[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":217},["ShallowReactive",2],{"chapter:p4ch19:en":3,"chapters:p4:en":37},{"period":4,"chapter":14},{"id":5,"title":6,"titleEn":6,"titleEs":7,"range":8,"rangeEn":8,"rangeEs":8,"cover":9},"p4","Early Middle Ages","Alta Edad Media","476 → 987",{"fileName":10,"filePageUrl":11,"imageUrl":12,"sourceLabel":13},"François Louis Dejuinne 08265 baptême de CLovis.JPG","https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fran%C3%A7ois%20Louis%20Dejuinne%2008265%20bapt%C3%AAme%20de%20CLovis.JPG","/assets/p4-haut-moyen-age-cover.png","Wikimedia Commons",{"id":15,"title":16,"periodId":5,"html":17,"zooms":18,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":34,"realm":31,"seoDescription":35,"thumbnailUrl":36},"p4ch19","Charles the Simple: Norman Compromise, Imperial Ambitions, and Fall (898–929)","\u003Cp>In \u003Cstrong>898\u003C/strong>, after King \u003Cstrong>Odo\u003C/strong> dies, West Francia returns to a Carolingian ruler: \u003Cstrong>Charles III\u003C/strong>, known as \u003Cstrong>Charles the Simple\u003C/strong>.\u003Cbr>\nThis dynastic return does not mean a return to the powerful monarchy of Charlemagne’s era. By the late 9th century, the king must negotiate with \u003Cstrong>powerful territorial princes\u003C/strong>, who recognise authority as long as it serves their political and military interests.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Charles effectively rules West Francia until \u003Cstrong>922\u003C/strong>, when he is deposed by an aristocratic coalition. But his story does not end there: captured in \u003Cstrong>923\u003C/strong>, he remains a prisoner for years and dies in captivity on \u003Cstrong>7 October 929\u003C/strong>.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>His reign is dominated by two major challenges:\u003C/p>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>stabilise the Viking threat\u003C/strong>, now durably present along rivers;\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>arbitrate rivalries among great families\u003C/strong>, notably between the \u003Cstrong>Robertians\u003C/strong> and powerful northern counts.\u003C/li>\n\u003C/ul>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch2>898–903: the Northmen, between resistance and compromise\u003C/h2>\n\u003Cp>From the start of his reign, \u003Cstrong>Charles the Simple\u003C/strong> faces the persistent Viking threat, active for decades in the kingdom’s river valleys.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>On \u003Cstrong>1 or 3 January 898\u003C/strong>, after King Odo’s death, Charles is recognised as \u003Cstrong>king of West Francia\u003C/strong>. Very quickly, he confronts Norse bands operating in the \u003Cstrong>Seine valley\u003C/strong> and northern regions.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>In \u003Cstrong>spring 898\u003C/strong>, the new king manages to \u003Cstrong>push Vikings back on the Somme\u003C/strong>, showing he intends to defend the kingdom actively. But successes remain fragile: war against the Northmen is shaped by fast raids and high mobility.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, great princes strengthen their position. In \u003Cstrong>May 898\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>William the Pious\u003C/strong>, powerful lord of Auvergne, takes in a charter the title \u003Cstrong>“duke of Aquitaine”\u003C/strong>, signalling the growing assertion of territorial principalities.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cimg src=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Guillpieux.jpg\" alt=\"William the Pious\" class=\"kb-img-contain\">\n\u003Cem>William the Pious — Wikimedia Commons\u003C/em>\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>The fight against Vikings also mobilises other leaders. On \u003Cstrong>28 December 898\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Richard the Justiciar\u003C/strong>, duke of Burgundy, wins a victory over Northmen at \u003Cstrong>Argenteuil\u003C/strong>, near \u003Cstrong>Tonnerre\u003C/strong>.\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch3>899: alliances and new raids\u003C/h3>\n\u003Cp>The year \u003Cstrong>899\u003C/strong> is marked by attempts to stabilise politics.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>In \u003Cstrong>June\u003C/strong>, Charles stays at \u003Cstrong>Verberie\u003C/strong>, then in summer holds a \u003Cstrong>placitum\u003C/strong> (assembly) on the \u003Cstrong>Oise\u003C/strong> to appease rivalries. He makes peace with \u003Cstrong>Zwentibold\u003C/strong>, king of Lotharingia, while \u003Cstrong>Baldwin II of Flanders\u003C/strong> reconciles with \u003Cstrong>Herbert of Vermandois\u003C/strong>.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Despite diplomacy, Vikings continue expeditions. In \u003Cstrong>November 899\u003C/strong>, they ravage regions \u003Cstrong>between the Oise and the Meuse\u003C/strong>, showing how hard it is for royal power to control borders.