Louis the Stammerer

Louis the Stammerer (French: Louis le Bègue; 1 November 846 – 10 April 879) was the king of Aquitaine and later the king of West Francia. He was the eldest son of Emperor Charles the Bald and Ermentrude of Orléans.^[1] Louis the Stammerer was physically weak and outlived his father by a year and a half.

Louis the Stammerer
Denier of Louis the Stammerer
King of West Francia
Reign	877–879
Coronation	8 October 877 in Compiègne
Predecessor	Charles the Bald
Successor	Louis III and Carloman II
Born	1 November 846
Died	10 April 879(879-04-10) (aged 32) Compiègne
Burial	Saint-Corneille Abbey, Compiègne, France
Spouses	Ansgarde of Burgundy Adelaide of Paris
Issue Detail	Louis III of France Carloman II Ermentrude of France Charles the Simple
Dynasty	Carolingian
Father	Charles the Bald
Mother	Ermentrude of Orléans

In 866, Louis succeeded his younger brother Charles the Child as the ruler of Aquitaine. In 877, he succeeded his father as ruler of the entire West Francia, including Lower Burgundy with Provence, but without rule over Italy. Thus, he did not became the emperor. He was crowned king of West Francia on 8 October 877 by Hincmar, archbishop of Reims, at Compiegne^[2] and was crowned a second time in August 878 by Pope John VIII at Troyes while the pope was attending a council there.^[3] The pope may have even offered him the imperial crown, but it was declined. Louis had relatively little impact on politics. He was described as "a simple and sweet man, a lover of peace, justice, and religion". In 878, he gave the counties of Barcelona, Girona, and Besalú to Wilfred the Hairy. His final act was to march against the invading Vikings, but he fell ill and died on 10 April 879 at Compiègne,^[4] not long after beginning this final campaign.

On his death, his realms were divided between his two sons, Carloman II and Louis III, while powerful duke Boso of Provence tried to carve out a realm in Lower Burgundy.^[5]

Family

Domains of King Louis the Stammerer in Western Francia, including Western Lotharingia and Lower Burgundy with Provence (all in orange)

During the peace negotiations between his father and Erispoe, duke of Brittany, Louis was betrothed to a daughter of Erispoe in 856. The daughter's name is not known, nor is it known if this was the same daughter who later married Gurivant. The contract was broken in 857 after Erispoe's murder.

Louis was married twice. His first wife Ansgarde of Burgundy had two sons: Louis (born in 863) and Carloman (born in 866),^[2] both of whom became kings of West Francia, and three daughters: Hildegarde (born in 864), Gisela (865–884).

By his second wife, Adelaide of Paris,^[2] he had Ermentrude (874–914)^[6] and a posthumous child, Charles the Simple, who became, long after his elder brothers' deaths, king of West Francia.

With his first wife, Ansgarde of Burgundy, Louis had the following children:

• Louis III of France^[6]
• Carloman II^[6]
• Hildegarde (born in 864)^[6]
• Gisela (865–884)

With his second wife, Adelaide of Paris, Louis had:

• Charles the Simple^[6]
• Ermentrude (874–914)^[6]