Lothair, born 795, d. Sept. 29, 855, the eldest son of Emperor LOUIS I, came to rule the Middle Frankish Kingdom, which included most of what is now the Low Countries, Alsace-Lorraine, Switzerland, and northern Italy. Lothair was designated to succeed his father as emperor in 817. In 822 he became king of Italy, and the next year he was crowned co emperor by the pope. Friction with Louis over the future of Lothair's half brother Charles (later Emperor CHARLES II) led to open conflict in 830 and again in 834 between the emperor and his co emperor.
When Louis I died in 840, civil war erupted between Lothair, his brother LOUIS THE GERMAN, and Charles. Lothair was defeated by his brothers at the Battle of Fontenoy (841), and in 843 he concluded the Treaty of Verdun by which the Frankish empire was divided into three parts. Lothair received the Middle Kingdom as well as the imperial title. After dividing his kingdom among his three sons, Lothair entered the monastery of Prum in 855.
When Louis I died in 840, civil war erupted between Lothair, his brother LOUIS THE GERMAN, and Charles. Lothair was defeated by his brothers at the Battle of Fontenoy (841), and in 843 he concluded the Treaty of Verdun by which the Frankish empire was divided into three parts. Lothair received the Middle Kingdom as well as the imperial title. After dividing his kingdom among his three sons, Lothair entered the monastery of Prum in 855.
Lothair, born 795, d. Sept. 29, 855, the eldest son of Emperor LOUIS I, came to rule the Middle Frankish Kingdom, which included most of what is now the Low Countries, Alsace-Lorraine, Switzerland, and northern Italy. Lothair was designated to succeed his father as emperor in 817. In 822 he became king of Italy, and the next year he was crowned co emperor by the pope. Friction with Louis over the future of Lothair's half brother Charles (later Emperor CHARLES II) led to open conflict in 830 and again in 834 between the emperor and his co emperor.
When Louis I died in 840, civil war erupted between Lothair, his brother LOUIS THE GERMAN, and Charles. Lothair was defeated by his brothers at the Battle of Fontenoy (841), and in 843 he concluded the Treaty of Verdun by which the Frankish empire was divided into three parts. Lothair received the Middle Kingdom as well as the imperial title. After dividing his kingdom among his three sons, Lothair entered the monastery of Prum in 855.
When Louis I died in 840, civil war erupted between Lothair, his brother LOUIS THE GERMAN, and Charles. Lothair was defeated by his brothers at the Battle of Fontenoy (841), and in 843 he concluded the Treaty of Verdun by which the Frankish empire was divided into three parts. Lothair received the Middle Kingdom as well as the imperial title. After dividing his kingdom among his three sons, Lothair entered the monastery of Prum in 855.