\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch3>900: political tensions and an assassination at Reims\u003C/h3>\n\u003Cp>Aristocratic rivalries remain intense. On \u003Cstrong>17 June 900\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Baldwin II of Flanders\u003C/strong> has \u003Cstrong>Fulk\u003C/strong>, archbishop of \u003Cstrong>Reims\u003C/strong>, assassinated — one of the main supporters of Carolingian legitimacy.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Despite this violent act, Baldwin keeps a strong position: a few years later, he is officially recognised by Charles as \u003Cstrong>lay abbot of Saint‑Bertin\u003C/strong>, illustrating the king’s need to compromise with territorial princes.\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch3>903: Viking raids in the Loire valley\u003C/h3>\n\u003Cp>At the start of the 10th century, Vikings keep threatening several regions.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>On \u003Cstrong>5 June 903\u003C/strong>, Robert, count of Paris (future ancestor of the Capetians), obtains royal letters protecting the monks of \u003Cstrong>Lièpvre\u003C/strong> against attempted usurpation of the abbey of \u003Cstrong>Saint‑Denis\u003C/strong>.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Soon after, on \u003Cstrong>28 June\u003C/strong>, a violent fire strikes the \u003Cstrong>abbey of Saint‑Martin of Tours\u003C/strong>. Vikings sail up the \u003Cstrong>Loire\u003C/strong> after burning \u003Cstrong>Amboise\u003C/strong> and \u003Cstrong>Bléré\u003C/strong>, then appear before \u003Cstrong>Tours\u003C/strong>. They fail to take the city, but ravage suburbs and burn the abbey.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>The invaders are finally \u003Cstrong>defeated at Saint‑Martin‑le‑Beau\u003C/strong>, showing local forces can still resist despite royal weakness.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>These episodes illustrate the kingdom’s situation early in Charles’s reign: the king tries to defend authority, but real power depends on \u003Cstrong>great princes\u003C/strong> and \u003Cstrong>local coalitions\u003C/strong>, while Vikings exploit political fragmentation.\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch2>💍 907: a royal marriage and alliance politics\u003C/h2>\n\u003Cp>To strengthen his position, Charles seeks to consolidate political alliances.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>On \u003Cstrong>16 April 907\u003C/strong>, at \u003Cstrong>Laon\u003C/strong>, he marries \u003Cstrong>Frederuna\u003C/strong> (Frérone), from a great aristocratic family of \u003Cstrong>Lotharingia\u003C/strong>. The marriage is followed by a solemn anointing: the queen is crowned on \u003Cstrong>18 April\u003C/strong> at \u003Cstrong>Saint‑Remi of Reims\u003C/strong> by Archbishop \u003Cstrong>Heriveus\u003C/strong>.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>The next day, at the palace of \u003Cstrong>Attigny\u003C/strong>, Charles establishes for his wife a \u003Cstrong>dower\u003C/strong> including the fisc of \u003Cstrong>Corbeny\u003C/strong> and the palace of \u003Cstrong>Ponthion\u003C/strong>, with their dependencies. The queen thus becomes a central element of royal territorial and political strategy.\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch2>909–911: from Viking war to the Norman compromise\u003C/h2>\n\u003Cp>In the early 10th century, West Francia remains marked by Viking raids. Countryside is ravaged, monasteries plundered, and cities threatened. Under permanent insecurity, royal power relies on territorial princes and bishops to organise defence.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Around \u003Cstrong>909 or 910\u003C/strong>, an event of a different nature shapes religious and political life: the foundation of the \u003Cstrong>abbey of Cluny\u003C/strong> by \u003Cstrong>William the Pious\u003C/strong>, duke of Aquitaine, and his wife \u003Cstrong>Engelberga\u003C/strong>. Founded on lands given to a community of twelve Benedictine monks from \u003Cstrong>Baume‑les‑Messieurs\u003C/strong>, the abbey is entrusted to Abbot \u003Cstrong>Bernon\u003C/strong>. Placed directly under \u003Cstrong>Saint Peter of Rome\u003C/strong>, Cluny escapes lay or episcopal interference. This exceptional autonomy will allow it to become, in later centuries, one of medieval western Christendom’s great spiritual centres.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cimg src=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Abbaye_de_Cluny_hdsr_IMG_6856.jpg\" alt=\"Abbey of Cluny\" class=\"kb-img-contain\">\n\u003Cem>Abbey of Cluny — Wikimedia Commons\u003C/em>\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>In these same years, territorial principalities keep strengthening. William the Pious, heir of \u003Cstrong>Bernard Plantavelue\u003C/strong>, dominates Auvergne and Limousin and proclaims himself \u003Cstrong>duke of the Aquitanians\u003C/strong>, even minting his own coinage. Duke \u003Cstrong>Richard of Burgundy\u003C/strong> reinforces his positions and authorises some abbeys, such as \u003Cstrong>Sainte‑Colombe of Saint‑Denis‑lès‑Sens\u003C/strong>, to fortify against raids.