General Notes

Charles II, King de France

(Andre Roux: Scrolls,191.)
(Stuart, Royalty for Commoners, Page 130, Line 171-39.)
(Rosamond, Frankish kingdom under Carolingians, Page 180.)
(Paul, Nouveau Larousse Universel.)
(Andre Castelot, Histoire de La France, Tome 1, Pages 369, 387).

AKA: Charles II, Emperor of the West. AKA: Charles II, King de Bourgogne. AKA: Charles II, King of Italy. Also Known As: Charles "Le Chauve".

Born: on 13 Jun 823 in Francfort-sur-le-Main, Germany, son of Louis I, King de France and Judith de Baviere , Some sources assert King Charles II was born in the year 829.

Note - between 824 and 875 in France: The birth of Charles II in 823 did not at first excite jealousy or rivalry among his brothers.  In 829, Charles was granted the region of Alemannia, Rhaetia and part of Burgundy. In 837, his Father Louis I "Le Debonnaire", by arrangement with Louis the German and Pepin gave Charles the land West of the Meuse, Burgundy, Chartres and Paris together with all the bishops, abbots and counts who held benefices in these territories.  A portion of Neustria was added in 838, and upon Pepin's death, Louis Le Pieux made Charles King of Aquitaine.  On 24 July 840, the new Emperor, Lothar, in Strasburg, refuses to support the land claims of Charles (from the agreement of Worms on 30 May 839). The two brothers, Louis and Charles, unite against Lothar and the War of the Three Brothers begins. Meanwhile, on 12 May 841, the Normands ravage Rouen and all the localities along the Seine, increasing their wealth considerably. At Fontenoy-en-Puisaye (24 June 841), Charles defeats his brothers Lothar (in spite of the arrival of the Army of Aquitaine in the Imperial ranks -- and at a total loss of 40,000 lives at the battle) and Louis Le Germanique. Charles and Louis signed an alliance on 14 February 842 at Strasbourg. Leaving Strasbourg, the two brothers defeat the imperial army of Lothar just West of Comblence. Lothar leaves Aix-le-Chapelle precipitously, pursued by the two brothers. In Mellecey, not far from Chalon-sur-Saone, Lothar proposes a plan to establish perpetual peace which is acceptable to both Louis and Charles. On 15 June, they sign the preliminary peace document. On 1 October 842, each of them sends 40 commissioners to Metz to forge the official document.  Prudence, the Bishop of Troyes, notes that Louis regained Germania in the East, Lothar gets the middle part of the Franc Kingdom, including Italy, and Charles obtains the Western lands (West of the Rhone, including Soissons). After that Charles goes to the Palace in Quierzy, where he marries Ermentrude.

Charles signed the Treaty of Verdun (843) which split the Kingdom of Charlemagne. By the Treaty, the destiny of Occidental Europe would be heavily influenced to this day. Louis obtains all lands East of the Rhine, including the cities of Spire, Worms, Mayence. Lothar gets all the lands extending between the Rhine and the Escaut, the Cambresis, the Hainaut, the country of Mezieres, and all the countships neighboring the Meuse, through the Saone and the Rhone, the Artois and Italy. Charles got all the lands East all the way to Spain. The Kingdom of Charlemagne thus was split forever, with the most serious rift between the germanic lands of Louis, and the French lands of Charles.  The intervening lands extending from Frisia to Rome, from the North Sea to the Mediterranean including what would become Holland, Belgium, Lorraine and Switzerland would become a sore point of contention between these two peoples.  The only thing that mattered to Lothar was the fact that both capitals (Aix and Rome) were located within his territory, thus legitimizing the title of Emperor.

