European Kingdoms

Germanic Roman Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire
AD 888 - 962

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The Holy Roman empire had a tortuous and complex history. Its origins lay in the Merovingian Frankish empire which was divided and reunified several times. Eventually this was formally divided into a western kingdom (formerly Neustria), an eastern kingdom (formerly Austrasia), and Burgundy, forming what would soon become medieval France and the Holy Roman empire.

The early eighth century AD saw the rapid diminution of Merovingian power and influence. Instead it was their deputies, the Carolingian mayors of the palace, who exercised real authority throughout the Frankish kingdom. A palace usurpation took place, with the full backing of the Pope, in which the mayor, Pepin III, took over. Not a notable general, Pepin nevertheless remained undefeated in battle.

However, it was his son, Charles, later known as Charles 'the Great', or Charlemagne, who really reversed Frankish fortunes and created a vast European empire. Shortly after he had completed his conquest of much of the Germanic-speaking lands by defeating the mighty Saxons, in AD 800 he was crowned 'Roman Emperor' by Pope Leo III, apparently against his own wishes.

Partially this was a papal attempt to be able to claim sovereign rights over the new emperor and his territories. In part, too, it was to convey upon Charlemagne, and the vast territory he had conquered, the historical legacy of the Roman empire, thereby legitimising this new empire. The rule of Charlemagne laid the foundations of future monarchies in Western Europe and Central Europe.

Following his death, during the governance of the Frankish Roman emperors, the Treaty of Verdun in 843 confirmed the official division of the empire between Charlemagne's surviving three grandsons, into the Western Franks, Eastern Franks, and Middle Franks. These kingdoms would, in time, provide the basis for the modern nation states of France, Germany, and Italy respectively.

(Information by Peter Kessler, with additional information from The Annals of Fulda (Timothy Reuter (Trans), Manchester Medieval Series, Ninth-Century Histories, Volume II, 1992), from Frankish Kingdoms under the Carolingians 751-987, R McKitterick (1983), from Noble Strategies in an Early Modern Small State: The Mahuet of Lorraine, Charles T Lipp, from The History of the Franks, Volume II, Gregory of Tours (O M Dalton, Trans, 1967), from the Codex Gothanus, Lupus Servatus (commissioned by Eberhard of Friuli), from From Roman Provinces to Medieval Kingdoms, Thomas F X Noble, from Popular Revolt, Dynastic Politics, and Aristocratic Factionalism in the Early Middle Ages: The Saxon Stellinga Reconsidered, Eric J Goldberg (Speculum, Vol 70, No 3, Jul 1995), and from External Links: the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy, and Encyclopaedia.com, and Cranach Digital Archive (in German and English), and Special Collections (University of Arizona), and the Medieval Sourcebook: Gregory of Tours (539-594): History of the Franks: Books I-X (Fordham University).)

888 - 889

King of Italy. Succeeded Frankish rulers. Not crowned.

888

Berengar of Friuli defeats his chief rival in Italy, Guy of Spoleto, as the two vie for control of the eastern half of the former Frankish empire. Arnulf of Carinthia immediately forces Berengar to accept vassal status under him, but it seems that Berengar holds the Germanic imperial title.

The determined Berengar of Friuli not only controlled the march territory between Italy proper and the Avars and Magyars to the east, but also claimed the Italian throne no less than three times during his eventful life

889

With the truce of 888 having expired, Guy of Spoleto attacks Berengar at the Battle of the Trebbia. This time Guy is successful and he assumes the Italian throne, while Berengar is reduced to his own north-eastern Italian holdings in the march territory of Friuli. Despite many attempts, Berengar is unable to retake Italy.

889 - 894

Crowned by Pope Stephen VI. Duke of Spoleto. King of Italy.

890

The Norse Viking, Ottar, reports his findings to King Alfred of Wessex, who has his account included in the additions to the Universal History of Orosius, which the king republishes. The book is a shared work between Orosius and King Alfred.

The Kven Sea is mentioned as the northern border of Germany. The location of Kvenland is also explained in relation to the land of the Norwegians and that of the Swedes.

Alfred's new navy, designed to secure the coast of England, was largely built by Frisian experts and commanded by experienced Frisian officers, but it began a thousand year tradition of defending the island with 'wooden walls' at sea (illustration by Dan Escott)

894 - 896

Emperor. Duke of Spoleto. King of Italy.

894 - 896

Berengar of Friuli comes to an agreement with Lambert on the formal division of Italy. Berengar controls the eastern section, covering the Adda to the Po, while Bergamo is shared. Lambert agrees to marry Berengar's daughter to seal the deal.

The peace quickly falls apart when Berengar, perhaps retaining illusions of imperial greatness, is defeated by Lambert while advancing on Pavia in 896. Fortunately for him, Lambert dies just days later.

Berengar immediately secures Pavia and is established as sole ruler of Italy (although he is still a vassal of Arnulf, king of Germany, duke of Carinthia, and now Germanic Roman emperor himself, despite suffering a stroke in 896).