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Despite defensive measures, raids continue. Norse bands ravage \u003Cstrong>Burgundy\u003C/strong> and \u003Cstrong>Auvergne\u003C/strong>. According to chronicler \u003Cstrong>Dudo of Saint‑Quentin\u003C/strong>, a troop led by \u003Cstrong>Rollo\u003C/strong> crosses the kingdom moving toward the \u003Cstrong>Seine\u003C/strong> valley, leaving burned villages and massacred populations behind.\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch3>⚔️ 911: the battle of Chartres\u003C/h3>\n\u003Cp>The year \u003Cstrong>911\u003C/strong> is a turning point in the struggle against Vikings.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>On \u003Cstrong>20 July\u003C/strong>, a Norse army sails up the \u003Cstrong>Eure\u003C/strong> valley and besieges \u003Cstrong>Chartres\u003C/strong>. A coalition of Frankish princes forms to defend the city, including:\u003C/p>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Robert\u003C/strong>, duke of the Franks and brother of King Odo,\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Richard\u003C/strong>, duke of Burgundy,\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Ebles Manzer\u003C/strong>, count of Poitiers,\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>and Bishop \u003Cstrong>Gouteaume\u003C/strong> of Chartres.\u003C/li>\n\u003C/ul>\n\u003Cp>The coalition wins an \u003Cstrong>important victory\u003C/strong>. Vikings commanded by \u003Cstrong>Rollo\u003C/strong> suffer heavy losses and retreat.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>The victory shows that the kingdom’s princes can still resist effectively. But it also reveals the limits of purely military strategy: despite victories, Viking raids return repeatedly.\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch3>🤝 Autumn 911: the Treaty of Saint‑Clair‑sur‑Epte\u003C/h3>\n\u003Cp>Facing this situation, \u003Cstrong>Charles the Simple\u003C/strong> adopts a new strategy.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>In \u003Cstrong>autumn 911\u003C/strong>, he concludes with \u003Cstrong>Rollo\u003C/strong> the treaty of \u003Cstrong>Saint‑Clair‑sur‑Epte\u003C/strong>. The king grants the Viking leader the region around \u003Cstrong>Rouen\u003C/strong> and the \u003Cstrong>Pays de Caux\u003C/strong>, east of the \u003Cstrong>Epte\u003C/strong>. This territory becomes a principality entrusted to Rollo, designed as a \u003Cstrong>buffer zone\u003C/strong> protecting West Francia from other raids.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cimg src=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/Saint-Clair-sur-Epte_%2895%29%2C_plaque_comm%C3%A9morative_pr%C3%A8s_de_la_mairie.jpg\" alt=\"Commemorative plaque (Saint‑Clair‑sur‑Epte)\" class=\"kb-img-contain\">\n\u003Cem>Commemorative plaque — Wikimedia Commons\u003C/em>\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>In exchange, Rollo accepts:\u003C/p>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>conversion to Christianity\u003C/strong>,\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>recognition of the Frankish king’s authority,\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>and the defence of the \u003Cstrong>Seine valley\u003C/strong> against other Viking expeditions.\u003C/li>\n\u003C/ul>\n\u003Cp>This compromise turns a permanent threat into a \u003Cstrong>principality integrated into the kingdom\u003C/strong> and marks the birth of future \u003Cstrong>Normandy\u003C/strong>.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cimg src=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Cartehistonormandie1.png\" alt=\"Normandy in the 10th and 11th centuries\" class=\"kb-img-contain\">\n\u003Cem>Map of Normandy — Wikimedia Commons\u003C/em>\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Over time, Scandinavian settlers are progressively \u003Cstrong>assimilated\u003C/strong>: they marry local women, adopt political and religious structures, while leaving durable traces in \u003Cstrong>place‑names\u003C/strong> and maritime vocabulary.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>🔍 \u003Cstrong>\u003Ca href=\"/en/zoom/p4ch19z1\">Zoom – 911: Saint‑Clair‑sur‑Epte and the birth of Normandy\u003C/a>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch2>🧭 911: Lotharingia changes sides\u003C/h2>\n\u003Cp>That same year, a major event alters the European balance.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>When King \u003Cstrong>Louis the Child\u003C/strong> dies on \u003Cstrong>21 November 911\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Lotharingia\u003C/strong> refuses to recognise the new eastern power and chooses to place itself under \u003Cstrong>Charles the Simple\u003C/strong>.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Several Lotharingian great men — notably \u003Cstrong>Reginar Longneck\u003C/strong> and the count palatine \u003Cstrong>Wigeric\u003C/strong> — offer the Carolingian a form of election. Charles accepts and turns more toward the East.