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Ludovik IEmperor of the Frankish Empire
Country:
 France |
Biography of Louis I, Emperor of the Frankish Empire
Louis I, also known as Louis the Pious, was born between June and August 778 in Chasseneuil (near Poitiers), France. He was the third son of Charlemagne, the Emperor of the Frankish Empire. In 781, at the age of three, Louis became the King of Aquitaine.
On September 11, 813, he was crowned as the co-emperor in Aachen. When his father, Charlemagne, passed away on January 28, 814, Louis succeeded him as the Emperor. Louis is considered the first monarch with this name, although etymologically it is similar to the name Clovis, which was already used by the Merovingian dynasty.
Louis earned the epithet "the Pious" due to his religious and moral beliefs, as well as his susceptibility to the influence of the clergy. However, he was also known as "the Good-natured", highlighting his amicable nature and weak character.
During his reign, Louis attempted to continue his father's work by improving the system of government. The intellectual level of the rulers significantly increased under his rule, and he had excellent advisors such as Saint Benedict of Aniane, Hilduin (Abbot of Saint-Denis), and Saint Wala (Abbot of Corbie).
Louis made notable achievements in the judicial system, church organization, military organization, and imperial legislation. In 817, he introduced an important state act called "Ordinatio imperii" (Ordinance of the Empire), which aimed to establish the unity of the empire for eternity and overcome the Frankish tradition of dividing the deceased ruler's possessions among his sons. Although this act faced opposition in some regions, it was supported by the clergy who recognized the need for a united empire to protect the Church.
Louis' wife, Ermengarde, died on October 3, 818, and he remarried to Judith, the daughter of the Count of Bavaria, in 819. They had a son named Charles in 823, who later became King Charles the Bald. Judith, driven by the desire to secure her son's future, became involved in intrigues.
In 826, a rebellion supported by the Emir of Cordova broke out in the southern province of Spanish March, which threatened the peace on the empire's borders for the first time during Louis' reign. The Frankish army, led by Counts Hugh and Matfrid, suffered a humiliating defeat, resulting in punishment for its leaders.
In 829, a serious internal crisis emerged, leading to concerns about the unity of the state. Four major church councils were held in Paris, Lyon, Mainz, and Toulouse to investigate social vices and propose measures to address them.
In August of the same year, a political crisis unfolded. Frustrated by the position of his eldest son, Lothair, and his entourage, Louis succumbed to pressure from Judith and declared that Lothair should return to Italy. Additionally, he redistributed the territories in favor of Charles, his son with Judith.
In 830, his sons from his first marriage rebelled, and after a meeting with high officials in Compiègne, Lothair's previous authority was restored. However, Louis later managed to divide his opponents and joined forces with his younger sons, Louis and Pepin, against Lothair. In 831, Louis regained full control, and Lothair was sent to Italy.
However, to maintain peace, Louis had to grant more autonomy to his sons, jeopardizing the unity of the empire. A division was made, where the west went to Pepin, the east to Louis the German, and the central part from the Moselle River to the Mediterranean Sea went to Charles. The kings fought against their father and each other in their desire to expand their domains.
In 833, Lothair, Louis, and Pepin, supported by Pope Gregory IV, united against their father, presenting their conditions to Louis and Charles. The majority of the imperial army near Colmar joined the opposition. Louis was deposed, and Lothair ascended the throne. On October 1, 833, at an imperial assembly in Compiègne, Louis was forced to publicly repent. However, he soon regained his freedom, and in 834, Louis and Pepin, who had joined forces against Lothair, restored him to the throne. Lothair pleaded for forgiveness and was exiled to Italy until 839.
In December 838, Pepin passed away, and on May 30, 839, in Worms, Louis executed another division of the empire, giving Lothair and Charles their shares, while Louis the German received only Bavaria.
Louis died on June 20, 840, on the Rhein island of Petersaue while preparing to suppress a rebellion in Aquitaine. He was buried in the Church of Saint Arnulf in Metz. Despite his efforts to maintain the integrity of the Frankish Empire, the situation worsened during his reign, leading to a long civil war among his sons and descendants after his death.
