Carloman II

Upon Louis the Stammerer's death, some Frankish nobles advocated electing Louis III as the sole king, but eventually both brothers were elected kings. They were both crowned in September 879.{{Cite book |last=McKitterick |first=Rosamond |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZEaSdNBL0sgC&pg=PA137 |title=The New Cambridge Medieval History |year=1995 |isbn=9780521362924 |volume=2 |pages=137|publisher=Cambridge University Press }} Some doubts were cast upon the legitimacy of their birth,{{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Carloman (Frankish princes)|display=Carloman s.v. Carloman (d. 884)|volume=5|page=343}} but these disappeared after their victory over the Vikings on November of that year.{{Cite book |last=McKitterick |first=Rosamond |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZEaSdNBL0sgC&pg=PA137 |title=The New Cambridge Medieval History |year=1995 |volume=II |pages=133–137 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=9780521362924 |author-link=Rosamond McKitterick}} In March 880, the brothers divided their father's realm at Amiens, Carloman receiving the southern kingdoms of Burgundy and Aquitaine.

One of the first major challenges faced by the young kings was the rebellion of Duke Boso of Provence, who had renounced his allegiance to both brothers and had himself elected King of Provence in October 879. In 880, Carloman and Louis III marched against Boso and successfully captured the northern parts of his realm.McKitterick, Rosamond (1995). The New Cambridge Medieval History. Vol. II. pp. 133–137. ISBN 9780521362924.

They initiated a siege of Vienne, Boso's stronghold, which would last for two years. While Boso fled to the hills, the brothers maintained the siege, though they were unable to capture the city immediately. The city was finally taken in 882 by Richard, Duke of Burgundy, after Carloman and Louis had received assistance from their cousin Charles the Fat, who ruled East Francia and the Kingdom of Italy. McKitterick, Rosamond (1995). The New Cambridge Medieval History. Vol. II. pp. 133–137. ISBN 9780521362924.

Like many rulers of this era, Carloman II spent much of his reign defending his territories against Viking raiders. Following the Battle of Thimeon near Charleroi in February 880, where the Vikings had been defeated by Louis the Younger of East Francia, the raiders resumed their attacks on West Francia.McKitterick, Rosamond (1995). The Carolingians and the Written Word

After taking Kortrijk in November 880, the Vikings raided Arras and Cambrai in December, and later in 881, they sacked Amiens and Corbie. On August 3, 881, Carloman and his brother Louis III achieved a significant victory against the Vikings at the Battle of Saucourt-en-Vimeu. Battle of Saucourt-en-Vimeu

When Louis III died unexpectedly in August 882 at the young age of 19, Carloman became the sole ruler of West Francia.

The kingdom Carloman inherited was in a deplorable condition, partly due to repeated incursions from Viking raiders. His power was significantly limited by rebellious nobles, especially in Burgundy. Despite these challenges, Carloman continued to defend his territories and maintain the governance structures established by his Carolingian predecessors. Marios Costambeys, Matthew Innes, & Simon MacLean

The Carolingian World (2011)

Carloman II died near Les Andelys while hunting on December 884. He was accidentally stabbed in the leg by his servant Bertoldus while they were attacked by a wild boar.Annales Vedastini. [http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/annalesvedastini.html Anno DCCCLXXXIIII.] Carloman survived but died seven days later, on 5–6 December.[https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k59033/f466.item Obituaires de la province de Sens]. Tome I, p. 351. "VIII id. [6 December] Ob. Karlomannus rex."[https://www.dmgh.de/mgh_ss_5/#page/40/mode/1up Annales S. Benigni Divionensis 884.] MGH V, p. 40. "Obiit Karlomannus rex Non. Decemb. [5 December]". He was only about 18 years old. Some modern sources give his death date as 12 December, but this is not corroborated by contemporary sources. Carloman's land were inherited by his cousin, the emperor Charles the Fat.

{{reflist}}

File:Sacre Carloman2+Boso.jpg

File:Empire Carolingien en 880.png

File:Charles Auguste Guillaume Henri François Louis de Steuben - Louis III (vers 863-882) et Carloman (vers 866-884).jpg of all the French monarchs.
(Charles Auguste Steuben, ca. 1837).]]

{{refbegin|30em}}

• {{Cite book|last=Goldberg|first=Eric J.|title=Struggle for Empire: Kingship and Conflict under Louis the German, 817-876|year=2006|location=Ithaca, NY|publisher=Cornell University Press|isbn=978-0-8014-3890-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oyiTg0wgl58C}}
• {{Cite book|last=McKitterick|first=Rosamond|author-link=Rosamond McKitterick|title=The Frankish Kingdoms Under the Carolingians, 751-987|year=1983|location=Harlow|publisher=Longman|isbn=978-0-582-49005-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wtNnAAAAMAAJ}}
• {{Cite book|last=McKitterick|first=Rosamond|author-link=Rosamond McKitterick|title=Charlemagne: The Formation of a European Identity|year=2008|location=Cambridge|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-139-47285-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kxb8kR4hvbQC}}
• {{Cite book|last=MacLean|first=Simon|title=Kingship and Politics in the Late Ninth Century: Charles the Fat and the end of the Carolingian Empire|year=2003|location=New York|publisher=Cambridge University Press|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0Icl9qL3FnMC}}
• {{Cite book|last=Reuter|first=Timothy|author-link=Timothy Reuter|title=Germany in the Early Middle Ages c. 800–1056|year=2013|orig-year=1991|location=London and New York|publisher=Routledge|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GfvJAwAAQBAJ}}
• {{Cite book|last=Reuter|first=Timothy|author-link=Timothy Reuter|title=Medieval Polities and Modern Mentalities|year=2006|location=Cambridge|publisher=Cambridge University Press|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oGsN0Xbo-ZoC}}
• {{Cite book|last=West|first=Charles|title=The Fall of a Carolingian Kingdom: Lotharingia, 855–869|year=2023|location=Toronto|publisher=University of Toronto Press|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Sp_UEAAAQBAJ}}

{{refend}}

{{Commons category|Carloman II of France}}

{{s-start}}

{{s-hou|Carolingian dynasty|c.|866|6 December|884|name=Carloman II}}

{{s-bef|before=Louis II}}

{{s-ttl|title=King of West Francia|years=10 April 879 – 6 December 884|regent1=Louis III|years1=10 April 879 – 5 August 882}}

{{s-aft|after=Charles the Fat}}

{{s-end}}

{{Carolingians footer}}

{{Monarchs of France}}

{{France topics}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Carloman 02 of France}}

Category:860s births

Category:884 deaths

Category:9th-century kings of West Francia

Category:Medieval child monarchs

Category:Frankish warriors

Category:Burials at the Basilica of Saint-Denis

Category:Year of birth uncertain

Category:9th-century people from West Francia

Category:Carolingian dynasty

Category:Deaths by stabbing in Norway