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>The success boosts prestige, but it is also a political trap. Governing this border region means redistributing \u003Cstrong>honores\u003C/strong> and integrating new elites, which provokes jealousy in West Francia.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>In \u003Cstrong>911–912\u003C/strong>, Charles also revives the title \u003Cstrong>rex Francorum\u003C/strong> in official acts, underlining continuity of Frankish kingship, with symbolic centres in \u003Cstrong>Reims\u003C/strong> and \u003Cstrong>Paris\u003C/strong>.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>However, the growing influence of Lotharingian advisers — especially \u003Cstrong>Haganon\u003C/strong> — fuels discontent among western aristocrats.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>🔍 \u003Cstrong>\u003Ca href=\"/en/zoom/p4ch19z2\">Zoom – 911: Lotharingia under Charles the Simple\u003C/a>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch2>🌍 912–921: expanding principalities and new threats\u003C/h2>\n\u003Cp>After the \u003Cstrong>Treaty of Saint‑Clair‑sur‑Epte (911)\u003C/strong>, the kingdom does not become stable. While the Seine valley is now protected by Rollo’s Norman principality, other challenges emerge. Great territorial principalities strengthen, while new threats — especially the \u003Cstrong>Hungarians\u003C/strong> — strike the eastern Frankish world.\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch3>🏛️ 912: political reshaping in Burgundy\u003C/h3>\n\u003Cp>In \u003Cstrong>912\u003C/strong>, Burgundian space evolves.\u003Cbr>\nOn \u003Cstrong>25 October\u003C/strong>, King \u003Cstrong>Rudolph I of Burgundy\u003C/strong> dies; his son \u003Cstrong>Rudolph II\u003C/strong> succeeds him and continues consolidating the kingdom.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, Charles tries to organise balances in Burgundy. On \u003Cstrong>21 June\u003C/strong>, he grants the land of \u003Cstrong>Poligny\u003C/strong> (in the \u003Cstrong>Varais\u003C/strong>) to \u003Cstrong>Hugh the Black\u003C/strong>, son of \u003Cstrong>Richard the Justiciar\u003C/strong>. Through this act, the king implicitly recognises Hugh’s capacity to succeed his father in Burgundian honours.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>The policy shows the king’s need to rely on great aristocratic families to maintain equilibrium.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>The same period also sees religious renewal. On his lands at \u003Cstrong>Brogne\u003C/strong>, the noble \u003Cstrong>Gerard of Brogne\u003C/strong> founds a monastic community that will become an important reform centre.\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch3>⚔️ 915–917: Hungarian raids and political mutations\u003C/h3>\n\u003Cp>From the mid‑910s, a new threat appears in western Europe: the \u003Cstrong>Hungarians\u003C/strong>, cavalry raiders from eastern Europe.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>In \u003Cstrong>915\u003C/strong>, they raid \u003Cstrong>Alsace\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Lorraine\u003C/strong>, and \u003Cstrong>Burgundy\u003C/strong>, revealing vulnerability of eastern frontiers.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Raids continue in \u003Cstrong>917\u003C/strong>, when Hungarians burn \u003Cstrong>Basel\u003C/strong> and ravage Alsace and Lorraine again.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>That same year, major political changes occur in Aquitaine. On \u003Cstrong>6 July 917\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>William II the Younger\u003C/strong> becomes \u003Cstrong>duke of Aquitaine\u003C/strong> after his uncle \u003Cstrong>William the Pious\u003C/strong> dies. In the South, the \u003Cstrong>marquisate of Gothia\u003C/strong> gradually passes under the control of the counts of \u003Cstrong>Toulouse\u003C/strong>, foreshadowing the rise of \u003Cstrong>Raymond Pons\u003C/strong> a few years later.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, in West Francia, Charles continues to support religious institutions: he grants his vineyard villa of \u003Cstrong>Suresnes\u003C/strong> to the monks of \u003Cstrong>Saint‑Germain‑des‑Prés\u003C/strong>.\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch3>🐉 919: renewed Viking raids in Brittany\u003C/h3>\n\u003Cp>Despite Norman settlement in Normandy, Vikings continue operating elsewhere.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>In \u003Cstrong>919\u003C/strong>, a fleet led by the Norwegian chief \u003Cstrong>Ragenold\u003C/strong> invades \u003Cstrong>Brittany\u003C/strong>. Vikings seize \u003Cstrong>Nantes\u003C/strong> and control the \u003Cstrong>Loire estuary\u003C/strong>, a strategic position for new expeditions.