Eberhard, infuriated with Otto's actions over the disposition of Meresburg, in 938 joins Otto's half-brother Thankmar, Count Wichmann, and Archbishop Frederick of Mainz in rebellion against the King.

They besiege Warstein in the Arnsberg Forest and free Otto's brother, Henry, from imprisonment here.

Duke Herman I of Swabia, one of Otto's closest advisors, warns him of the rebellion and the King moves quickly to put down the revolt.

Wichmann is soon reconciled with Otto and joins the King's forces against his former compatriots.

Most of Leo VII’s bulls are grants of privilege to monasteries, especially including the Abbey of Cluny.

Leo had called for Odo of Cluny to mediate between Alberic and Hugh of Italy, Alberic's stepfather, the King of Italy.

Odo had been successful in negotiating a truce after arranging a marriage between Hugh's daughter Alda and Alberic.

Leo VII has also appointed Frederick, Archbishop of Mainz, as a reformer in Germany.

Leo had allowed Frederick to drive out Jews that refused to be baptized, but he has not endorsed the forced baptism of Jews.

As pope, Leo VII reigns for only three years.

After his death in July 939, he is interred at St. Peter's Basilica.

The Defeat of Louis IV and the Rise of Hugh the Great’s Power (940)

By 940, King Louis IV of France finds himself severely weakened after supporting the rebel dukes of Swabia and Bavaria against Otto I of Germany. In retaliation, Otto allies with Hugh the Great, Count of Paris, a powerful noble whose influence in northern France eclipses that of the king himself. Their combined forces decisively defeat Louis, leaving his authority greatly diminished.

The Power Struggle Between Louis IV and Hugh the Great

• Louis IV had already been struggling to assert control over West Francia, where feudal lords ruled their own domains with little regard for the monarchy.
• His conflict with Hugh the Great, the most powerful noble in France, dominates his reign.
• By 940, Hugh aligns with Otto I of Germany, ensuring that Louis IV faces opposition on multiple fronts.
• Following his defeat in battle, Louis IV’s sovereignty is reduced to Laon and parts of northern France, forcing him into diplomatic maneuvering to maintain his position.

The Aftermath: A King with Limited Power

1. Hugh the Great Becomes the True Power in France

   • With Louis IV militarily weakened, Hugh the Great effectively controls much of northern and central France, ruling the Île-de-France and the Loire Valley as a de facto ruler.

2. Louis IV Struggles to Maintain Royal Authority

   • Despite his setbacks, Louis IV displays diplomatic skill, working to obtain recognition of his rule from feuding nobles.
   • However, he is forced to navigate constant rebellions and conflicts with his own vassals, making his reign one of perpetual instability.

3. The Balance of Power Between Crown and Nobility

   • The defeat in 940 marks a turning point, where the Capetian counts, like Hugh the Great, hold more power than the Carolingian king.
   • This imbalance will eventually lead to the decline of the Carolingians and the rise of the Capetian dynasty, culminating in Hugh Capet’s ascension in 987.

Conclusion: A Weakening Carolingian Monarchy

Though Louis IV retains the throne, his authority is now largely symbolic, as Hugh the Great and other nobles dominate West Francia. His reign is a clear sign of the decline of Carolingian rule, paving the way for feudal lords to solidify their power and setting the stage for the eventual Capetian takeover of France.

The Capture and Imprisonment of Louis IV by Hugh the Great (945–946)

Throughout most of his reign, King Louis IV of West Francia struggles for power against Hugh the Great, the most powerful noble in the kingdom. Their conflict reaches a turning point in 945, when Louis is captured during a failed attempt to conquer Normandy, becoming Hugh’s prisoner until his release in 946.

Background: Louis IV’s Conflict with Hugh the Great

• Hugh the Great, Duke of the Franks and Count of Paris, had been the de facto ruler of West Francia, often overshadowing the king.
• Throughout Louis’ reign, the two men clash over control of the kingdom, with Hugh refusing to fully submit to royal authority.
• By the mid-940s, Louis attempts to assert his power more aggressively, leading to a disastrous campaign in Normandy.

The Failed Campaign in Normandy and Louis IV’s Capture (945)

• In 945, Louis launches an expedition into Normandy, hoping to bring the region more directly under his control.
• However, the Normans, still politically unstable after the assassination of William Longsword in 942, resist his authority.
• Louis is betrayed and captured, falling into the hands of Hugh the Great, who takes full advantage of the situation.

Louis IV’s Imprisonment and Release (945–946)

• Louis remains Hugh’s prisoner until 946, during which time Hugh consolidates his own power while the king is effectively sidelined.
• Hugh’s influence increases dramatically, as he now holds the king hostage, reinforcing his control over West Francia.
• In 946, Louis is finally released, likely due to external pressures, including diplomatic intervention from Otto I of Germany and other nobles who do not want Hugh to become too powerful.

Consequences of Louis’ Capture and Imprisonment

1. Hugh the Great Becomes the Dominant Power in France

   • With Louis weakened, Hugh further establishes himself as the real ruler of West Francia, though he never claims the crown.

2. Norman Independence Strengthened

   • Louis’ failed invasion allows the Normans to solidify their autonomy, ensuring that Normandy remains outside royal control.

3. Louis IV’s Authority Severely Undermined

   • After his release, Louis struggles to reassert himself as king, as his reputation is severely damaged by his capture.
   • The continued power struggle between Louis and Hugh persists, further fragmenting West Francia.

Conclusion: A King Held Hostage, A Realm in Crisis

The capture of Louis IV in 945 and his imprisonment by Hugh the Great marks a low point in Carolingian authority. Though eventually released in 946, Louis remains largely powerless, as Hugh continues to dominate West Francia. This event further weakens the monarchy, reinforcing the rise of feudal lords and the declining influence of the Carolingian dynasty.

Frederick, a son of Reginar, Duke of Lorraine, immediately upon succeeding to the Archbishopric of Mainz in 937, had acted as an opponent of Otto I, one of the most consistent opponents he will face.

In 939, he had joined the rebellion of Eberhard III of Franconia, Gilbert of Lorraine, and Henry I of Bavaria.

He had been imprisoned in Hammelburg for a while.

He had plotted with Henry to assassinate Otto in Easter 941 in Quedlinburg, but they had been discovered and put in captivity in Ingelheim, being released and pardoned only after doing penance at Christmas of that year.

Frederick had refused to accompany Otto to Italy in 951.

He participates in 953 in another rebellion with King Otto’s son Liudolf, Duke of Swabia, and his brother-in-law Conrad, Duke of Lorraine.

Conrad is the son of Werner V, Count of the Nahegau, Speyergau, and Wormsgau.

His mother Cunigunde is a daughter of Conrad I of Germany.

In 941, he had succeeded his father in his counties and obtained an additional territory, the Niddagau.

In 944 or 945, he had also been invested with Lorraine by King Otto I.

In 947, he had married Liutgarde, daughter of Otto and Edith, daughter of Edward the Elder, King of England.

He and Liutgard have one son, Otto of Worms, later duke of Swabia and Carinthia.

King Otto, who bitterly complains about Conrad's ingratitude, is lured to Mainz.

The rebels, abandoned by the Lorrainers and without Henry's support this time, are easily crushed and punished.

Conrad is deprived of Lorraine, which is instead granted to Otto's brother, Bruno I, Archbishop of Cologne.

Eventually Conrad and Otto are reconciled.

Frederick tries to distance himself from the fighting, but will die before anything can come to him.