Jump to content

Lothair of France: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
No edit summary
No edit summary
Line 23: Line 23:
|place of burial=
|place of burial=
}}
}}
'''Lothair''' ({{lang-fr|Lothaire}}; {{lang-la|Lothārius}}; 941 – 2 March 986), sometimes called '''Lothair III'''<ref>{{cite journal | author = Jarrett Jonathan | year = 2011 | title = Caliph, King, or Grandfather: Strategies of Legitimization on the Spanish March in the Reign of Lothar III | url = | journal = The Mediaeval Journal | volume = 1 | issue = 2| pages = 1–22 | doi=10.1484/j.tmj.1.102535}}</ref> or '''Lothair IV''',<ref>He was the fourth Lothair to rule in the former Carolingian empire (after [[Lothair I]], [[Lothair II]] of Lotharingia and [[Lothair II of Italy|Lothair II]] of Italy), but only the third to rule over part of what became France.</ref> was the [[Carolingian]] king of [[West Francia]] from 10 September 954.
'''Lothair''' ({{lang-fr|Lothaire}}; {{lang-la|Lothārius}}; 941 – 2 March 986), sometimes called '''Lothair III'''<ref>{{cite journal | author = Jarrett Jonathan | year = 2011 | title = Caliph, King, or Grandfather: Strategies of Legitimization on the Spanish March in the Reign of Lothar III | url = | journal = The Mediaeval Journal | volume = 1 | issue = 2| pages = 1–22 | doi=10.1484/j.tmj.1.102535}}</ref> or '''Lothair IV''',<ref>He was the fourth Lothair to rule in the former Carolingian empire (after [[Lothair I]], [[Lothair II]] of Lotharingia and [[Lothair II of Italy|Lothair II]] of Italy), but only the third to rule over part of what became France.</ref> was the [[Carolingian]] king of [[West Francia]] from 10 September 954 until his death.


==Regency==
==Life==
⚫
Lothair, born near the end of 941, was the son of [[Louis IV of France|Louis IV]] and [[Gerberga of Saxony]].<ref name="ESII-1">Detlev Schwennicke, ''Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten'', Neue Folge, Band II (Marburg, Germany: J. A. Stargardt, 1984), Tafel 1</ref> He succeeded his father in 954 at the age of thirteen and was crowned at the [[Abbey of Saint-Remi]] by [[Artald of Reims]], [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Reims|Archbishop of Reims]].<ref>''The Annals of Flodoard of Reims, 916–966'', eds & trans. Steven Fanning: Bernard S. Bachrach (New York; Ontario, Can: University of Toronto Press, 2011), p. 60</ref> Lothair's mother made an arrangement with her brother-in-law [[Hugh the Great]], [[Duke of the Franks]] and [[Count of Paris]], who had been an adversary to Lothair's father.<ref name="AFOR-xix">''The Annals of Flodoard of Reims, 916–966'', eds & trans. Steven Fanning: Bernard S. Bachrach (New York; Ontario, Can: University of Toronto Press, 2011), p. xix</ref> In exchange for supporting Lothair's rule Hugh was given rule over [[Duchy of Aquitaine|Aquitaine]] and much of [[Kingdom of Burgundy|Burgundy]]<ref name="NewCamb">{{Cite book|last=Bourchard|first=Constance Brittain|title=The New Cambridge Medieval History: Vol. III, c.900 - c.1024 |year=1999|publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]]|volume=III|location=Cambridge|chapter=Burgundy and Provence: 879-1032|editor1-last=Reuter|editor1-first=Timothy|editor1-link=Timothy Reuter|editor2-last=McKitterick|editor2-first=Rosamond|editor2-link=Rosamond McKitterick|editor3-last=Abulafia|editor3-first=David|editor3-link=David Abulafia|isbn=0521364477|pages=328–345, page 336|edition=first}} [http://catdir.loc.gov/catdir/samples/cam031/93039643.pdf Volume III, Table of Contents]</ref> as more or less a [[viceroy]].<ref name="AFOR-xix"/> Lothair inherited a kingdom where the great magnates took lands, rights and offices almost without any regard for the king's authority.<ref name="OIHME163">George Holmes, ''The Oxford Illustrated History of Medieval Europe'' (Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 1988), p. 163</ref> Magnates like Hugh the Great and [[Herbert II, Count of Vermandois]] were always a veiled threat.<ref name="OIHME163"/>


===Accession to the Throne===
⚫
In 955, Lothair and Hugh together took [[Poitiers]] by siege. With Hugh the Great's death in 956, Lothair, only fifteen, came under the guardianship of his maternal uncle [[Bruno I, Archbishop of Cologne|Bruno, archbishop of Cologne]]. With Bruno's advice, Lothair mediated between Hugh's sons, [[Hugh Capet]] and the younger [[Otto-Henry, Duke of Burgundy|Otto Henry]]. The king gave Paris and the ducal title to Capet, although he later invested Otto with the [[Duchy of Burgundy]] in 960.