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Breton nobility and part of the clergy flee to West Francia or \u003Cstrong>England\u003C/strong>. The count of \u003Cstrong>Poher\u003C/strong> and his son \u003Cstrong>Alan\u003C/strong> take refuge with the Anglo‑Saxon prince \u003Cstrong>Æthelstan\u003C/strong>, future king of England.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>That same year, \u003Cstrong>Hungarians\u003C/strong> continue raids in \u003Cstrong>Lorraine\u003C/strong>, reminding that pressure no longer comes only from Vikings.\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch3>👑 919–921: imperial ambitions and diplomacy\u003C/h3>\n\u003Cp>In this unstable context, Charles seeks to strengthen position against rulers of \u003Cstrong>Germania\u003C/strong>, major rivals within Carolingian space.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>After his first wife dies, he marries on \u003Cstrong>10 February 919\u003C/strong> \u003Cstrong>Eadgifu of Wessex\u003C/strong> (Odgive), an Anglo‑Saxon princess. The marriage brings Frankish monarchy closer to the English dynasty and opens diplomatic possibilities.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>But rivalry with the Saxon king \u003Cstrong>Henry the Fowler\u003C/strong> leads to confrontation. In \u003Cstrong>920\u003C/strong>, Charles is defeated at \u003Cstrong>Pfeddersheim\u003C/strong>, near \u003Cstrong>Worms\u003C/strong>.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Stability returns through negotiation. On \u003Cstrong>7 November 921\u003C/strong>, the \u003Cstrong>Treaty of Bonn\u003C/strong> establishes mutual recognition between Charles the Simple and Henry the Fowler, fixing a political balance between the two realms.\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch2>⚖️ 920–922: when the king loses his coalition\u003C/h2>\n\u003Cp>Despite diplomatic success, Charles gradually loses support among aristocrats.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Tensions crystallise around \u003Cstrong>Haganon\u003C/strong>, a royal adviser of modest origin heavily favoured by the king. When Charles removes the abbey of \u003Cstrong>Chelles\u003C/strong> from his aunt \u003Cstrong>Rothilde\u003C/strong> to give it to Haganon, indignation spreads among Robertian princes.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>In \u003Cstrong>922\u003C/strong>, an aristocratic coalition rises.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Taking advantage of the king’s absence in Lotharingia, rebels proclaim Charles’s fall and elect \u003Cstrong>Robert I\u003C/strong>, Odo’s brother. He is anointed king on \u003Cstrong>30 June 922\u003C/strong> at \u003Cstrong>Reims\u003C/strong> by \u003Cstrong>Walter\u003C/strong>, archbishop of Sens.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>🔍 \u003Cstrong>\u003Ca href=\"/en/zoom/p4ch19z3\">Zoom – 922: Charles’s deposition and the election of Robert I\u003C/a>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch2>⚔️ 923: Soissons, capture, and power without a king\u003C/h2>\n\u003Cp>War breaks out between the two kings.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>On \u003Cstrong>15 June 923\u003C/strong>, near \u003Cstrong>Soissons\u003C/strong>, armies clash. \u003Cstrong>Robert I\u003C/strong> is killed during the battle, but Robertian forces keep the advantage.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Soon after, the kingdom’s great men elect \u003Cstrong>Rudolph of Burgundy\u003C/strong> as new king and have him anointed on \u003Cstrong>13 July 923\u003C/strong> at \u003Cstrong>Saint‑Médard of Soissons\u003C/strong>.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Charles tries to regain initiative, but he is captured on \u003Cstrong>17 July 923\u003C/strong> by \u003Cstrong>Herbert II of Vermandois\u003C/strong>.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cimg src=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/Charles_the_Simple_02.jpg\" alt=\"Imprisonment of Charles the Simple\" class=\"kb-img-contain\">\n\u003Cem>Imprisonment of Charles the Simple — Wikimedia Commons\u003C/em>\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>His second wife \u003Cstrong>Eadgifu of Wessex\u003C/strong> flees to \u003Cstrong>England\u003C/strong> with their son, the future \u003Cstrong>Louis IV\u003C/strong>.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Charles remains imprisoned and dies in captivity on \u003Cstrong>7 October 929\u003C/strong> at \u003Cstrong>Péronne\u003C/strong>.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>🔍 \u003Cstrong>\u003Ca href=\"/en/zoom/p4ch19z4\">Zoom – 923: Soissons and Charles’s capture\u003C/a>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch2>🧠 Key takeaways\u003C/h2>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>898\u003C/strong>: Carolingian return with \u003Cstrong>Charles the Simple\u003C/strong> after Odo’s death.\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>898–911\u003C/strong>: continued Viking raids and the rise of great principalities (Aquitaine, Burgundy).\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>911\u003C/strong>: Frankish victory at \u003Cstrong>Chartres\u003C/strong>, then the \u003Cstrong>Treaty of Saint‑Clair‑sur‑Epte\u003C/strong> founding the Norman principality.