Richard the Justiciar (858–921), also known as Richard of Autun, was count of Autun from 880 and the first margrave and

duke of Burgundy Duke of Burgundy () was a title used by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, from its establishment in 843 to its annexation by the Crown lands of France, French crown in 1477, and later by members of the House of Habsburg, including Holy Roman E ...

. He attained suzerainty over all the counties of Burgundy save

Mâcon Mâcon (), historically Anglicization, anglicised as Mascon, is a city in east-central France. It is the Prefectures of France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Saône-et-Loire in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. Mâcon is home t ...

and by 890 he was referred to as ''dux'' (duke) and by 900 as ''marchio'' (margrave). By 918 he was being called ''dux Burgundionem'' or ''dux Burgundiae'', which probably signified less the existence of a unified Burgundian duchy than feudal suzerainty over a multiplicity of counties in a specific region.

Life

Richard was a Bosonid, the son of Bivin of Gorze and Richildis. His elder brother was

Boso of Provence Boso of Provence (; 841 – 11 January 887) was the first non-Carolingian dynasty, Carolingian pretender to the royal throne of West Francia in 879, who failed to achieve wider recognition, being accepted only in Lower Burgundy and Provence, ...

and his younger sister was Richildis, second wife of

Charles the Bald Charles the Bald (; 13 June 823 – 6 October 877), also known as CharlesII, was a 9th-century king of West Francia (843–877), King of Italy (875–877) and emperor of the Carolingian Empire (875–877). After a series of civil wars during t ...

. In 875, after the death of the Emperor Louis II, Richard and Boso accompanied Charles to Italy for his imperial coronation. In February 876, in

Pavia Pavia ( , ; ; ; ; ) is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, in Northern Italy, south of Milan on the lower Ticino (river), Ticino near its confluence with the Po (river), Po. It has a population of c. 73,086. The city was a major polit ...

, while preparing for his return journey, Charles nominated Boso "Duke and Viceroy of Italy and Duke of Provence". In 877, on Charles's death, Boso returned to France and confided the realm of Italy and the Duchy of Provence to Richard and

Hugh the Abbot Hugh the Abbot of Auxerre (died 12 May 886) was a prominent nobleman and prelate in the Carolingian Empire, who held several ecclesiastical and administrative posts in the West Frankish Kingdom during the reigns of king Charles the Bald and his ...

as '' missi dominici''. Karte Hoch und Niederburgund EN

In 879, Boso declared himself "King of Provence" following the death of

Louis the Stammerer Louis the Stammerer (; 1 November 846 – 10 April 879) was the king of Aquitaine and later the king of West Francia. He was the eldest son of Emperor Charles the Bald and Ermentrud ...

, but Richard defected from Boso and took Boso's county of

Autun Autun () is a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Saône-et-Loire Departments of France, department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Regions of France, region of central-eastern France. It was founded during the Principate era of the e ...

, which Carloman II confirmed to him in 880. The two joined battle on the

Saône The Saône ( , ; ; ) is a river in eastern France (modern Regions of France, region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté). It is a right tributary of the Rhône, rising at Vioménil in the Vosges (department), Vosges Departments of France, department an ...

and Richard captured

and garrisoned it in the name of Carloman and

Louis III Louis III may refer to: * Louis the Younger, sometimes III of Germany (835–882) * Louis III of France (865–882) * Louis the Blind, Louis III, Holy Roman Emperor, (c. 880–928) * Louis the Child, sometimes III of Germany (893–911) * Louis III ...

under the command of Bernard Plantapilosa, a relative of the hereditary counts of Mâcon. After taking

Lyon Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...

, he besieged his brother's capital of Vienne, where he was joined by Louis, Carloman, and the emperor

Charles the Fat Charles the Fat (839 – 13 January 888) was the emperor of the Carolingian Empire from 881 to 887. A member of the Carolingian dynasty, Charles was the youngest son of Louis the German and Hemma, and a great-grandson of Charlemagne. He was t ...

. Richard eventually drove Boso out in 882 and captured his wife Ermengard and children Engelberga and

Louis Louis may refer to: People * Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name * Louis (surname) * Louis (singer), Serbian singer Other uses * Louis (coin), a French coin * HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy See also ...

, sending them as prisoners to Autun. Boso went into hiding in Provence. After the death of Charles the Fat in 888, Richard supported the claim of Duke Rudolph to be King of Upper Burgundy and married his sister Adelaide, daughter of Conrad II of Auxerre. Richard also supported the coronation of his nephew Louis as King of Provence in 890. Richard died and was buried at

Sens Sens () is a Communes of France, commune in the Yonne Departments of France, department in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in north-central France, 120 km southeast from Paris. Sens is a Subprefectures in France, sub-prefecture and the second la ...

. He was exhorted by a bishop at his deathbed to beg a pardon for shedding so much blood in his life. He responded:

Family

By his wife

Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...

(married 888), daughter of Conrad II, Count of Auxerre, and Waldrada of Worms, he had several sons and daughters: * Rudolph, successor and later King of Francia * Hugh the Black, later Duke of Burgundy * Boso,Constance Brittain Bouchard, ''Sword, Miter, and Cloister: Nobility and the Church in Burgundy, 980–1198'', 320. married Bertha, daughter of Boso, Margrave of Tuscany * Ermengard, married

Gilbert, Duke of Burgundy Gilbert (or Giselbert) of Chalon (died 8 April 956) was count of Chalon, Autun, Troyes, Avallon and Dijon, and duke of Burgundy between 952 and 956. He became the ruler of the Duchy of Burgundy ''de facto'' (he was not Duke ''de jure''). By his w ...

* Adelaide, married Reginar II, Count of Hainaut * Richilda, married Litaud I, Count of Mâcon

References

Sources

* Bouchard, Constance B
"The Bosonids or Rising to Power in the Late Carolingian Age."
''French Historical Studies'', Vol. 15, No. 3. (Spring, 1988), pp 407–431. {{Authority control 858 births 921 deaths Bosonids Dukes of Burgundy Counts of Burgundy 10th-century dukes in Europe Year of birth unknown