Born in [[Laon]] near the end of 941, was the eldest son and of [[Louis IV of France|Louis IV]] and [[Gerberga of Saxony]].<ref name="ESII-1">Detlev Schwennicke, ''Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten'', Neue Folge, Band II (Marburg, Germany: J. A. Stargardt, 1984), Tafel 1</ref> He succeeded his father 10 September 954 at the age of thirteen and was crowned at the [[Abbey of Saint-Remi]] by [[Artald of Reims]], [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Reims|Archbishop of Reims]] on 12 November of that year.<ref>''The Annals of Flodoard of Reims, 916–966'', eds & trans. Steven Fanning: Bernard S. Bachrach (New York; Ontario, Can: University of Toronto Press, 2011), p. 60</ref> Lothair was already being associated to the throne since 951, being this a novelty in the royal succession since the founding of the Kingdom of the Franks by the [[Merovingian dynasty]].
⚫
Altogether Lothair ruled for thirty-two years. His son [[Louis V of France|Louis]] was crowned in June 978,<ref group=lower-alpha>As the transition from elected kings to hereditary kings took place, fathers undertook to crown their successors before their deaths. See earlier [[Charlemagne]]'s crowning of his sons, and later Hugh Capet's crowning of his son Robert. {{Cite journal|author=Lewis, Andrew W.|year=1978|title=Anticipatory Association of the Heir in Early Capetian France|journal=The American Historical Review|volume=83|pages=906–927|jstor=1867651|doi=10.2307/1867651}} In general see {{Cite book|author=Bouchard, Constance Brittain |year=2001|title=Those of My Blood: Creating Noble Families in Medieval Francia|location=Philadelphia|publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press|isbn=978-0-8122-3590-6}}</ref> but did not actually assume power until Lothair's death in 986.<ref>{{Cite book|author=Bradbury, Jim|year=2007|chapter=Chapter 3: The new principalities, 800–1000|title=The Capetians: Kings of France, 987–1328|location=London|publisher=Hambledon Continuum|page=45|isbn=978-1-85285-528-4}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|author=Sullivan, Richard E.|year=1989|title=The Carolingian Age: Reflections on Its Place in the History of the Middle Ages|journal=Speculum|volume=64|pages=267–306|jstor=2851941|doi=10.2307/2851941}}</ref>


⚫
Queen Gerberga made an arrangement with her brother-in-law<ref>Following the death of his second wife Eadhild in early 937, Hugh the Great married thirdly between 9 May and 14 September of that year with [[Hedwig of Saxony]], Gerberga's younger sister. This marriage finally produced for Hugh the longed-needed heirs: three sons ([[Hugh Capet|Hugh]], Otto and Eudes-Henry) and two daughters (Beatrix and Emma).</ref> [[Hugh the Great]], [[Duke of the Franks]] and [[Count of Paris]], who had been an adversary to Lothair's father.<ref name="AFOR-xix">''The Annals of Flodoard of Reims, 916–966'', eds & trans. Steven Fanning: Bernard S. Bachrach (New York; Ontario, Can: University of Toronto Press, 2011), p. xix</ref> In exchange for supporting Lothair's rule Hugh was given rule over [[Duchy of Aquitaine|Aquitaine]] and much of [[Kingdom of Burgundy|Burgundy]]<ref name="NewCamb">{{Cite book|last=Bourchard|first=Constance Brittain|title=The New Cambridge Medieval History: Vol. III, c.900 - c.1024 |year=1999|publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]]|volume=III|location=Cambridge|chapter=Burgundy and Provence: 879-1032|editor1-last=Reuter|editor1-first=Timothy|editor1-link=Timothy Reuter|editor2-last=McKitterick|editor2-first=Rosamond|editor2-link=Rosamond McKitterick|editor3-last=Abulafia|editor3-first=David|editor3-link=David Abulafia|isbn=0521364477|pages=328–345, page 336|edition=first}} [http://catdir.loc.gov/catdir/samples/cam031/93039643.pdf Volume III, Table of Contents]</ref> as more or less a [[viceroy]].<ref name="AFOR-xix"/> Lothair inherited a Kingdom where the great magnates took lands, rights and offices almost without any regard for the King's authority.<ref name="OIHME163">George Holmes, ''The Oxford Illustrated History of Medieval Europe'' (Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 1988), p. 163</ref> Magnates like Hugh the Great and [[Herbert II, Count of Vermandois]] were always a veiled threat.<ref name="OIHME163"/>
==Military conflicts==
⚫
In 962, [[Baldwin III, Count of Flanders|Baldwin III of Flanders]], son, co-ruler, and heir of [[Arnulf I, Count of Flanders|Arnulf I]] died and Arnulf bequeathed Flanders to Lothair. On Arnulf's death in 965, Lothair invaded Flanders and took many cities, but was eventually repulsed by the supporters of [[Arnulf II, Count of Flanders|Arnulf II]]. He temporarily remained in control of [[Arras]] and [[Douai]].<ref>Pierre Riché, The Carolingians; A Family Who Forged Europe, trans. Michael Idomir Allen (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1993), pp. 264–65</ref>