\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>911\u003C/strong>: \u003Cstrong>Lotharingia\u003C/strong> recognises Charles the Simple.\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>915–917\u003C/strong>: a new threat appears with \u003Cstrong>Hungarian raids\u003C/strong> in Alsace, Lorraine, and Burgundy.\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>919\u003C/strong>: renewed Viking raids in \u003Cstrong>Brittany\u003C/strong> and seizure of \u003Cstrong>Nantes\u003C/strong> by Ragenold.\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>919–921\u003C/strong>: imperial ambitions and rivalry with \u003Cstrong>Henry the Fowler\u003C/strong>, resolved by the \u003Cstrong>Treaty of Bonn\u003C/strong>.\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>922–923\u003C/strong>: aristocratic revolt, deposition, capture at \u003Cstrong>Soissons\u003C/strong>, and captivity until death in \u003Cstrong>929\u003C/strong>.\u003C/li>\n\u003C/ul>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch2>Image credits\u003C/h2>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>Portrait of Charles the Simple — Georges Rouget, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>William the Pious — Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>Abbey of Cluny — Hyppolyte de Saint‑Rambert, CC BY-SA 4.0 \u003Ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0\">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0\u003C/a>, via Wikimedia Commons\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>Commemorative plaque — P.poschadel, CC BY-SA 3.0 \u003Ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\u003C/a>, via Wikimedia Commons\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>Normandy map — CC BY-SA 3.0 \u003Ca href=\"http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/\">http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/\u003C/a>, via Wikimedia Commons\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>Imprisonment of Charles the Simple — Chroniques de Saint‑Denis, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons\u003C/li>\n\u003C/ul>\n",[19,22,25,28],{"id":20,"title":21},"p4ch19z1","911: Saint‑Clair‑sur‑Epte and the Birth of Normandy",{"id":23,"title":24},"p4ch19z2","911: Lotharingia Under Charles the Simple",{"id":26,"title":27},"p4ch19z3","922: Charles’s Deposition and the Election of Robert I",{"id":29,"title":30},"p4ch19z4","923: Soissons and the Capture of Charles","",true,false,"898 à 929","Retour carolingien : compromis de 911, axe lotharingien, ambitions impériales, puis déposition et captivité. In 898 , after King Odo dies, West Francia returns","/assets/covers/cover-p4ch19.jpg",{"period":38,"chapters":42},{"id":5,"title":6,"titleEn":6,"titleEs":7,"range":8,"rangeEn":8,"rangeEs":8,"cover":39,"coverArtworkId":41},{"fileName":31,"filePageUrl":31,"imageUrl":40,"sourceLabel":31},"/assets/carousels/p4/Alma-Tadema The Education of the Children of Clovis.jpg","alma-tadema-the-education-of-the-children-of-clovis",[43,49,56,63,69,75,81,87,94,100,107,113,119,125,131,137,143,149,155,161,167,173,179,185,191,193,199,205,211],{"id":44,"title":45,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":46,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"teaser":47,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":48,"realm":31,"ready":32},"p4ch1","Clovis: The King Who Forged Gaul","/assets/covers/cover-p4ch1.jpg","Le premier grand roi franc et l'unification de la Gaule.","481 à 511",{"id":50,"title":51,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":52,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"teaser":53,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":54,"realm":55,"ready":32},"p4ch2","Theuderic I: Heir of the East (Austrasia)","/assets/covers/cover-p4ch2.jpg","Le partage de 511 et la naissance de l'Austrasie.","511 à 534","Austrasie",{"id":57,"title":58,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":59,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"teaser":60,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":61,"realm":62,"ready":32},"p4ch2b","Clodomir: Orléans and the Burgundian War","/assets/covers/cover-p4ch2b.png","Division of the Frankish kingdom after the death of Clovis — Source: Wikimedia Commons","511 à 524","Orléans",{"id":64,"title":65,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":66,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"teaser":60,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":67,"realm":68,"ready":32},"p4ch2c","Childebert I: Paris, Alliances, and Expansion","/assets/covers/cover-p4ch2c.jpg","511 à 558","Paris",{"id":70,"title":71,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":72,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"teaser":73,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":74,"realm":55,"ready":32},"p4ch3","Theudebert I: Austrasia’s King Looking Toward Rome","/assets/covers/cover-p4ch3.png","Un roi d'Austrasie, entre