Louis II of France

Louis II of France, nicknamed the Stutterer (in French, Louis le Bègue, November 1 of 846-Compiègne, April 10, 879), was king of Western France from the year 877 until his death.

He was the eldest son of King Charles the Bald and Queen Ermentrudis of Orleans. During negotiations between his father and Erispoe of Brittany, Louis was betrothed to an unknown daughter of Erispoe in 856. It is not known if she was the same daughter who later married Gurivant. The contract was broken in 857 after the assassination of Erispoe.

He had various disputes with his father from his domains in Aquitaine and Maine. He succeeded his younger brother in Aquitaine in 866 and, although he was second in line, his father in Western France in 877, although he was never crowned Emperor. In the French monarchical system, he is considered Louis II .

Twice married, he and his first wife, Ansgarda of Burgundy, had two sons: Louis (born 863) and Carloman (born 866), both of whom became kings of France, and two daughters: Hildegard (born in 864) and Gisela (865–884), who married Robert, count of Troyes.

With his second wife, Adelaide of Paris, he had a daughter, Ermentruda (875-914)—who was the mother of Cunigunde, wife of the count palatine Wigeric of Lotharingia; They were the ancestors of the House of Luxembourg—and a posthumous son, Charles the Simple, who would become, long after the death of his older brothers, King of France.

He was crowned on December 8, 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 have offered him the imperial crown, but he rejected it. It is said that Luis the Stutterer was physically weak and outlived his father by only two years. He had relatively little impact on politics. He was described as "a simple and sweet man, a lover of peace, justice and religion." In 878, he handed over the counties of Barcelona, Gerona, and Besalú to Wifredo el Velloso. His final act was to march against the Vikings who were then the terror of Europe. He fell ill and died on April 9 or April 10, 879 not long after his last campaign had begun. Upon his death, his kingdoms were divided between his two sons, Carloman and Luis.

Ancestors