Odo, Count of Paris
Encyclopedia
Odo (c. 860–1 January 898) was a King of Western Francia
, reigning from 888 to 898. He was a son of Robert the Strong
, count of Anjou, whose branch of the family is known as the Robertians.
Odo is also known as the Duke of France
and Count of Paris
.
and Marquis of Neustria
, belonging to the branch known as the Robertians. After his father's death in 866, Odo inherited his father's title of Marquis of Neustria. Odo lost this title in 866 when King Charles the Bald
appointed Hugh the Abbot to the title, but regained it following the death of Hugh. In the interim, between 882 and 883, he held the post of Count of Paris. Odo was also the lay abbot of St. Martin of Tours.
Odo married Théodrate of Troyes
and had two known sons, Arnulf (born probably about 885) and Guy (born probably about 888), neither of whom lived past the age of fifteen.
For his skill and bravery in resisting the attacks of the Vikings at the Siege of Paris
, Odo was chosen by the western Franks to be their king following the removal of emperor Charles the Fat
. He was crowned at Compiègne
in February 888 by Walter, Archbishop of Sens.
Odo continued to battle against the Vikings and defeated them at Montfaucon
, but he was soon involved in a struggle with powerful nobles who supported the claim of Charles the Simple
to the Frankish throne.
In 889 and 890 Odo granted special privileges to the County of Manresa
in Osona. Because of its position on the front line against Moorish
aggression, Manresa was given the right to build towers of defence known as manresanas or manresanes. This privilege was responsible for giving Manresa its unique character, distinct from the rest of Osona, for the next two centuries.
To gain prestige and support, Odo paid homage to the Eastern Frankish King Arnulf of Carinthia
. But in 894 Arnulf declared his support for Charles, and after a conflict which lasted three years, Odo was compelled to come to terms with his rival and surrender a district north of the Seine to him.
Odo died in La Fère
on 1 January 898.
Western Francia
West Francia, also known as the West Frankish Kingdom or Francia Occidentalis, was a short-lived kingdom encompassing the lands of the western part of the Carolingian Empire that came under the undisputed control of Charlemagne's grandson, Charles the Bald, as a result of the Treaty of Verdun of...
, reigning from 888 to 898. He was a son of Robert the Strong
Robert the Strong
Robert IV the Strong , also known as Rutpert, was Margrave in Neustria. His family is named after him and called Robertians. He was first nominated by Charles the Bald missus dominicus in 853. Robert was the father of the kings Odo and Robert I of France. Robert was the great-grandfather of Hugh...
, count of Anjou, whose branch of the family is known as the Robertians.
Odo is also known as the Duke of France
Duke of France
Duke of France equivalent to the title dux Franciae, is a title of nobility that refers to the rulers of the Île de France, informally Francia...
and Count of Paris
Count of Paris
Count of Paris was a title for the local magnate of the district around Paris in Carolingian times. Eventually, the count of Paris was elected to the French throne...
.
Origin
Odo was the eldest son of Robert the Strong, Duke of the FranksFranks
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...
and Marquis of Neustria
Neustria
The territory of Neustria or Neustrasia, meaning "new [western] land", originated in 511, made up of the regions from Aquitaine to the English Channel, approximating most of the north of present-day France, with Paris and Soissons as its main cities...
, belonging to the branch known as the Robertians. After his father's death in 866, Odo inherited his father's title of Marquis of Neustria. Odo lost this title in 866 when King 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...
appointed Hugh the Abbot to the title, but regained it following the death of Hugh. In the interim, between 882 and 883, he held the post of Count of Paris. Odo was also the lay abbot of St. Martin of Tours.
Odo married Théodrate of Troyes
Théodrate of Troyes
Théodrate of Troyes was the wife of Odo, Count of Paris. She was Queen consort of Western Francia. She had two known sons, Arnulf and Guy , neither of whom lived past the age of fifteen....
and had two known sons, Arnulf (born probably about 885) and Guy (born probably about 888), neither of whom lived past the age of fifteen.
King
Siege of Paris (885-886)
The Siege of Paris of 885 to 886 was a Viking siege of Paris, then capital of the kingdom of the West Franks. It was, in hindsight, the most important event of the reign of the Emperor Charles the Fat and a turning point in the fortunes of the Carolingian dynasty and the history of France.The...
, Odo was chosen by the western Franks to be their king following the removal of emperor Charles the Fat
Charles the Fat
Charles the Fat was the King of Alemannia from 876, King of Italy from 879, western Emperor from 881, King of East Francia from 882, and King of West Francia from 884. In 887, he was deposed in East Francia, Lotharingia, and possibly Italy, where the records are not clear...
. He was crowned at Compiègne
Compiègne
Compiègne is a city in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise.The city is located along the Oise River...
in February 888 by Walter, Archbishop of Sens.
Odo continued to battle against the Vikings and defeated them at Montfaucon
Montfaucon
-Places:*In Switzerland**Montfaucon, Switzerland, in the canton of Jura*In France** Montfaucon, Aisne, in the Aisne département** Montfaucon, Doubs, in the du Doubs département** Montfaucon, Gard, in the Gard département...
, but he was soon involved in a struggle with powerful nobles who supported the claim of Charles the Simple
Charles the Simple
Charles III , called the Simple or the Straightforward , was the undisputed King of France from 898 until 922 and the King of Lotharingia from 911 until 919/23...
to the Frankish throne.
In 889 and 890 Odo granted special privileges to the County of Manresa
County of Manresa
The County of Manresa is a term which refers to the western extremity of the County of Osona, divided into the Moianès and Bages. Through the Reconquista, Manresa was extended as far as Anoia, Segarra, and Urgell....
in Osona. Because of its position on the front line against Moorish
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
aggression, Manresa was given the right to build towers of defence known as manresanas or manresanes. This privilege was responsible for giving Manresa its unique character, distinct from the rest of Osona, for the next two centuries.
To gain prestige and support, Odo paid homage to the Eastern Frankish King Arnulf of Carinthia
Arnulf of Carinthia
Arnulf of Carinthia was the Carolingian King of East Francia from 887, the disputed King of Italy from 894 and the disputed Holy Roman Emperor from February 22, 896 until his death.-Birth and Illegitimacy:...
. But in 894 Arnulf declared his support for Charles, and after a conflict which lasted three years, Odo was compelled to come to terms with his rival and surrender a district north of the Seine to him.
Odo died in La Fère
La Fère
La Fère is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in France.-Population:-References:*...
on 1 January 898.