Rudolph (french: Rodolphe), sometimes called Ralph (; c. 890 – 14/15 January 936), was the
king of France
France was ruled by monarchs from the establishment of the Kingdom of West Francia in 843 until the end of the Second French Empire in 1870, with several interruptions.
Classical French historiography usually regards Clovis I () as the first ...
from 923 until his death in 936. He was elected to succeed his father-in-law,
Robert I Robert I may refer to:
*Robert I, Duke of Neustria (697–748)
*Robert I of France (866–923), King of France, 922–923, rebelled against Charles the Simple
*Rollo, Duke of Normandy (c. 846 – c. 930; reigned 911–927)
* Robert I Archbishop of ...
, and spent much of his reign defending his realm from
Viking raids
The Viking Age () was the period during the Middle Ages when Norsemen known as Vikings undertook large-scale raiding, colonizing, conquest, and trading throughout Europe and reached North America. It followed the Migration Period and the Germ ...
.
Name
In contemporary
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
documents, his name is usually ''Rodulfus'', from the
Germanic roots ''hruod'', "fame, glory", and ''wulf'', "wolf". Rodulf and Rudolf are variants of this name; the French form is ''Rodolphe''. By contrast, the king is normally known as ''Raoul'' in modern French, a name which derives from ''Radulfus'', from Germanic ''rad'', "counsel", and ''wulf'' (whence
Ralph
Ralph (pronounced ; or ,) is a male given name of English, Scottish and Irish origin, derived from the Old English ''Rædwulf'' and Radulf, cognate with the Old Norse ''Raðulfr'' (''rað'' "counsel" and ''ulfr'' "wolf").
The most common forms ...
). Although this name is of different origin, it was sometimes used interchangeably by contemporaries with ''Rodulfus''. The king himself, however, always used ''Rodulfus'', as on his personal seal. Nonetheless, he is sometimes called Ralph (from ''Raoul'') or Radulf in English.
Background
Rudolph was born around 890, the son of
Richard, Duke of Burgundy
Richard, Duke of Burgundy (858–921), also known as Richard of Autun or Richard the Justiciar, was Count of Autun from 880 and the first Margrave and Duke of Burgundy. He eventually attained suzerainty over all the counties of Burgundy save Mâc ...
, and
Adelaide of Auxerre. He inherited the
Duchy of Burgundy
The Duchy of Burgundy (; la, Ducatus Burgundiae; french: Duché de Bourgogne, ) emerged in the 9th century as one of the successors of the ancient Kingdom of the Burgundians, which after its conquest in 532 had formed a constituent part of the ...
from his father in 921 and married
Emma, daughter of King
Robert I of France
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...
. He was elected to succeed his father-in-law, who was killed at the
Battle of Soissons against the deposed King
Charles the Simple
Charles III (17 September 879 – 7 October 929), called the Simple or the Straightforward (from the Latin ''Carolus Simplex''), was the king of West Francia from 898 until 922 and the king of Lotharingia from 911 until 919–923. He was a memb ...
. He was crowned by
Walter
Walter may refer to:
People
* Walter (name), both a surname and a given name
* Little Walter, American blues harmonica player Marion Walter Jacobs (1930–1968)
* Gunther (wrestler), Austrian professional wrestler and trainer Walter Hahn (born 19 ...
, the
archbishop of Sens
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sens and Auxerre (Latin: ''Archidioecesis Senonensis et Antissiodorensis''; French: ''Archidiocèse de Sens et Auxerre'') is a Latin Rite Archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church in France. The Archdiocese compr ...
, at
Saint-Médard de Soissons on 13 July 923. On assuming the crown he passed the Duchy of Burgundy to his younger brother,
Hugh the Black
Hugh the Black (died 952) was Duke of Burgundy from 923 until his death in 952. He was a Bosonid through his father, who was the younger brother of Boso of Provence.
Hugh was the son of Richard of Autun, Duke of Burgundy, and Adelaide of Auxerr ...
.
Reign
![Denier sous Raoul de France](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/Denier_sous_Raoul_de_France.jpg)
Rudolph's first act was to lead an army against the king of
East Francia
East Francia (Medieval Latin: ) or the Kingdom of the East Franks () was a successor state of Charlemagne's Carolingian Empire, empire ruled by the Carolingian dynasty until 911. It was created through the Treaty of Verdun (843) which divided t ...
Henry the Fowler
Henry the Fowler (german: Heinrich der Vogler or '; la, Henricus Auceps) (c. 876 – 2 July 936) was the Duke of Saxony from 912 and the King of East Francia from 919 until his death in 936. As the first non-Frankish king of East Francia, he ...
, who had made a pact with King Robert I at
Jülich
Jülich (; in old spellings also known as ''Guelich'' or ''Gülich'', nl, Gulik, french: Juliers, Ripuarian: ''Jöllesch'') is a town in the district of Düren, in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. As a border region betwe ...
earlier in the year. After trying to annex
Lotharingia
Lotharingia ( la, regnum Lotharii regnum Lothariense Lotharingia; french: Lotharingie; german: Reich des Lothar Lotharingien Mittelreich; nl, Lotharingen) was a short-lived medieval successor kingdom of the Carolingian Empire. As a more durable ...
