Lothair II of Lotharingia
Encyclopedia
Lothair II was the second son of Emperor Lothair I
and Ermengarde of Tours
. He was married to Teutberga
, daughter of Boso the Elder
. He is the namesake of the Lothair Crystal
, which he probably commissioned, and of the Cross of Lothair
, which was made over a century after his death but incorporates a rock crystal bearing his name and image from his seal.
Upon his father's death in 855, he received as his kingdom a territory west of the Rhine stretching from the North Sea
to the Jura mountains
. It became known as Regnum Lotharii and early in the 10th century as Lotharingia
or Lorraine
(a designation subsequently applied only to the duchy of Lorraine). His elder brother Louis II
received northern Italy
and the title of Emperor
, and his younger brother Charles received the western parts of his father's domains, Burgundy and the Provence
.
On the death of his brother Charles in 863, Lothair added some lands south of the Jura
to this realm, but except for a few feeble expeditions against the Norman
pirates he seems to have done little for its government or its defense.
Lothair's reign was chiefly occupied by his efforts to obtain a divorce from his wife Teutberga, a sister of Hucbert
, abbot of St Maurice (d. 864) and daughter of the Bosonid Boso the Elder
, and his relations with his uncles Charles the Bald
and Louis the German
were influenced by his desire to obtain their support for this endeavor. Although quarrels and reconciliations between the three kings followed each other in quick succession, in general it may be said that Louis favoured the divorce, and Charles opposed it, while neither lost sight of the fact that Lothair had no sons to inherit his lands. Lothair, whose desire for the divorce was prompted by his affection for his mistress, Waldrada, put away Theutberga, but Hucbert took up arms on her behalf, and after she had submitted successfully to the ordeal of water, Lothair was compelled to restore her in 858. Still pursuing his purpose, he won the support of his brother, Emperor Louis II
, by a cession of lands and obtained the consent of the local clergy to the divorce and to his marriage with Waldrada, which took place in 862.
A synod
of Frankish
bishop
s met at Metz
in 863 and confirmed this decision, but Teutberga fled to the court of Charles the Bald
, and Pope Nicholas I
voided the decision of the synod. An attack on Rome
by the emperor was without result, and in 865 Lothair, threatened with excommunication
and convinced that Louis and Charles at their recent meeting had discussed the partition of his kingdom, again took back his wife. Teutberga, however, either from inclination or compulsion, now expressed her desire for a divorce, and Lothair went to Italy to obtain the assent of the new pope, Adrian II
. Placing a favourable interpretation upon the words of the pope, he had set out on the return journey, when he was seized with fever and died at Piacenza
on the . He left, by Waldrada, a son Hugh who was declared illegitimate, and his kingdom was divided between his uncles Charles the Bald
and Louis the German
by the Treaty of Meerssen
.
Lothair I
Lothair I or Lothar I was the Emperor of the Romans , co-ruling with his father until 840, and the King of Bavaria , Italy and Middle Francia...
and Ermengarde of Tours
Ermengarde of Tours
Ermengarde of Tours was the wife of Emperor Lothair I of the Franks. Her father was Hugh of Tours, a member of the Etichonen family, which claimed descent from the Merovingian Kings...
. He was married to Teutberga
Teutberga
Teutberga was a Frank and daughter of Boso the Elder. Therefore she was a Bosonid. She married Lothair II, a prince of the Carolingian dynasty, the imperial family of Francia...
, daughter of Boso the Elder
Boso the Elder
Boso the Elder was a Frank from the Bosonid dynasty. He was married to Engeltrude and died around 855. His family, the Bosonids were a dynasty of Franks that produced counts, dukes, abbots and bishops during the Carolingian Age...
. He is the namesake of the Lothair Crystal
Lothair Crystal
The Lothair Crystal is an engraved gem from Lotharingia in North-West Europe, showing scenes of the biblical story of Susanna, dating from 855-869...
, which he probably commissioned, and of the Cross of Lothair
Cross of Lothair
The Cross of Lothair or Lothair Cross is a crux gemmata processional cross dating from about 1000 AD, though its base dates from the 14th century. It was made in Germany, probably at Cologne...