⚫
In 955, Lothair and Hugh the Great together took [[Poitiers]] by siege. With Hugh the Great's death in 956, Lothair, only fifteen, came under the guardianship of his maternal uncle [[Bruno the Great|Bruno, archbishop of Cologne]]. With Bruno's advice, Lothair mediated between Hugh's sons, [[Hugh Capet]] and the younger [[Otto, Duke of Burgundy|Otto]]. The King gave Paris and the title of ''dux francorum'' ([[Duke of the Franks]]) to Hugh Capet, and invested Otto with the [[Duchy of Burgundy]] in 956.

===Worsening relations with the Holy Roman Empire===

The guardianship of Archbishop Bruno of Cologne, who lasted until 965, oriented the Kingdom of the Franks to a policiy of subjection towards the Kingdom of Germany. Despite his youth, Lothair wanted to rule alone and reforced his authority to his vassals. This desire of political independence will lead to a deterioration in the relations between the King and his maternal relatives and a struggle with the Kingdom of Germany. Despite this, Lothair wanted to kept –at least apparently– his bonds with Emperor Otto I by marrying in early 966 with Princess [[Emma of Italy]], the only daughter of Empress [[Adelaide of Italy|Adelaide of Burgundy]] (wife of Otto I)<ref>Jim Bradbury, ''The Capetians: Kings of France, 987-1328'', (London: Hambledon Continuum, 2007), p. 42</ref> from her first marriage with King [[Lothair II of Italy|Lothair II]], member of the [[Bosonids]] dynasty.<ref name="ESII-1"/>

⚫
In 962 [[Baldwin III, Count of Flanders|Baldwin III of Flanders]], son, co-ruler, and heir of [[Arnulf I, Count of Flanders|Arnulf I]] died and Arnulf bequeathed Flanders to Lothair. On Arnulf's death in 965, Lothair invaded Flanders and took many cities, but was eventually repulsed by the supporters of [[Arnulf II, Count of Flanders|Arnulf II]]. He temporarily remained in control of [[Arras]] and [[Douai]].<ref>Pierre Riché, The Carolingians; A Family Who Forged Europe, trans. Michael Idomir Allen (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1993), pp. 264–65</ref>
[[Image:LotharRichardII10thcentury.JPG|thumb|right|[[Richard II of Normandy]] (right), with the Abbot of [[Mont Saint-Michel]] (middle) and Lothair (left).]]
[[Image:LotharRichardII10thcentury.JPG|thumb|right|[[Richard II of Normandy]] (right), with the Abbot of [[Mont Saint-Michel]] (middle) and Lothair (left).]]
Lothair attempted to increase his influence in [[Lorraine (province)|Lorraine]], once held by his family, and in turn [[Otto II, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Otto II]] encouraged resistance to Lothair's overtures.<ref name="TCKOF43">Jim Bradbury, ''The Capetians: Kings of France, 987-1328'' (London: Hambledon Continuum, 2007), p. 43</ref> In 978 Lothair then mounted an expedition into Lorraine accompanied by Hugh Capet and upon their crossing the [[Meuse (river)|Meuse river]] Otto fled. Lothair then sacked the imperial [[Palace of Aachen]] reversing the direction of the bronze eagle of Charlemagne to face east instead of west.<ref group=lower-alpha>Richer of Reims stated: "The bronze eagle, that Charlemagne had put on top of the palace in a flight attitude, has been turned back towards the East. The Germans had turned it towards the West to symbolize that their cavalry could beat the French whenever they wanted..." See: Richer of Saint-Rémy, ''Histoire de France, (888-995)'', ed. R. Latouche (Paris: Les Belles Lettres 1964), p. 89.</ref><ref name="TCKOF43"/>
Lothair attempted to increase his influence in the [[Lotharingia]], once held by his family, and in turn [[Otto II, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Otto II]] encouraged resistance to Lothair's overtures.<ref name="TCKOF43">Jim Bradbury, ''The Capetians: Kings of France, 987-1328'' (London: Hambledon Continuum, 2007), p. 43</ref>