Arnulf, duke of Carinthia, overthrew his uncle, Emperor Charles 'the Fat', to become Carolingian king of East Francia from 887, disputed king of Italy from 894, and disputed Germanic emperor from 22 February 896 until his death at Ratisbon in Bavaria in 899

896 - 899

Emperor. King of Germany. Illegitimate son gained Lotharingia.

899

As part of their initial invasion of Europe, the Magyars invade Italy, possibly at the prompting of Arnulf, king of Germany (whose wife is Ota, daughter of Berengar of Neustria, son of Gebhard of Logenahe in the lands of the Hessians).

Berengar refuses a request by them for an armistice but his army is surprised and routed at the Battle of the Brenta on 24 September 899. The nobility immediately fears that he is unable to defend Italy and they call in Louis of Provence, son of Arnulf and yet another Carolingian descendant.

901 - 905

King of Burgundy (887), Provence (c.891), & Italy (899).

915

In September of this year, Count Palatine Erchanger is confirmed by the nobility as the first duke of Swabia. After being defeated at the Battle of Wahlwies, his proclamation is not supported by King Conrad I of Germany, despite the king being Erchanger's brother-in-law. Erchanger's rise and fall is swift, perhaps unsurprisingly.

The Battle of Wahlwies took place in the Hegau, an extinct volcanic region in southern Swabia (and modern Germany), with Wahlwies itself being a small satellite village of the town of Stockach, now in the modern district of Konstanz, southern Baden-Württemberg (Photo by External Link: sued7.de)

915 - 922

King of Italy (905-922). Restored as emperor.

921 - 923

The death of Berengar due to the machinations of Italian princes frustrates hopes for a united Italy, especially those of Pope John X who had granted him the imperial crown. Those Italian princes had been unhappy with Berengar, so they had invited Rudolph to take the throne, which he promptly did, also gaining the title of Germanic Roman emperor, only to find a rival in Hugh of Arles.

922 - 933

King of Burgundy (912), Italy (922) & Lower Burgundy (933).

933 - 947

King of Burgundy (928), Italy (926) & Lower Burgundy (933).

936

German expansion to the east begins in earnest when territory on the western side of the Oder is incorporated into two border zones or 'marches'. The northernmost of the two is the march of the Saxon family of the Billungs while the North March neighbours it to the south, with the march of Lusatia (Lausitz) to its own south.

The main target of conquest both now and for several decades previously is the Polabian Slavs of the Elbe, but a gradual eastwards conquest now continues for many centuries.

Duke Otto I of Swabia, grandson of Otto I 'the Great' of Saxony, and also duke of Bavaria and Carinthia, is seen here on the right with his sister, Abbess Mathilda

937

A massive invasion is conducted by the Magyars as they sweep around in a giant circle through central and Southern Europe. They begin from their base in Pannonia to enter into and ravage Bavaria, Swabia, Saxony, Franconia, and Thuringia within the German kingdom.

From the Aachen area, the Magyars advance deep into the West Frankish kingdom, the kingdom of Provence, and then the territory of the Middle (Italian) Franks. They attack Tuscany and the Papal States as far south as Naples, before returning to their adopted Hungarian homeland.

945

An uprising of the Italian nobility forces Hugh of Arles into exile, and Berengar of Ivrea now holds true power and patronage. Hugh's successor is Lothar II, his own son, but he exercises no authority in Italy, quickly dying at Turin. It is possible that he is poisoned by Berengar of Ivrea who subsequently formalises his control of Italy (and the imperial title) by claiming the throne.

Otto I accepts the surrender of Berengar of Ivrea in 961 to become undisputed German emperor, shown in this early thirteenth century text called the Manuscriptum Medioalense

947 - 950

King of Italy.

950 - 961

King of Italy.

950 - 961

Son and joint ruler.

954 - 955

The Magyars launch yet another deep raid in 954, into the German kingdom following their route of 937. At Worms in Franconia they veer northwards through Lorraine before being stopped just before reaching the West Frankish kingdom.

In the following year they invade again, now through Bavaria. This time they are roundly defeated at Lechfield by the Germans, under the Saxon Otto I. They also lose control of the march of Austria, which has the effect of ending their westward raids.

961

Berengar is defeated by the Saxon king of Germany, Otto I, which overthrows the Germanic dynastic of Roman emperors. Italy is officially incorporated into the empire. With the accession of Otto I, the power of the Germanic Roman empire is confirmed, and Otto is quite vigorous in establishing new counties and border areas within and without the empire's borders.

Germany in AD 962 may have had its new emperor to govern those territories which are shown within the dark black line, but it was still a patchwork of competing interests and power bases (click or tap on map to view full sized)

At the same time, Saxony gains Hermann Billung as its duke, charged with maintaining the duchy's eastern borders and expanding them further to the east, alongside the recently-created North March.

Perhaps as a reaction to this or as the culmination of a process which is already heading that way, the duchy of Poland is formed around the same time as the Ottonians secure the position of 'Saxon Emperors'.