Louis the Stammerer

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Louis II the Stammerer
King of Western Francia

Louis the Stammerer at his coronation Bibliothèque nationale de France.
Reign 877879
Titles King of Aquitaine (867-877)
Born November 1, 846(846-11-01)
Died April 10, 879 (aged 32)
Place of death Compiègne, France
Buried Saint Denis Basilica, France
Predecessor Charles II
Successor Louis III and Carloman II
Consort Ansgarde
Adelaide of Paris
Issue Louis III
Carloman II
Gisèle
Hildegarde
Ermentrude
Charles III
Royal House Carolingian
Father Charles II
Mother Ermentrude of Orléans

Carolingian Kings
of West Francia

Charles II the Bald
Children
   Louis the Stammerer
   Charles the Child
   Carloman
Louis II the Stammerer
Children
   Louis III
   Carloman
   Charles the Simple
Louis III
Carloman
Charles III the Simple
Children
   Louis d'Outremer
Louis IV d'Outremer
Children
   Lothair
   Charles
Lothair
Children
   Louis the Indolent
   Arnulf
Louis V the Indolent
Followed by
House of Capet

Louis the Stammerer (November 1, 846April 10, 879; French: Louis le Bègue), was the eldest son of Charles the Bald and Ermentrude of Orléans. He succeeded his younger brother in Aquitaine in 866 and his father in France in 877, though he was never crowned Emperor.

Twice married, he and his first wife, Ansgarde of Burgundy, had two sons: Louis (born in 863) and Carloman (born in 866), both of whom became kings of France, and two daughters: Hildegarde (born in 864) and Gisela (865884), who married Robert, Count of Troyes. With his second wife, Adelaide of Paris, he had one daughter, Ermentrude (875914) — who was the mother of Cunigunde, wife of the Count Palatine Wigerich of Bidgau; they were the ancestors of the House of Luxemburg —, and a posthumous son, Charles the Simple, who would become, long after his elder brothers' deaths, king of France.

He was crowned on 8 December 877 by Hincmar, archbishop of Rheims, and was crowned a second time in September 878 by Pope John VIII at Troyes while the pope was attending a council there. The pope may even have offered the imperial crown, but it was declined. Louis the Stammerer was said to be physically weak and outlived his father by only two years. He had relatively little impact on politics. He was described "a simple and sweet man, a lover of peace, justice, and religion". In 878, he gave the counties of Barcelona, Gerona, and Besalú to Wilfred the Hairy. His final act was to march against the Vikings who were then the scourge of Europe. He fell ill and died on 10 April or 9 April 879 not long after beginning his final campaign. On his death, his realms were divided between his two sons, Carloman and Louis.

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Louis the Stammerer
Born: November 1 846 Died: April 10 879
Preceded by
Charles III
King of Aquitaine as Louis II
866-877
Absorbed into Western Francia
Preceded by
Charles II
King of Western Francia
877879
Succeeded by
Louis III and Carloman