In 976 the brothers [[Reginar IV, Count of Mons]|Reginar IV of Mons]] and [[Lambert I, Count of Louvain|Lambert I of Louvain]], after being dispossessed from their paternal inheritance by Emperor Otto II, made an alliance with [[Charles, Duke of Lower Lorraine|Charles]] (King Lothair's younger brother) and [[Otto, Count of Vermandois|Otto of Vermandois]] and with an army they marched against the Imperial troops. A great battle, which remains undecided, took place in [[Mons]]. Although Lothair secretly encouraged this war he doesn't intervene directly to help his brother.

But Charles took advantange of the situation and established himself in Lotharingia. His main interest was to broke the harmony between Lothair and the [[House of Ardennes]], loyal to Emperor Otto II and very powerful in Lotharingia and to which belonged both the Chancellor-Arbishop [[Adalbero (archbishop of Reims)|Adalberon of Reims]] and his namesake Bishop [[Adalberon (bishop of Laon)|Adalberon of Laon]].

In 977, Charles accused Queen Emma of adultery with Bishop Adalberon of Laon. The Synod of Sainte-Macre, leaded by Archbishop Adalberon of Reims, took place in Fismes to discuss the mather; due to lack of evidence, both the Queen and Bishop were absolved, but Charles, who maintains the rumors, was expelled from the Kingdom by his brother. The House of Ardennes and the Lotharingian party who was favorable to an agreement with Otto II seems all-powerful at the court of King Lothair.

Otto II, however, committed the mistakes of restoring the County of Hainaut to Reginar IV and Lambert I and of appointing Charles as Duke of Lower Lorraine, a region corresponding to the northern half of Lotharingia, separate from the Upper Lotharingia since the late 950. Honoring the one who questioned the honor of the wife of the King of the Franks, was a way to offend the King himself.

===War with the Holy Roman Empire===

In 978 Lothair then mounted an expedition into Lorraine accompanied by Hugh Capet and upon their crossing the [[Meuse (river)|Meuse river]] Otto II fled. Lothair then sacked the imperial [[Palace of Aachen]] reversing the direction of the bronze eagle of Charlemagne to face east instead of west.<ref group=lower-alpha>Richer of Reims stated: "The bronze eagle, that Charlemagne had put on top of the palace in a flight attitude, has been turned back towards the East. The Germans had turned it towards the West to symbolize that their cavalry could beat the French whenever they wanted..." See: Richer of Saint-Rémy, ''Histoire de France, (888-995)'', ed. R. Latouche (Paris: Les Belles Lettres 1964), p. 89.</ref><ref name="TCKOF43"/>


Otto took his revenge in the autumn by invading France.<ref name="TC276-7">Pierre Riché, The Carolingians; A Family Who Forged Europe, trans. Michael Idomir Allen (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1993), pp. 276-77</ref> He penetrated as far as Paris, stopping at [[Reims]] and at [[Abbey of St. Medard, Soissons]] for devotions.<ref name="TC276-7"/> After three days of destruction Emperor Otto was driven back by Hugh Capet and his rearguard was defeated by Lothair's own forces while crossing the [[Aisne (river)|Aisne]].<ref name="TCKOF43"/> Peace was concluded between Lothair and Otto II in July 980 at [[Margut|Margut-sur-Chiers]].<ref name="TCKOF43" />
Otto took his revenge in the autumn by invading France.<ref name="TC276-7">Pierre Riché, The Carolingians; A Family Who Forged Europe, trans. Michael Idomir Allen (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1993), pp. 276-77</ref> He penetrated as far as Paris, stopping at [[Reims]] and at [[Abbey of St. Medard, Soissons]] for devotions.<ref name="TC276-7"/> After three days of destruction Emperor Otto was driven back by Hugh Capet and his rearguard was defeated by Lothair's own forces while crossing the [[Aisne (river)|Aisne]].<ref name="TCKOF43"/> Peace was concluded between Lothair and Otto II in July 980 at [[Margut|Margut-sur-Chiers]].<ref name="TCKOF43" />
Line 43: Line 60:


In 985, when the [[caliph of Córdoba]], [[Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir|Al-Mansur]], sacked [[Barcelona]], Lothair was ill and could offer no assistance to the [[Borrell II, Count of Barcelona|Count Borrel II]] upon receiving his envoys at [[Verdun]].<ref>Pierre Riché, The Carolingians; A Family Who Forged Europe, trans. Michael Idomir Allen (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1993), p. 266</ref> This contributed to the final rift between the [[Hispanic March]] and the French crown during the reign of his successors. At this point Lothair's power seemed markedly less than that of Hugh Capet.<ref name="TC277"/> In a letter [[Gerbert of Aurillac]] wrote to the Archbishop Adalbero that "Lothair is king of France in name alone; Hugh is, however, not in name but in effect and deed."<ref>Andrew W Lewis, ''Royal Succession in Capetian France: Studies on Familial Order and the State'' (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1981), p. 15</ref> Not long after, Archbishop Adalbero began openly pressing pro-Ottonian views and was trying to influence Hugh Capet into relations with Otto III.<ref name="TC277"/> In February 986, summoning Archbishop Adalbero to an assembly at [[Compiègne]] under false pretenses, he charged the surprised archbishop with treason.<ref name="TC278">Pierre Riché, The Carolingians; A Family Who Forged Europe, trans. Michael Idomir Allen (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1993), p. 278</ref> But the assembly was interrupted and dispersed by the approach of Hugh Capet and his army before a verdict could be reached.<ref name="TC278"/> Two weeks later, on 2 March 986 Lothair died at [[Laon]].<ref name="ESII-1"/><ref name="TC278"/>
In 985, when the [[caliph of Córdoba]], [[Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir|Al-Mansur]], sacked [[Barcelona]], Lothair was ill and could offer no assistance to the [[Borrell II, Count of Barcelona|Count Borrel II]] upon receiving his envoys at [[Verdun]].<ref>Pierre Riché, The Carolingians; A Family Who Forged Europe, trans. Michael Idomir Allen (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1993), p. 266</ref> This contributed to the final rift between the [[Hispanic March]] and the French crown during the reign of his successors. At this point Lothair's power seemed markedly less than that of Hugh Capet.<ref name="TC277"/> In a letter [[Gerbert of Aurillac]] wrote to the Archbishop Adalbero that "Lothair is king of France in name alone; Hugh is, however, not in name but in effect and deed."<ref>Andrew W Lewis, ''Royal Succession in Capetian France: Studies on Familial Order and the State'' (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1981), p. 15</ref> Not long after, Archbishop Adalbero began openly pressing pro-Ottonian views and was trying to influence Hugh Capet into relations with Otto III.<ref name="TC277"/> In February 986, summoning Archbishop Adalbero to an assembly at [[Compiègne]] under false pretenses, he charged the surprised archbishop with treason.<ref name="TC278">Pierre Riché, The Carolingians; A Family Who Forged Europe, trans. Michael Idomir Allen (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1993), p. 278</ref> But the assembly was interrupted and dispersed by the approach of Hugh Capet and his army before a verdict could be reached.<ref name="TC278"/> Two weeks later, on 2 March 986 Lothair died at [[Laon]].<ref name="ESII-1"/><ref name="TC278"/>

⚫
Altogether Lothair ruled for thirty-two years. His son [[Louis V of France|Louis]] was crowned in June 978,<ref group=lower-alpha>As the transition from elected kings to hereditary kings took place, fathers undertook to crown their successors before their deaths. See earlier [[Charlemagne]]'s crowning of his sons, and later Hugh Capet's crowning of his son Robert. {{Cite journal|author=Lewis, Andrew W.|year=1978|title=Anticipatory Association of the Heir in Early Capetian France|journal=The American Historical Review|volume=83|pages=906–927|jstor=1867651|doi=10.2307/1867651}} In general see {{Cite book|author=Bouchard, Constance Brittain |year=2001|title=Those of My Blood: Creating Noble Families in Medieval Francia|location=Philadelphia|publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press|isbn=978-0-8122-3590-6}}</ref> but did not actually assume power until Lothair's death in 986.<ref>{{Cite book|author=Bradbury, Jim|year=2007|chapter=Chapter 3: The new principalities, 800–1000|title=The Capetians: Kings of France, 987–1328|location=London|publisher=Hambledon Continuum|page=45|isbn=978-1-85285-528-4}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|author=Sullivan, Richard E.|year=1989|title=The Carolingian Age: Reflections on Its Place in the History of the Middle Ages|journal=Speculum|volume=64|pages=267–306|jstor=2851941|doi=10.2307/2851941}}</ref>


