Lop II of Gascony
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Lupo II is the third-attested historical duke of Gascony
(dux Vasconum or princeps), appearing in history for the first time in 769. His ancestry is subject to scholarly debate.
In 769, a final rising of the Aquitanians against Charlemagne
and Carloman
was put down and the rebel, Hunald (either the same Hunald as above or another), was forced to flee to the court of Lupo in Gascony. Lupo had thitherto been his ally, lending him Gascon troops. Lupo, however, did not desire to bring down upon himself the wrath of the Frankish kings and handed Hunald, along with his wife, over to Charlemagne. He himself did homage for his province, recognising Charlemagne's suzerainty.
Lupo may have been a Basque
, but perhaps a Frank
or Roman (Aquitanian). The name Lupo ("wolf", otsoa in Basque) is a well attested totemic first name and surname widely spread across the whole Basque ethnic area in the early Middle Ages. He may have been a royal appointment of Pepin III (in 768), but he may have been elected duke by the people. The extent of his territory is unknown. He may have ruled all of Aquitaine after 769, but that is not likely. His Gascony did border the Agenais
and its northern border seems to have been the Garonne
. Bordeaux
was not under his control, but that of a separate line of Carolingian-appointed counts. His power may or may not have extended to the Pyrenees
, but the trans-Pyrenean Basques were also under Carolingian suzerainty, as seen by Einhard
's reference to Basque perfidia (treachery) at Roncesvalles. This region may have been part of Lupo's realm. Lupo has nevertheless been implicated by some historians in the ambush of Roland
.
He died probably in 778. His relationship to the previous dukes of Aquitaine-Vasconia and his successors is unclear. If he is to be regarded as related to subsequent Gascon dukes, which seems reasonable on the basis of patronymics, a genealogy can easily be constructed. He was the father of Sancho
, Seguin
, Centule
, and García (Garsand). All of his sons ruled Gascony at one time or another except García, who died in battle with Berengar of Toulouse in 819. He may have had another son named Adalric
, who was active in the reign of Chorso of Toulouse.
Duke of Gascony
The Duchy of Vasconia , later known as Gascony, was a Merovingian creation: a frontier duchy on the Garonne, in the border with the rebel Basque tribes...
(dux Vasconum or princeps), appearing in history for the first time in 769. His ancestry is subject to scholarly debate.
In 769, a final rising of the Aquitanians against Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
and Carloman
Carloman, son of Pippin III
Carloman I was the king of the Franks from 768 until his death in 771. He was the second surviving son of Pepin the Short and Bertrada of Laon...
was put down and the rebel, Hunald (either the same Hunald as above or another), was forced to flee to the court of Lupo in Gascony. Lupo had thitherto been his ally, lending him Gascon troops. Lupo, however, did not desire to bring down upon himself the wrath of the Frankish kings and handed Hunald, along with his wife, over to Charlemagne. He himself did homage for his province, recognising Charlemagne's suzerainty.
Lupo may have been a Basque
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
, but perhaps a Frank
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
or Roman (Aquitanian). The name Lupo ("wolf", otsoa in Basque) is a well attested totemic first name and surname widely spread across the whole Basque ethnic area in the early Middle Ages. He may have been a royal appointment of Pepin III (in 768), but he may have been elected duke by the people. The extent of his territory is unknown. He may have ruled all of Aquitaine after 769, but that is not likely. His Gascony did border the Agenais
Agenais
Agenais, or Agenois, was a province of France located in southwest France south of Périgord.In ancient Gaul the region was the country of the Nitiobroges with Aginnum for their capital, which in the fourth century was the Civitas Agennensium, which was a part of Aquitania Secunda and which formed...
and its northern border seems to have been the Garonne
Garonne
The Garonne is a river in southwest France and northern Spain, with a length of .-Source:The Garonne's headwaters are to be found in the Aran Valley in the Pyrenees, though three different locations have been proposed as the true source: the Uelh deth Garona at Plan de Beret , the Ratera-Saboredo...
. Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
was not under his control, but that of a separate line of Carolingian-appointed counts. His power may or may not have extended to the Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
, but the trans-Pyrenean Basques were also under Carolingian suzerainty, as seen by Einhard
Einhard
Einhard was a Frankish scholar and courtier. Einhard was a dedicated servant of Charlemagne and his son Louis the Pious; his main work is a biography of Charlemagne, the Vita Karoli Magni, "one of the most precious literary bequests of the early Middle Ages."-Public life:Einhard was from the eastern...
's reference to Basque perfidia (treachery) at Roncesvalles. This region may have been part of Lupo's realm. Lupo has nevertheless been implicated by some historians in the ambush of Roland
Roland
Roland was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the Matter of France. Historically, Roland was military governor of the Breton March, with responsibility for defending the frontier of Francia against the Bretons...
.
He died probably in 778. His relationship to the previous dukes of Aquitaine-Vasconia and his successors is unclear. If he is to be regarded as related to subsequent Gascon dukes, which seems reasonable on the basis of patronymics, a genealogy can easily be constructed. He was the father of Sancho
Sancho I of Gascony
Sancho I López or Lupus Sancho was a Duke of Gascony between the years 801 and 812....
, Seguin
Seguin I of Gascony
Seguin I Lupo was Duke of Gascony from 812 until 816, when Louis the Pious deposed him "because of his boundless arrogance and wicked ways", according to the contemporary Frankish chroniclers. The "Basques across the Garonne and around the Pyrenees" rebelled against the removal of their duke, but...
, Centule
Lupo III Centule of Gascony
Lupo III Centule was the Duke of Gascony briefly from 818 until his deposition by Pepin I of Aquitaine in 819...
, and García (Garsand). All of his sons ruled Gascony at one time or another except García, who died in battle with Berengar of Toulouse in 819. He may have had another son named Adalric
Adalric of Gascony
Adalric was probably a Basque count in the late eighth century in Gascony. He has been called a possible Duke of Gascony by some scholars.He was a possible son of Lupo II of Gascony. After Lupo's death, Adalric controlled western Gascony including Lower Navarre, Béarn, and Bigorre...
, who was active in the reign of Chorso of Toulouse.
Sources
- Collins, Roger. The Basques. Blackwell Publishing: London, 1990.
- EinhardEinhardEinhard was a Frankish scholar and courtier. Einhard was a dedicated servant of Charlemagne and his son Louis the Pious; his main work is a biography of Charlemagne, the Vita Karoli Magni, "one of the most precious literary bequests of the early Middle Ages."-Public life:Einhard was from the eastern...
. Vita Karoli Magni. Translated by Samuel Epes Turner. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1880. - Lewis, Archibald R. The Development of Southern French and Catalan Society, 718–1050. University of Texas Press: Austin, 1965.
- Lacarra, J. Vasconia medieval: Historia y Filología.
- Wallace-Hadrill, J. M.John Michael Wallace-HadrillJohn Michael Wallace-Hadrill CBE was Professor of Mediaeval History at the University of Manchester , a Senior Research Fellow of Merton College in the University of Oxford , Chichele Professor of Modern History, University of Oxford and a Fellow, All Souls College, Oxford...
, translator. The Fourth Book of the Chronicle of Fredegar with its Continuations. Greenwood Press: Connecticut, 1960. - Estornés Lasa, Bernardo. Auñamendi Encyclopedia: Ducado de Vasconia.
- Foundation for Medieval Genealogy: Gascony.
- Annales Laurissense, in Mon. Gen. Hist. Scriptores, I, 148.
- "Astronomus", Vita Hludovici imperatoris, ed. G. Pertz, ch. 2, in Mon. Gen. Hist. Scriptores, II, 608.
- Sedycias, João. História da Língua Espanhola.
- Monlezun, Jean Justin. Histoire de la Gascogne. 1864.