Meanwhile, the Normands pillage Nantes and lower Aquitaine.  Charles laid siege to Toulouse in vain (May to July 844).  The Normands led by Ragnar Lodbrog arrive in Paris and must be heavily bribed to leave. Other Normand armies ravage Toulouse and Bordeaux (burned to the ground in 848). On 6 May 848, Duke Nomenoe proclaims the indepence of the Church of Bretagne and the following year proclaims himself King of Bretagne. Charles fought Brittany (Bretagne) in 845-851 and was victorious. Not liking Pepin II, the people of Aquitaine request Charles' help, and he obliges by accepting the Crown, and on 6 June 848 is consecrated King of Aquitaine, though he could not defend his kingdom against the Normands. He had Charles of Aquitaine jailed (849 in Corbie). In 850 Charles attacks Bretagne and leaves a garrison in Rennes. No sooner does he leave, that Nomenoe takes the city and then takes Nantes as well. The next year, Nomenoe ravages Maine, but, fortunately for Charles, the King of Bretagne dies suddenly on 7 March in Vendome. Charles has Pepin II locked in the Monastery of Saint-Medard de Soissons in 852. The Normands under Godfrid pillage Tours and Angers and penetrate via the Valley of Escaut all the way to the Seine.  The loyalty of Aquitaine shifts in 853, and Louis the German is called upon to help against Charles le Chauve. He in turn defeats Louis and offers Aquitaine his son by Ermentrude, Charles, who would be crowned sovereign in Limoges in October 855. Both Pepin II and Charles d'Aquitaine escape raise armies against Charles le Chauve. Charles fought against Louis for Lorraine (859, 870 [Treaty of Mersen] and 875).

When Louis le Germanique becomes ill in 869 near Rastisbonne, shortly after his nephew Lothar II died, Charles see the opportunity to claim his heritage as Uncle of the deceased. He has himself annointed King of Lorraine in Metz on 9 September, by the Bishop Hincmar. In March, 867, Charles d'Aquitaine dies, and his father Charles le Chauve is recognized as King by the Assembly in Pouilly-sur-Loire. Upon the death of his nephew, Lothar II on 8 August 869, Charles sped to Lotharingia and had himself crowned King of Lotharingia annointed on 9 September in the cathedral at Metz by Bishop Adventius of Metz and Archbishop Hincmar of Rheims. In 9 August 870, through the Treaty of Meerseen, Louis "Le Germanique" and Charles "Le Chauve" reach an agreeable compromise whereby they divide the lands of Lothar II between themselves, leaving Louis II no part of the inheritance. As soon as Louis II died on 12 August 875, Charles rushed to Italy and received the imperial crown and is annointed by Pope John VIII on 25 December 875. In Pavia on 5 January 876, by acclamation of the counts and nobles of Italy, Charles becomes King of Italy. On 31 January 876, the Archbishop of Milan proclaims Charles as Emperor. The French ecclesiasticals and nobles, having some misgivings about Charles' ability to take care of his Kingdom meet in Ponthion. Charles joins them dressed in the attire of the Frankish King. As soon as they declare him elected and recognize his imperial authority, Charles donned the Byzantine crown, and purple vestment of emperor. When Louis le Germanique dies on 28 August 876, Charles claims Lorraine as his own. While on an expedition in Italy against the Sarrasins, through the specific request of Pope Jean VIII, Charles le Chauve dies at the foot of Mount Cenis.

Married on 13 Dec 842 in Quierzy-sur-Oise, Aisne, Ile-de-France, France: Ermentrude d'Orleans , daughter of Odon=Eudes, Count d'Orleans and Ingeltrude de Paris; Ermentrude was crowned Queen of France in 866, having already produced a number of children including 6 sons but none of them was satisfactory as far as Charles Le Chauve was concerned. By September 866, four of them were dead.

Married on 25 Nov 869 in Aix-la-Chapelle, France: Richilde de Bourgogne, daughter of Beuve=Bouin, Comte de Bourgogne and Richilde d'Arles; The honeymoon is short-lived, as Louis le Germanique demands, as part of his heritage from the death of his nephew Lothar II, a part of Lorraine. Died: on 6 Oct 877 in Avrieux, Dauphine, France, at age 54 Charles II is buried at Saint Denis although originally he was buried in Nantua. Before expiring, he named his son, Louis Le Begue as his successor, and the Empress Richilde, crowned by Pope Jean VIII earlier that year, is charged with taking the royal garbs and sword to her step-son.