==Family==
==Family==
Lothair and Emma had two sons:
Lothair married [[Emma of Italy]], daughter of King [[Lothair II of Italy]]<ref name="ESII-1"/> and [[Adelaide of Italy]].<ref>Jim Bradbury, ''The Capetians: Kings of France, 987-1328'', (London: Hambledon Continuum, 2007), p. 42</ref> Together they had two sons:


* [[Louis V of France|Louis V]]. Succeeded his father as king<ref name="ESII-1"/>
* [[Louis V of France|Louis V]]. Succeeded his father as king<ref name="ESII-1"/>

Revision as of 00:55, 18 March 2016

Lothair
Twelfth-century bust of Lothair, from the Musée Saint Rémi at Reims
King of the Franks (more...)
PredecessorLouis IV
SuccessorLouis V
Born941
Died2 March 986
Laon
HouseCarolingian

Lothair (French: Lothaire; Latin: Lothārius; 941 – 2 March 986), sometimes called Lothair III[1] or Lothair IV,[2] was the Carolingian king of West Francia from 10 September 954 until his death.

Life

Accession to the Throne

Born in Laon near the end of 941, was the eldest son and of Louis IV and Gerberga of Saxony.[3] He succeeded his father 10 September 954 at the age of thirteen and was crowned at the Abbey of Saint-Remi by Artald of Reims, Archbishop of Reims on 12 November of that year.[4] Lothair was already being associated to the throne since 951, being this a novelty in the royal succession since the founding of the Kingdom of the Franks by the Merovingian dynasty.

Queen Gerberga made an arrangement with her brother-in-law[5] Hugh the Great, Duke of the Franks and Count of Paris, who had been an adversary to Lothair's father.[6] In exchange for supporting Lothair's rule Hugh was given rule over Aquitaine and much of Burgundy[7] as more or less a viceroy.[6] Lothair inherited a Kingdom where the great magnates took lands, rights and offices almost without any regard for the King's authority.[8] Magnates like Hugh the Great and Herbert II, Count of Vermandois were always a veiled threat.[8]

In 955, Lothair and Hugh the Great together took Poitiers by siege. With Hugh the Great's death in 956, Lothair, only fifteen, came under the guardianship of his maternal uncle Bruno, archbishop of Cologne. With Bruno's advice, Lothair mediated between Hugh's sons, Hugh Capet and the younger Otto. The King gave Paris and the title of dux francorum (Duke of the Franks) to Hugh Capet, and invested Otto with the Duchy of Burgundy in 956.

Worsening relations with the Holy Roman Empire

The guardianship of Archbishop Bruno of Cologne, who lasted until 965, oriented the Kingdom of the Franks to a policiy of subjection towards the Kingdom of Germany. Despite his youth, Lothair wanted to rule alone and reforced his authority to his vassals. This desire of political independence will lead to a deterioration in the relations between the King and his maternal relatives and a struggle with the Kingdom of Germany. Despite this, Lothair wanted to kept –at least apparently– his bonds with Emperor Otto I by marrying in early 966 with Princess Emma of Italy, the only daughter of Empress Adelaide of Burgundy (wife of Otto I)[9] from her first marriage with King Lothair II, member of the Bosonids dynasty.[3]

In 962 Baldwin III of Flanders, son, co-ruler, and heir of Arnulf I died and Arnulf bequeathed Flanders to Lothair. On Arnulf's death in 965, Lothair invaded Flanders and took many cities, but was eventually repulsed by the supporters of Arnulf II. He temporarily remained in control of Arras and Douai.[10]

Richard II of Normandy (right), with the Abbot of Mont Saint-Michel (middle) and Lothair (left).

Lothair attempted to increase his influence in the Lotharingia, once held by his family, and in turn Emperor Otto II encouraged resistance to Lothair's overtures.[11]

In 976 the brothers [[Reginar IV, Count of Mons]|Reginar IV of Mons]] and Lambert I of Louvain, after being dispossessed from their paternal inheritance by Emperor Otto II, made an alliance with Charles (King Lothair's younger brother) and Otto of Vermandois and with an army they marched against the Imperial troops. A great battle, which remains undecided, took place in Mons. Although Lothair secretly encouraged this war he doesn't intervene directly to help his brother.

