Louis, IV of France

Male 920 - 954  (34 years)


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  • Name Louis , IV of France  [1
    Suffix IV of France 
    Born 10 Sep 920  [1, 2, 3
    Gender Male 
    Died 10 Sep 954  Rheims, Marne, Champagne-Ardenne, France Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2
    Buried Rheims, Marne, Champagne-Ardenne, France Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 3
    Notes 
    • Louis IV d'Outre-Mer, Roi de France was born circa 920. He was the son of Charles III, Roi de France and Eadgifu.2 He married Gerberge von Sachsen, daughter of Heinrich I von Sachsen, Holy Roman Emperor and Mathilda von Ringelheim, in 939. He gained the title of Roi Louis IV de France in 936.

      Louis IV (10 September 920 - 30 September 954), called d'Outremer or Transmarinus (both meaning "from overseas"), reigned as King of Western Francia from 936 to 954. He was a member of the Carolingian dynasty, the son of Charles III and Eadgifu of England, a daughter of King Edward the Elder.

      Early years across the sea

      He was only two years old when his father was deposed by the nobles, who set up Robert I in his place. When he was only three years old, Robert died and was replaced by Rudolph, duke of Burgundy. Rudolph's ally, a Carolingian himself, Count Herbert II of Vermandois, took Charles captive by treachery and the young Louis's mother took the boy "over the sea" to the safety of England, hence his nickname.

      Return to France

      Charles died in 929, but Rudolph ruled on until 936, when Louis was summoned back to France unanimously by the nobles, especially Hugh the Great, who had probably organised his return to prevent Herbert II, or Rudolph's brother Hugh the Black, taking the throne. He was crowned king at Laon by Artald, archbishop of Rheims, on Sunday 19 June 936. The chronicler Flodoard records the events as follows:

      Brittones a transmarinis regionibus, Alstani regis praesidio, revertentes terram suam repetunt. Hugo comes trans mare mittit pro accersiendo ad apicem regni suscipiendum Ludowico, Karoli filio, quem rex Alstanus avunculus ipsius, accepto prius jurejurando a Francorum legatis, in Franciam cum quibusdam episcopis et aliis fidelibus suis dirigit, cui Hugo et cetero Francorum proceres obviam profecti, mox navim egresso, in ipsis littoreis harenis apud Bononiam, sese committunt, ut erant utrinque depactum. Indeque ab ipsis Laudunum deductus ac regali benedictione didatus ungitur atque coronatur a domno Artoldo archiepiscopo, praesentibus regni principibus cum episcopis xx et amplius.

      "The Bretons, returning from the lands across the sea with the support of King Athelstan, came back to their country. Duke Hugh sent across the sea to summon Louis, son of Charles, to be received as king, and King Athelstan, his uncle, first taking oaths from the legates of the Franks, sent him to the Frankish kingdom with some of his bishops, and other followers. Hugh and the other nobles of the Franks went to meet him and committed themselves to him[;] immediately he disembarked on the sands of Boulogne, as had been agreed on both sides. From there he was conducted by them to Laon, and, endowed with the royal benediction, he was anointed and crowned by the lord Archbishop Artold, in the presence of the chief men of his kingdom, with 20 bishops."

      Effectively, his sovereignty was limited to the town of Laon and to some places in the north of France, Louis displayed a keenness beyond his years in obtaining the recognition of his authority by his feuding nobles. Nonetheless, his reign was filled with conflict; in particular with Hugh the Great, count of Paris.

      Louis IV fell from his horse and died 10 September 954, at Rheims, in the Marne, and is interred there at Saint Rémi Basilica.

      Marriage and children

      In 939, Louis became involved in a struggle with the Emperor Otto the Great on the question of Lorraine, but then married Otto's sister Gerberga of Saxony (914 - 5 May 984). They were parents to eight children:

      Lothair of France (941-986)
      Matilda, b. about 943; married Conrad of Burgundy
      Hildegarde b. about 944
      Carloman b. about 945
      Louis b. about 948
      Charles, Duke of Lower Lorraine (953-993)
      Alberade b. before 953
      Henri b. about 953
    Person ID I796  Bosdet Genealogy
    Last Modified 16 May 2013 

    Father Charles, Roi de France III,   b. 17 Sep 879,   d. 07 Oct 929, Péronne, Somme, Picardie, France Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 50 years) 
    Relationship Natural 
    Mother Eadgifu,   b. 902,   d. Abt 953  (Age 51 years) 
    Relationship Natural 
    Married 07 Oct 919  [3, 4
    Family ID F740  Group Sheet

    Family Gerberga of Saxony,   b. Abt 913,   d. 05 May 984, Rheims, Marne, Champagne-Ardenne, France Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 71 years) 
    Married 939  [5, 6
    Children 
     1. Matilda of France,   b. 943,   d. 27 Jan 991/92  (Age 49 years)
     2. Lothair, Roi de France,   b. 941, Laon, Aisne, Picardie, France Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 02 Mar 985/86, Laon, Aisne, Picardie, France Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 45 years)
     3. Charles, Duc de Basse-Lorraine,   b. 953, Laon, Aisne, Picardie, France Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Between 991 and 993, Orléans, Loiret, Centre, France Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 38 years)
     4. Prince Charles des Francs,   b. 945, Laon, Aisne, Picardie, France Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 953  (Age 8 years)
    Family ID F223  Group Sheet

  • Sources 
    1. [S174] Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_IV_of_France.

    2. [S188] Royal Genealogies Website (ROYAL92.GED).

    3. [S174] Wikipedia.

    4. [S180] Britain's Royal Family: A Complete Genealogy, Alison Weir, (Name: The Bodley Head; Location: London, U.K.; Date: 1999;).

    5. [S178] thePeerage.com, Darryl Lundy, (Location: Ngaio, Wellington, New Zealand;).

    6. [S174] Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerberga_of_Saxony.