Henry met Rudolph with a considerably-sized army and made peace again. However, in 925 Henry attacked
Gilbert, Duke of Lorraine
Gilbert (or Giselbert) (c. 890 – 2 October 939) was son of Reginar and the brother-in-law of the Ottonian emperor, Otto I. He was duke of Lotharingia (or Lorraine) until 939. Gilbert was also lay abbot of Echternach, Stablo-Malmedy, St Servatius ...
, and took over Lotharingia permanently, Rudolph being in no position to resist.
In 924
Vikings
Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
made a fresh series of raids into West Francia. From the
Loire Valley they threatened
Hugh the Great
Hugh the Great (16 June 956) was the duke of the Franks and count of Paris.
Biography
Hugh was the son of King Robert I of France and Béatrice of Vermandois.Detlev Schwennicke, '' Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europ ...
, brother of Queen Emma, but Rudolph did nothing. They attacked Burgundy, the domain of Rudolph's brother, but were repulsed, and moved on to
Melun
Melun () is a Communes of France, commune in the Seine-et-Marne Departments of France, department in the Île-de-France Regions of France, region, north-central France. It is located on the southeastern outskirts of Paris, about from the kilome ...
, where they threatened the royal lands. Joined only by his ecclesiastic vassals and Herbert, Rudolph recruited troops in Burgundy, while Hugh the Great was convinced to join him. After the Vikings left, the
Normans
The Normans (Norman language, Norman: ''Normaunds''; french: Normands; la, Nortmanni/Normanni) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norsemen, Norse Viking settlers and indigenous West Fran ...
, whom Charles the Simple had settled in
Duchy of Normandy
The Duchy of Normandy grew out of the 911 Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte between King Charles III of West Francia and the Viking leader Rollo. The duchy was named for its inhabitants, the Normans.
From 1066 until 1204, as a result of the Norman c ...
in 911, began ravaging that whole region. Herbert and
Arnulf I of Flanders
Arnulf I (c. 893/899 – 27 March 965), called "the Great", was the first Count of Flanders.
Life
Arnulf was the son of margrave Baldwin II of Flanders and Ælfthryth of Wessex, daughter of Alfred the Great.Detlev Schwennicke, '' Europäische St ...
joined Rudolph and together they took
Eu, but were ambushed near
Fauquembergues
Fauquembergues (; vls, Valkenberg; pcd, Fauquimbergue) is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France. First mentioned in 961 as "in monten qui dicitur Falcoberg", the place later in 1124 was called ''Fal ...
where the king was wounded, the
count of Ponthieu
The County of Ponthieu (, ), centered on the mouth of the Somme, became a member of the Norman group of vassal states when Count Guy submitted to William of Normandy after the battle of Mortemer.Dunbabin.France in the Making. Ch.4. The Principa ...
killed, and many Normans left dead on the field.
Also in that year, Rudolph conversed with
Louis the Blind
Louis the Blind ( 880 – 5 June 928) was the king of Provence from 11 January 887, King of Italy from 12 October 900, and briefly Holy Roman Emperor, as Louis III, between 901 and 905. His father was a Bosonid and his mother was a Carolingia ...
,
king of Provence
The land of Provence has a history quite separate from that of any of the larger nations of Europe. Its independent existence has its origins in the frontier nature of the dukedom in Merovingian Gaul. In this position, influenced and affected by ...
, over the
Magyars
Hungarians, also known as Magyars ( ; hu, magyarok ), are a nation and ethnic group native to Hungary () and historical Hungarian lands who share a common culture, history, ancestry, and language. The Hungarian language belongs to the Uralic ...
, the newest barbarian migrants to Europe, then menacing Louis. In 930 Magyars invaded the region around Rheims, but left before the king could engage them. In 935 Magyars invaded Burgundy and Rudolph brought a large army against them, causing their retreat without a battle. West Francia was temporarily safe from both Vikings and Magyars at Rudolph's death.
In order to increase his own power, Herbert II of Vermandois used his royal prisoner as a bargaining tool to secure the
Archbishopric of Rheims for his son
Hugh
Hugh may refer to:
*Hugh (given name)
Noblemen and clergy French
* Hugh the Great (died 956), Duke of the Franks
* Hugh Magnus of France (1007–1025), co-King of France under his father, Robert II
* Hugh, Duke of Alsace (died 895), modern-day ...
in 925 and the County of
Laon
Laon () is a city in the Aisne department in Hauts-de-France in northern France.
History
Early history
The holy district of Laon, which rises a hundred metres above the otherwise flat Picardy plain, has always held strategic importance. In ...
for his son Odo in 927. The complaints from Rudolph led Herbert II to bring Charles before
William Longsword
William Longsword (french: Guillaume Longue-Épée, nrf, Willâome de lon Espee, la, Willermus Longa Spata, on, Vilhjálmr Langaspjót; c. 893 – 17 December 942) was the second ruler of Normandy, from 927 until his assassination in 942.Det ...