Méditerranée, monnaie et ambitions italiennes.","534 à 548",{"id":76,"title":77,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":78,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"teaser":79,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":80,"realm":55,"ready":32},"p4ch3b","Theudebald: A Brief Reign in Austrasia","/assets/covers/cover-p4ch3b.png","The Frankish kingdom in 548 — Source: Wikimedia Commons","548 à 555",{"id":82,"title":83,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":84,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"teaser":85,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":86,"realm":31,"ready":32},"p4ch4","Chlothar I: The Last Son of Clovis","/assets/covers/cover-p4ch4.jpg","Rivalités mérovingiennes et retour au royaume unique (558).","511 à 561",{"id":88,"title":89,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":90,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"teaser":91,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":92,"realm":93,"ready":32},"p4ch5","Chilperic I: Ambition and the Royal Feud","/assets/covers/cover-p4ch5.jpg","Les luttes de pouvoir et la rivalité Frédégonde-Brunehaut après 561.","561 à 584","Neustrie",{"id":95,"title":96,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":97,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"teaser":98,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":99,"realm":55,"ready":32},"p4ch5b","Sigebert I: Austrasia and the Brothers’ War","/assets/covers/cover-p4ch5b.jpg","In 561 , King Chlothar I , the last son of Clovis , died. As in the previous generation, his kingdom was divided among his sons.","561 à 575",{"id":101,"title":102,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":103,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"teaser":104,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":105,"realm":106,"ready":32},"p4ch5c","Guntram: Burgundy and Merovingian Arbitration","/assets/covers/cover-p4ch5c.jpg","After King Chlothar I died in 561 , the Frankish kingdom was once again divided among his sons.","561 à 592","Bourgogne",{"id":108,"title":109,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":110,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"teaser":111,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":112,"realm":68,"ready":32},"p4ch5d","Charibert I: Paris and a Brief Reign","/assets/covers/cover-p4ch5d.png","In 561 , after King Chlothar I died, the Frankish kingdom was divided among his sons according to Merovingian tradition.","561 à 567",{"id":114,"title":115,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":116,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"teaser":117,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":118,"realm":31,"ready":32},"p4ch6","Chlothar II: The Survivor and the Unifier","/assets/covers/cover-p4ch6.png","La fin de la Faide royale et la réunification du royaume franc.","584 à 629",{"id":120,"title":121,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":122,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"teaser":123,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":124,"realm":31,"ready":32},"p4ch7","Dagobert I: The Last Great Merovingian King","/assets/covers/cover-p4ch7.png","L'âge d'or mérovingien, Saint Éloi et la fondation de Saint-Denis.","629 à 639",{"id":126,"title":127,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":128,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"teaser":129,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":130,"realm":31,"ready":32},"p4ch8","The Mayors of the Palace: Power Shifts (639–687)","/assets/covers/cover-p4ch8.jpg","Après Dagobert, la réalité du pouvoir passe aux maires du palais.","639 à 687",{"id":132,"title":133,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":134,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"teaser":135,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":136,"realm":31,"ready":32},"p4ch9","Pepin of Herstal: Prince of the Franks (687–714)","/assets/covers/cover-p4ch9.png","Après Tertry, Pépin de Herstal gouverne comme l'homme fort du royaume.","687 à 714",{"id":138,"title":139,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":140,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"teaser":141,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":142,"realm":31,"ready":32},"p4ch10","Charles Martel: Ruling Without a Crown (714–741)","/assets/covers/cover-p4ch10.png","Après 714, Charles Martel devient l'homme fort du royaume franc.","714 à 741",{"id":144,"title":145,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":146,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"teaser":147,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":148,"realm":31,"ready":32},"p4ch11","Pepin the Short: From Real Power to the Crown (741–768)","/assets/covers/cover-p4ch11.png","Après 741, Pépin transforme le pouvoir pépinide en royauté.","741 à 768",{"id":150,"title":151,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":152,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"teaser":153,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":154,"realm":31,"ready":32},"p4ch12","Charlemagne: Inherit, Conquer, Scale Up (768–814)","/assets/covers/cover-p4ch12.png","Après 768, Charlemagne unifie le pouvoir et change d’échelle.","768 à 814",{"id":156,"title":157,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":158,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"teaser":159,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":160,"realm":31,"ready":32},"p4ch13","Louis the Pious: The Empire Put to the Test (814–840)","/assets/covers/cover-p4ch13.png","À partir de 814, Louis le Pieux tente de maintenir l’unité impériale face aux crises successorales.","814 à 840",{"id":162,"title":163,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":164,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"teaser":165,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":166,"realm":31,"ready":32},"p4ch14","Charles the Bald: The Birth of West Francia (840–877)","/assets/covers/cover-p4ch14.png","Après 840, la Francie occidentale se stabilise entre guerre civile, Vikings et pouvoirs locaux.","840 à 877",{"id":168,"title":169,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":170,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"teaser":171,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":172,"realm":31,"ready":32},"p4ch15","Louis the Stammerer: A Short Reign, a Fragile Kingdom (877–879)","/assets/covers/cover-p4ch15.png","Après 877, Louis le Bègue hérite d’un royaume fragilisé et doit composer avec les grands.","877 à 879",{"id":174,"title":175,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":176,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"teaser":177,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":178,"realm":31,"ready":32},"p4ch16","Louis III and Carloman II: Two Kings Facing the Vikings (879–884)","/assets/covers/cover-p4ch16.jpg","Après 879, deux rois et un royaume sous pression viking ; le pouvoir se joue aussi chez les grands.","879 à 884",{"id":180,"title":181,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":182,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"teaser":183,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":184,"realm":31,"ready":32},"p4ch17","Charles the Fat: Carolingian Unity and the Crisis of Power (884–888)","/assets/covers/cover-p4ch17.jpg","Le siège de Paris (885–886) met à nu la crise du pouvoir carolingien, jusqu’à la rupture de 887–888.","884 à 888",{"id":186,"title":187,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":188,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"teaser":189,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":190,"realm":31,"ready":32},"p4ch18","Odo: The Robertian King and the War of Prestige (888–898)","/assets/covers/cover-p4ch18.jpg","Eudes impose une royauté robertienne par sacres, alliances et victoires, face à Charles le Simple.","888 à 898",{"id":15,"title":16,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":36,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"teaser":192,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":34,"realm":31,"ready":32},"Retour carolingien : compromis de 911, axe lotharingien, ambitions impériales, puis déposition et captivité.",{"id":194,"title":195,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":196,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"teaser":197,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":198,"realm":31,"ready":32},"p4ch20","Robert I: The Robertian King of Civil War (922–923)","/assets/covers/cover-p4ch20.jpg","Règne bref et décisif : sacre de 922, guerre civile, mort à Soissons et transition vers Raoul.","922 à 923",{"id":200,"title":201,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":202,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"teaser":203,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":204,"realm":31,"ready":32},"p4ch21","Rudolph of Burgundy: King of the Franks Between Princes and Normans (923–936)","/assets/covers/cover-p4ch21.jpg","Règne de Raoul : arbitrer entre princes, stabiliser la Normandie, puis succession carolingienne (936).","923 à 936",{"id":206,"title":207,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":208,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"teaser":209,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":210,"realm":31,"ready":32},"p4ch22","Louis IV \\\"d’Outremer\\\": Carolingian Return and the Princes’ War (936–954)","/assets/covers/cover-p4ch22.jpg","Restauration carolingienne : rivalité avec Hugues le Grand, crise lotharingienne, capture de 945, puis consolidation.","936 à 954",{"id":212,"title":213,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":214,"thumbnailArtworkId":31,"hasEn":32,"isFallback":33,"teaser":215,"coverFit":31,"coverPosition":31,"chronicle":216,"realm":31,"ready":32},"p4ch23","Lothair and Louis V: The End of the Carolingians (954–987)","/assets/covers/cover-p4ch23.jpg","Lothaire et Louis V : guerre avec l’Empire, crise lotharingienne, mort de 987 et bascule capétienne.","954 à 987",1778543069683]