But Charles took advantange of the situation and established himself in Lotharingia. His main interest was to broke the harmony between Lothair and the House of Ardennes, loyal to Emperor Otto II and very powerful in Lotharingia and to which belonged both the Chancellor-Arbishop Adalberon of Reims and his namesake Bishop Adalberon of Laon.

In 977, Charles accused Queen Emma of adultery with Bishop Adalberon of Laon. The Synod of Sainte-Macre, leaded by Archbishop Adalberon of Reims, took place in Fismes to discuss the mather; due to lack of evidence, both the Queen and Bishop were absolved, but Charles, who maintains the rumors, was expelled from the Kingdom by his brother. The House of Ardennes and the Lotharingian party who was favorable to an agreement with Otto II seems all-powerful at the court of King Lothair.

Otto II, however, committed the mistakes of restoring the County of Hainaut to Reginar IV and Lambert I and of appointing Charles as Duke of Lower Lorraine, a region corresponding to the northern half of Lotharingia, separate from the Upper Lotharingia since the late 950. Honoring the one who questioned the honor of the wife of the King of the Franks, was a way to offend the King himself.

War with the Holy Roman Empire

In 978 Lothair then mounted an expedition into Lorraine accompanied by Hugh Capet and upon their crossing the Meuse river Otto II fled. Lothair then sacked the imperial Palace of Aachen reversing the direction of the bronze eagle of Charlemagne to face east instead of west.[a][11]

Otto took his revenge in the autumn by invading France.[12] He penetrated as far as Paris, stopping at Reims and at Abbey of St. Medard, Soissons for devotions.[12] After three days of destruction Emperor Otto was driven back by Hugh Capet and his rearguard was defeated by Lothair's own forces while crossing the Aisne.[11] Peace was concluded between Lothair and Otto II in July 980 at Margut-sur-Chiers.[11]

When Otto II died on 7 December 983, Henry II, Duke of Bavaria abducted Otto's three-year-old son Otto III in hopes of being proclaimed king himself.[13] Archbishop Adalbero of Reims pressed for King Lothair to take charge of the situation but the plan failed by mid-984 when Empress Theophanu and Archbishop Willingis of Mainz were finally able to rescue Otto III and regain control of Germany.[13]

In 985, when the caliph of Córdoba, Al-Mansur, sacked Barcelona, Lothair was ill and could offer no assistance to the Count Borrel II upon receiving his envoys at Verdun.[14] This contributed to the final rift between the Hispanic March and the French crown during the reign of his successors. At this point Lothair's power seemed markedly less than that of Hugh Capet.[13] In a letter Gerbert of Aurillac wrote to the Archbishop Adalbero that "Lothair is king of France in name alone; Hugh is, however, not in name but in effect and deed."[15] Not long after, Archbishop Adalbero began openly pressing pro-Ottonian views and was trying to influence Hugh Capet into relations with Otto III.[13] In February 986, summoning Archbishop Adalbero to an assembly at Compiègne under false pretenses, he charged the surprised archbishop with treason.[16] But the assembly was interrupted and dispersed by the approach of Hugh Capet and his army before a verdict could be reached.[16] Two weeks later, on 2 March 986 Lothair died at Laon.[3][16]

Altogether Lothair ruled for thirty-two years. His son Louis was crowned in June 978,[b] but did not actually assume power until Lothair's death in 986.[17][18]

Family

Lothair and Emma had two sons:

  • Louis V. Succeeded his father as king[3]
  • Otto († c. 13 November 986), canon of Reims[3]

Lothair also had two illegitimate sons:

Ancestry

Family of Lothair of France
16. Charles the Bald
8. Louis the Stammerer
17. Ermentrude of Orléans
4. Charles the Simple
18. Adalard of Paris
9. Adelaide of Paris
2. Louis IV of France
20. Alfred the Great
10. Edward the Elder
21. Ealhswith
5. Eadgifu of England
22. Æthelhelm
11. Ælfflæd
1. Lothair of France
24. Liudolf, Duke of Saxony
12. Otto I, Duke of Saxony
25. Oda
6. Henry the Fowler
26. Henry of Franconia
13. Hedwiga of Franconia
27. Ingeltrude of Friuli
3. Gerberga of Saxony
14. Count Dietrich of Westphalia
7. Matilda
15. Reinhild

