, Louis, who had the big shoes to fill once Charlemagne died in 814. He would need to keep the mighty Charlemagne Empire intact to keep Europe intact, and the entire continent knew this.
Louis I (The Pious) (778 to 830), acquired the Frankish throne in the middle of numerous military struggles. The Viking invasions were well-defended against, so they were no longer a problem. The Norse had other, more profitable plans, but we'll get to that later. Louis decided the empire was not large enough, so he continued his own invasions into Iberia. Iberia was home to very little. The Suevics were too scattered to be considered a kingdom and any Iberian territory owned by the WRE or the Franks was uninhabited. Nonetheless, Louis wanted more of it.
He spent about 4 years attacking the tribes of Iberia before he discovered troubling news that his wife had passed. He returned home distraught. But officials from the WRE warned Louis that if he did not remarry, he would leave himself vulnerable. Louis abided by the wise empire and did so. He married to Judith of Bavaria who bore Louis his fourth heir, Charles. This angered Louis' elder sons, specifically Lothair, as the new child changed the partition of the Frankish Kingdom. They feared that Charles would receive too much of their father's territory. In anger and retaliation, Lothair accused Judith of adultery. This spawned a chain reaction which began a civil war in 827.
This war, within weeks, disrupted trade and commerce for all of Europe. In the WRE, nephew to Galeo III and new emperor, Decimus Maro I (782 to 844) would not stand for such disasters. Unlike previous emperors, Maro was not a silent isolationist. The Roman way had been for centuries to stay out of foreign conflicts unless it directly hurt the security of the WRE. Maro decided that a dangerous civil war in another country would hurt trade and stability, so he sent his highest officials to contact Louis.
Louis was off in Brittany fighting against those against Frankish ownership when he got the memo. He had no idea of any civil war and immediately returned to Paris. It was discovered that his son, Lothair was the one stirring up rebellion in Frankish lands. The officials from the WRE advised Louis to immediately capture his son and execute him to treason. They also warned to keep any other sons that could start revolts in line. Louis decided that he could not have his own son killed, and instead, have him exiled.
The WRE watched like a father-figure as Louis sent his armies to take down Lothair. When the war started, Lothair had recruited his younger brothers, Louis (the German) and Pepin to join the rebellion. But now, Louis I promised a larger share of his inheritance to any sons who would rejoin the loyalist cause. Louis the German and Pepin switched sides swiftly after hearing this offer. With little help, Lothair was doomed to failure. With no allies, his army was outnumbered and defeated within the year.
After the civil war came to an end, Maro I called for a meeting between Louis I and his sons. In the meeting, Lothair apologized for the uprisings half-halfheartedly and expressed his frustration with the birth of Charles, which broke up previous plans for partition. Louis told Lothair and his brothers that the conception of Charles was not fully expected, and once Judith's pregnancy became obvious, she told him she would keep the baby. Louis shared the same frustration with his sons, but as he explained, it is hard to express oneself when king.
Understanding their father's situation, the sons agreed to no further revolts if a new treaty was drawn up, laying out clear borders for a revised partition. The treaty was created and once the four agreed to it, the meeting ended. All of the brothers were pardoned and no charges were made. This Treaty of Verdun would create four, new governed states in Europe following the death of Louis I. (Pepin died before his father did, so the treaty was revised to create three states instead)
Louis I (The Pious) (778 to 830), acquired the Frankish throne in the middle of numerous military struggles. The Viking invasions were well-defended against, so they were no longer a problem. The Norse had other, more profitable plans, but we'll get to that later. Louis decided the empire was not large enough, so he continued his own invasions into Iberia. Iberia was home to very little. The Suevics were too scattered to be considered a kingdom and any Iberian territory owned by the WRE or the Franks was uninhabited. Nonetheless, Louis wanted more of it.
He spent about 4 years attacking the tribes of Iberia before he discovered troubling news that his wife had passed. He returned home distraught. But officials from the WRE warned Louis that if he did not remarry, he would leave himself vulnerable. Louis abided by the wise empire and did so. He married to Judith of Bavaria who bore Louis his fourth heir, Charles. This angered Louis' elder sons, specifically Lothair, as the new child changed the partition of the Frankish Kingdom. They feared that Charles would receive too much of their father's territory. In anger and retaliation, Lothair accused Judith of adultery. This spawned a chain reaction which began a civil war in 827.
This war, within weeks, disrupted trade and commerce for all of Europe. In the WRE, nephew to Galeo III and new emperor, Decimus Maro I (782 to 844) would not stand for such disasters. Unlike previous emperors, Maro was not a silent isolationist. The Roman way had been for centuries to stay out of foreign conflicts unless it directly hurt the security of the WRE. Maro decided that a dangerous civil war in another country would hurt trade and stability, so he sent his highest officials to contact Louis.
Louis was off in Brittany fighting against those against Frankish ownership when he got the memo. He had no idea of any civil war and immediately returned to Paris. It was discovered that his son, Lothair was the one stirring up rebellion in Frankish lands. The officials from the WRE advised Louis to immediately capture his son and execute him to treason. They also warned to keep any other sons that could start revolts in line. Louis decided that he could not have his own son killed, and instead, have him exiled.
The WRE watched like a father-figure as Louis sent his armies to take down Lothair. When the war started, Lothair had recruited his younger brothers, Louis (the German) and Pepin to join the rebellion. But now, Louis I promised a larger share of his inheritance to any sons who would rejoin the loyalist cause. Louis the German and Pepin switched sides swiftly after hearing this offer. With little help, Lothair was doomed to failure. With no allies, his army was outnumbered and defeated within the year.
After the civil war came to an end, Maro I called for a meeting between Louis I and his sons. In the meeting, Lothair apologized for the uprisings half-halfheartedly and expressed his frustration with the birth of Charles, which broke up previous plans for partition. Louis told Lothair and his brothers that the conception of Charles was not fully expected, and once Judith's pregnancy became obvious, she told him she would keep the baby. Louis shared the same frustration with his sons, but as he explained, it is hard to express oneself when king.
Understanding their father's situation, the sons agreed to no further revolts if a new treaty was drawn up, laying out clear borders for a revised partition. The treaty was created and once the four agreed to it, the meeting ended. All of the brothers were pardoned and no charges were made. This Treaty of Verdun would create four, new governed states in Europe following the death of Louis I. (Pepin died before his father did, so the treaty was revised to create three states instead)
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