, the
count of Rouen
In the Middle Ages, the duke of Normandy was the ruler of the Duchy of Normandy in north-western France. The duchy arose out of a grant of land to the Viking leader Rollo by the French king Charles III in 911. In 924 and again in 933, Normandy ...
, for homage and then to
Rheims
Reims ( , , ; also spelled Rheims in English) is the most populous city in the French department of Marne, and the 12th most populous city in France. The city lies northeast of Paris on the Vesle river, a tributary of the Aisne.
Founded by ...
to press Charles' claim on
Pope John X
Pope John X ( la, Ioannes X; died 28 May 928) was the bishop of Rome and nominal ruler of the Papal States from March 914 to his death. A candidate of the counts of Tusculum, he attempted to unify Italy under the leadership of Berengar of Friuli, ...
. In 928 Herbert II finally got possession of Laon, but the next year Charles died at
Péronne and Herbert II lost his leverage against Rudolph.
After defeating Vikings of the
Limousin
Limousin (; oc, Lemosin ) is a former administrative region of southwest-central France. On 1 January 2016, it became part of the new administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It comprised three departments: Corrèze, Creuse, and Haute-Vienn ...
, Rudolph received the allegiance of the
Aquitainians and homage from William Longsword, to whom he granted in 933 the islands off the coast of Normandy, now referred to as the
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands ( nrf, Îles d'la Manche; french: îles Anglo-Normandes or ''îles de la Manche'') are an archipelago in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two Crown Dependencies: the Bailiwick of Jersey, ...
.
In 929 Rudolph attempted to reduce the power of Duke
Ebalus of Aquitaine
Ebalus, or Ebles Manzer, or Manser (c. 870 – 935), was Count of Poitou and Duke of Aquitaine on two occasions: from 890 to 892; and then from 902 until his death in 935 (Poitou) and from 928 until 932 (Aquitaine).
Early life
Ebles was an illeg ...
. He withdrew from him access to
Berry
A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone or pit, although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples are strawberries, raspb ...
, and in 932 granted the title of
prince of Gothia {{One source, date=December 2021
The title Prince of Gothia (''princeps Gothiæ'') or Prince of the Goths (''princeps Gothorum'') was a title of nobility, sometimes assumed by its holder as a sign of supremacy in the region of Gothia and sometimes ...
to the
count of Toulouse
The count of Toulouse ( oc, comte de Tolosa, french: comte de Toulouse) was the ruler of county of Toulouse, Toulouse during the 8th to 13th centuries. Originating as vassals of the kingdom of the Franks, Frankish kings,
the hereditary counts ru ...
,
Raymond Pons Raymond Pons (''Regimundus Pontio''; died after 944), who may be numbered Raymond III or Pons I,He has traditionally been called Raymond III, but with the discovery of at least one and perhaps two additional Raymonds, this numerical designation is u ...
, and his brother of
Rouergue
Rouergue (; ) is a former province of France, corresponding roughly with the modern department of Aveyron. Its historical capital is Rodez. It is bounded on the north by Auvergne, on the south and southwest by Languedoc, on the east by Gévaudan ...
,
Ermengol. He also transferred the
County of Auvergne
The history of the Auvergne dates back to the early Middle Ages, when it was a historic province in south central France. It was originally the feudal domain of the Counts of Auvergne.
History
Auvergne was a province of France deriving its name ...
to Raymond. Moreover, the territory of the
march
March is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is the second of seven months to have a length of 31 days. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on the first day of Marc ...
which was under the control of the lord of
Charroux Charroux may refer to:
Places
* Charroux, Allier, commune in the department of Allier, France
* Charroux, Vienne, commune in the department of Vienne, France
* Charroux Abbey, in Charroux, Vienne, France
People with the surname
*Gaby Charroux (bo ...
was transformed into an independent county. Later, however, Rudolph was campaigning with Ebalus in the south to eradicate the last Viking strongholds there. He then proceeded aggressively against Herbert II, marching into Rheims and replacing Hugh with
Artald in 931. Then, joined by Hugh the Great, Rudolph burned Herbert's fortresses and cornered him in
Château-Thierry
Château-Thierry () is a French commune situated in the department of the Aisne, in the administrative region of Hauts-de-France, and in the historic Province of Champagne.
The origin of the name of the town is unknown. The local tradition att ...
, where he had first imprisoned Charles, from 933 to 934. The two made peace in 935 and Rudolph fell ill, dying a few months later on 14 or 15 January 936.
Notes
Sources
*
*
*
*
Gwatking, H. M.,
Whitney, J. P., et al. ''Cambridge Medieval History: Volume III—Germany and the Western Empire''.
Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press is the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII of England, King Henry VIII in 1534, it is the oldest university press
A university press is an academic publishing hou ...
: London, 1930.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rudolph of France
10th-century kings of West Francia
Rudolph
Rudolph
Frankish warriors
890 births
936 deaths
Year of birth uncertain