Charles Martel Appoints a Puppet King: The Rise of Theuderic IV

In 719, Chilperic II had been officially raised on the shield as king of all the Franks, a symbolic gesture affirming his rule. However, his reign is short-lived, as he dies in Attigny in February 720. With no clear successor, the decision of who will wear the Merovingian crown now falls to Charles Martel.

Rather than allowing a rival faction to influence the succession, Charles appoints Theuderic IV, the young son of Dagobert III, as the new King of the Franks. Theuderic, still a minor, is entirely subservient to Charles, further reinforcing the reality that the Merovingian kings are now mere figureheads, serving at the will of the Mayor of the Palace.

By personally selecting the monarch he supposedly serves, Charles fully asserts his dominance over the Frankish state. Though the Merovingian dynasty remains in name, its authority has been entirely hollowed out—true power now lies solely in the hands of Charles Martel.

Widukind’s Surrender and the End of the Saxon Uprising (782–785)

Between 782 and 784, battles between the Saxons and the Franks occurred annually as Widukind, the Saxon leader, waged guerrilla warfare against Charlemagne’s forces. Seeking further support, Widukind allied himself with the Frisians, but despite this, Charlemagne’s relentless winter campaigns of 784–785 forced the Saxon and Frisian resistance back into their homelands.

Widukind’s Surrender and Baptism (785)

By 785, realizing that Saxon resistance was becoming untenable, Widukind agrees to surrender in the Bardengauunder the condition that he and his allies would suffer no bodily harm. He and his leading Saxon nobles accept baptism, possibly in Attigny, with Charlemagne himself serving as Widukind’s godfather.

This symbolic act of submission not only marked the end of active Saxon resistance but also served as a formal acknowledgment of Saxon noble status under Frankish rule. Through this agreement, Widukind effectively integrated Saxony into the Carolingian Empire, as conversion to Christianity was a key condition for Frankish acceptance of conquered elites.

Widukind’s Fate: Prison, Administration, or Further Campaigns?

No contemporary sources record Widukind’s life or death after his baptism, leading to various interpretations:

1. Monastic Imprisonment – Many deposed rulers under Charlemagne were sent to monasteries, and it has been suggested that Widukind may have been confined at Reichenau Abbey or another Frankish monastery.
2. Administrative Role – Some historians speculate that he may have been granted a role in the governance of occupied Saxony, similar to other noble converts.
3. Military Service – The Vita Liudgeri, a biography of Saint Ludger, mentions Widukind accompanying Charlemagne on a campaign against the Veleti, indicating he may have continued in a military capacity under Frankish rule.
4. Assassination – A later 12th-century account in the Kaiserchronik states that Widukind was slain by Charlemagne’s brother-in-law, Gerold of Baar (d. 799), though this claim is not corroborated by earlier sources.

Legacy of Widukind

Although Widukind disappears from historical records, his symbolic resistance to Frankish conquest made him a legendary figure in later German history. His submission and baptism marked the final consolidation of Saxonyinto Charlemagne’s empire, completing the Frankish-Christian expansion into northern Germany. Over time, Widukind’s memory evolved into myth, with later medieval chroniclers elevating him to a heroic defender of Saxon independence.

The Tragic Fate of Bernard of Italy and Emperor Louis the Pious’ Penance (810–822)

In 810, Bernard, the illegitimate son of King Pepin, Charlemagne’s third son, is appointed King of Italy, ruling as a vassal to the Carolingian Emperor. However, after Charlemagne’s death in 814, his successor, Louis the Pious, restructures the empire, prioritizing his own legitimate sons.

Bernard’s Rebellion and the Aftermath (817–818)

• In 817, Louis issues the Ordinatio Imperii, a succession plan that grants Italy to his eldest son, Lothair I, effectively disinheriting Bernard.
• Feeling his position endangered, Bernard rebels with the support of Bishop Theodulf of Orléans, fearing loss of autonomy under Lothair’s rule.
• Louis, acting swiftly, marches into Italy, forcing Bernard to submit.
• Bernard, trusting a safe-conduct guarantee, meets with the emperor but finds himself convicted without realizing he was on trial.

The Blinding and Death of Bernard (818)

• Louis orders Bernard blinded, a common Byzantine-inspired punishment meant to disable political rivals without executing them outright.
• The blinding procedure proves fatal, and Bernard dies in Milan soon after.
• This event deeply grieves Louis, who, as a devout Christian, recognizes the cruelty of his actions.

Louis the Pious’ Penance at Attigny (822)

Tormented by guilt, Louis performs public penance at his palace in Attigny, near Vouziers in the Ardennes, before:

• Pope Paschal I,
• A council of ecclesiastics, and
• The Frankish nobility.

As part of his atonement, he reconciles with Bernard’s three younger half-brothers:

• Hugo, later Abbot of St-Quentin,
• Drogo, soon made Bishop of Metz,
• Theodoric, whose career remains less well-documented.

The Political Consequences of Penance

Louis’ act of contrition, modeled after Theodosius the Great’s penance after the Massacre of Thessalonica (390), severely undermines his prestige as emperor:

• Frankish rulers were expected to be strong and decisive, not to confess their failures publicly.
• His humility is perceived as weakness, emboldening his sons and noble factions to challenge his authority.
• His public admission of minor offenses, unnecessary for a secular ruler, further damages his reputation among the aristocracy.

The Long-Term Impact

Louis’ penance at Attigny contributes to the later revolts against his rule, as dynastic strife and noble resistance weaken his hold on the empire. The event symbolizes the increasing power of the Church over secular rulers, foreshadowing future conflicts between emperors and religious authorities in medieval Europe.