About 3 results for ‘Charles the Fat’
-
Charles the Fat
Charles the Fat (Latin: Carolus Pinguis; 13 June 839 – 13 January 888) was the King of Alemannia from 876, King of Italy from 879, western Emperor (as Charles III) 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. In January 888, just a few weeks after his deposition, he died. Granted lordship over Alemannia in 876 by the divisio regnorum (division) of Louis the German's kingdom, he succeeded in Italy upon the abdication of his older brother Carloman, incapacitated by a stroke. Crowned Emperor in 881 by Pope John VIII, his succession to the territories of his brother Louis the Younger the following year reunited the entire Kingdom of the East Franks. Upon the death of his cousin Carloman II, he inherited all of West Francia also, thus reviving, if only briefly, the entire Carolingian Empire. Usually considered lethargic and inept – he is known to have had repeated illnesses and is believed to have suffered from epilepsy – he twice purchased peace with Viking raiders, including at the famous siege of Paris in 886. Nevertheless, contemporary opinion of him was not nearly so negative as modern historiographical opinion, which itself is seeing a turnaround.