Notes

  1. ^ Richer of Reims stated: "The bronze eagle, that Charlemagne had put on top of the palace in a flight attitude, has been turned back towards the East. The Germans had turned it towards the West to symbolize that their cavalry could beat the French whenever they wanted..." See: Richer of Saint-Rémy, Histoire de France, (888-995), ed. R. Latouche (Paris: Les Belles Lettres 1964), p. 89.
  2. ^ As the transition from elected kings to hereditary kings took place, fathers undertook to crown their successors before their deaths. See earlier Charlemagne's crowning of his sons, and later Hugh Capet's crowning of his son Robert. Lewis, Andrew W. (1978). "Anticipatory Association of the Heir in Early Capetian France". The American Historical Review. 83: 906–927. doi:10.2307/1867651. JSTOR 1867651. In general see Bouchard, Constance Brittain (2001). Those of My Blood: Creating Noble Families in Medieval Francia. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 978-0-8122-3590-6.

References

  1. ^ Jarrett Jonathan (2011). "Caliph, King, or Grandfather: Strategies of Legitimization on the Spanish March in the Reign of Lothar III". The Mediaeval Journal. 1 (2): 1–22. doi:10.1484/j.tmj.1.102535.
  2. ^ He was the fourth Lothair to rule in the former Carolingian empire (after Lothair I, Lothair II of Lotharingia and Lothair II of Italy), but only the third to rule over part of what became France.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Detlev Schwennicke, Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten, Neue Folge, Band II (Marburg, Germany: J. A. Stargardt, 1984), Tafel 1
  4. ^ The Annals of Flodoard of Reims, 916–966, eds & trans. Steven Fanning: Bernard S. Bachrach (New York; Ontario, Can: University of Toronto Press, 2011), p. 60
  5. ^ Following the death of his second wife Eadhild in early 937, Hugh the Great married thirdly between 9 May and 14 September of that year with Hedwig of Saxony, Gerberga's younger sister. This marriage finally produced for Hugh the longed-needed heirs: three sons (Hugh, Otto and Eudes-Henry) and two daughters (Beatrix and Emma).
  6. ^ a b The Annals of Flodoard of Reims, 916–966, eds & trans. Steven Fanning: Bernard S. Bachrach (New York; Ontario, Can: University of Toronto Press, 2011), p. xix
  7. ^ Bourchard, Constance Brittain (1999). "Burgundy and Provence: 879-1032". In Reuter, Timothy; McKitterick, Rosamond; Abulafia, David (eds.). The New Cambridge Medieval History: Vol. III, c.900 - c.1024. Vol. III (first ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 328–345, page 336. ISBN 0521364477. Volume III, Table of Contents
  8. ^ a b George Holmes, The Oxford Illustrated History of Medieval Europe (Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 1988), p. 163
  9. ^ Jim Bradbury, The Capetians: Kings of France, 987-1328, (London: Hambledon Continuum, 2007), p. 42
  10. ^ Pierre Riché, The Carolingians; A Family Who Forged Europe, trans. Michael Idomir Allen (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1993), pp. 264–65
  11. ^ a b c d Jim Bradbury, The Capetians: Kings of France, 987-1328 (London: Hambledon Continuum, 2007), p. 43
  12. ^ a b Pierre Riché, The Carolingians; A Family Who Forged Europe, trans. Michael Idomir Allen (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1993), pp. 276-77
  13. ^ a b c d Pierre Riché, The Carolingians; A Family Who Forged Europe, trans. Michael Idomir Allen (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1993), p. 277
  14. ^ Pierre Riché, The Carolingians; A Family Who Forged Europe, trans. Michael Idomir Allen (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1993), p. 266
  15. ^ Andrew W Lewis, Royal Succession in Capetian France: Studies on Familial Order and the State (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1981), p. 15
  16. ^ a b c Pierre Riché, The Carolingians; A Family Who Forged Europe, trans. Michael Idomir Allen (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1993), p. 278
  17. ^ Bradbury, Jim (2007). "Chapter 3: The new principalities, 800–1000". The Capetians: Kings of France, 987–1328. London: Hambledon Continuum. p. 45. ISBN 978-1-85285-528-4.
  18. ^ Sullivan, Richard E. (1989). "The Carolingian Age: Reflections on Its Place in the History of the Middle Ages". Speculum. 64: 267–306. doi:10.2307/2851941. JSTOR 2851941.
  19. ^ Eleanor Shipley Duckett, Death and life in the tenth century (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1967), p. 118.

Sources


Preceded by King of Western Francia
954–986 		Succeeded by

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lothair_of_France&oldid=710614272"