, which was made over a century after his death but incorporates a rock crystal bearing his name and image from his seal.
Upon his father's death in 855, he received as his kingdom a territory west of the Rhine stretching from the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
to the Jura mountains
Jura mountains
The Jura Mountains are a small mountain range located north of the Alps, separating the Rhine and Rhone rivers and forming part of the watershed of each...
. It became known as Regnum Lotharii and early in the 10th century as Lotharingia
Lotharingia
Lotharingia was a region in northwest Europe, comprising the Low Countries, the western Rhineland, the lands today on the border between France and Germany, and what is now western Switzerland. It was born of the tripartite division in 855, of the kingdom of Middle Francia, itself formed of the...
or Lorraine
Lorraine (province)
The Duchy of Upper Lorraine was an historical duchy roughly corresponding with the present-day northeastern Lorraine region of France, including parts of modern Luxembourg and Germany. The main cities were Metz, Verdun, and the historic capital Nancy....
(a designation subsequently applied only to the duchy of Lorraine). His elder brother Louis II
Louis II, Holy Roman Emperor
Louis II the Younger was the King of Italy and Roman Emperor from 844, co-ruling with his father Lothair I until 855, after which he ruled alone. Louis's usual title was imperator augustus , but he used imperator Romanorum after his conquest of Bari in 871, which led to poor relations with Byzantium...
received northern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and the title of Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
, and his younger brother Charles received the western parts of his father's domains, Burgundy and the Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
.
On the death of his brother Charles in 863, Lothair added some lands south of the Jura
Jura mountains
The Jura Mountains are a small mountain range located north of the Alps, separating the Rhine and Rhone rivers and forming part of the watershed of each...
to this realm, but except for a few feeble expeditions against the Norman
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
pirates he seems to have done little for its government or its defense.
Lothair's reign was chiefly occupied by his efforts to obtain a divorce from his wife Teutberga, a sister of Hucbert
Hucbert
Hucbert was a Frank and son of Boso the Elder. Therefore he was a Bosonid. His sister was Teutberga, who married Lothair II, a prince of the Carolingian dynasty, the imperial family of Francia...
, abbot of St Maurice (d. 864) and daughter of the Bosonid Boso the Elder
Boso the Elder
Boso the Elder was a Frank from the Bosonid dynasty. He was married to Engeltrude and died around 855. His family, the Bosonids were a dynasty of Franks that produced counts, dukes, abbots and bishops during the Carolingian Age...
, and his relations with his uncles Charles the Bald
Charles the Bald
Charles the Bald , Holy Roman Emperor and King of West Francia , was the youngest son of the Emperor Louis the Pious by his second wife Judith.-Struggle against his brothers:He was born on 13 June 823 in Frankfurt, when his elder...
and Louis the German
Louis the German
Louis the German , also known as Louis II or Louis the Bavarian, was a grandson of Charlemagne and the third son of the succeeding Frankish Emperor Louis the Pious and his first wife, Ermengarde of Hesbaye.He received the appellation 'Germanicus' shortly after his death in recognition of the fact...
were influenced by his desire to obtain their support for this endeavor. Although quarrels and reconciliations between the three kings followed each other in quick succession, in general it may be said that Louis favoured the divorce, and Charles opposed it, while neither lost sight of the fact that Lothair had no sons to inherit his lands. Lothair, whose desire for the divorce was prompted by his affection for his mistress, Waldrada, put away Theutberga, but Hucbert took up arms on her behalf, and after she had submitted successfully to the ordeal of water, Lothair was compelled to restore her in 858. Still pursuing his purpose, he won the support of his brother, Emperor Louis II
Louis II, Holy Roman Emperor
Louis II the Younger was the King of Italy and Roman Emperor from 844, co-ruling with his father Lothair I until 855, after which he ruled alone. Louis's usual title was imperator augustus , but he used imperator Romanorum after his conquest of Bari in 871, which led to poor relations with Byzantium...
, by a cession of lands and obtained the consent of the local clergy to the divorce and to his marriage with Waldrada, which took place in 862.
A synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
of Frankish
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...
bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s met at Metz
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
in 863 and confirmed this decision, but Teutberga fled to the court of Charles the Bald
Charles the Bald
Charles the Bald , Holy Roman Emperor and King of West Francia , was the youngest son of the Emperor Louis the Pious by his second wife Judith.-Struggle against his brothers:He was born on 13 June 823 in Frankfurt, when his elder...
, and Pope Nicholas I
Pope Nicholas I
Pope Nicholas I, , or Saint Nicholas the Great, reigned from April 24, 858 until his death. He is remembered as a consolidator of papal authority and power, exerting decisive influence upon the historical development of the papacy and its position among the Christian nations of Western Europe.He...
voided the decision of the synod. An attack on Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
by the emperor was without result, and in 865 Lothair, threatened with excommunication
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
and convinced that Louis and Charles at their recent meeting had discussed the partition of his kingdom, again took back his wife. Teutberga, however, either from inclination or compulsion, now expressed her desire for a divorce, and Lothair went to Italy to obtain the assent of the new pope, Adrian II
Pope Adrian II
Pope Adrian II , , pope from December 14, 867 to December 14, 872, was a member of a noble Roman family, and became pope in 867, at an advanced age....
. Placing a favourable interpretation upon the words of the pope, he had set out on the return journey, when he was seized with fever and died at Piacenza
Piacenza
Piacenza is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Piacenza...
on the . He left, by Waldrada, a son Hugh who was declared illegitimate, and his kingdom was divided between his uncles Charles the Bald
Charles the Bald
Charles the Bald , Holy Roman Emperor and King of West Francia , was the youngest son of the Emperor Louis the Pious by his second wife Judith.-Struggle against his brothers:He was born on 13 June 823 in Frankfurt, when his elder...
and Louis the German
Louis the German
Louis the German , also known as Louis II or Louis the Bavarian, was a grandson of Charlemagne and the third son of the succeeding Frankish Emperor Louis the Pious and his first wife, Ermengarde of Hesbaye.He received the appellation 'Germanicus' shortly after his death in recognition of the fact...
by the Treaty of Meerssen
Treaty of Meerssen
The Treaty of Meerssen or Mersen was a partition treaty of the Carolingian Empire concluded on 8 August 870 by the two surviving sons of Emperor Louis the Pious, King Charles the Bald of West Francia and Louis the German of East Francia, at Meerssen north of Maastricht, in the present-day...
.
Illegitimate children
- HughHugh, Duke of AlsaceHugh was the only son of Lothair II, an illegitimate child by his relationship with Waldrada. He did not inherit his father's kingdom, but he did receive a lot of lands and benefices in the Duchy of Alsace from Louis the German....
(c.855-895), Duke of Alsace - Gisela (865-908), married Godfrid, Duke of FrisiaGodfried, Duke of FrieslandGodfrid, Godafrid, Gudfrid, or Gottfrid was a Danish Viking leader of the late ninth century. He had probably been with the Great Heathen Army, descended on the continent, and became a vassal of the emperor Charles the Fat, controlling most of Frisia between 882 and 885.In 880, Godfrid ravaged...
- BerthaBertha, daughter of Lothair IIBertha was the second illegitimate daughter of Lothair II, King of Lotharingia, by his concubine Waldrada. She was renowned to be beautiful, spirited, and courageous. Ambition, coupled with her influence, involved her husbands in many wars....
(c.863-925), married Theobald of ArlesTheobald of ArlesTheobald, count of Arles, was a Frank from the Bosonid-family. He was son of Hucbert and he married Bertha - an illegitimate daughter of Lothair II, King of Lotharingia - that was renowned for her beauty and spirit. They had two sons Hugh of Italy and Boso of Tuscany. Theobald died in 925....
, brother of Theutberga, and then Adalbert II of TuscanyAdalbert II of TuscanyAdalbert II , called the Rich, son and successor of Adalbert I of Tuscany, and grandson of Boniface II, was much concerned in the troubles of Lombardy, at a time when so many princes were contending for the wrecks of the Carolingian Empire. Before his father died in 884 or 886, he is accredited the... - Ermengarde (d. 90?)