Lothair I
Lothair I (Dutch and Medieval Latin: Lotharius; German: Lothar; French: Lothaire; Italian: Lotario; 795 – 29 September 855) was a 9th-century Carolingian emperor (817–855, with his father until 840) and king of Italy (818–855) and Middle Francia (843–855).
| Lothair I | |
|---|---|
| Emperor of the Romans | |
Lothair I in the Gospels of Lothair, c. 849–851, now located in the Bibliothèque nationale de France | |
| Emperor of the Carolingian Empire | |
| Reign | July 817 – 855 |
| Coronation | July 817, Aachen 5 April 823, Rome |
| Predecessor | Louis I the Pious |
| Successor | Louis II of Italy |
| King of Italy | |
| Reign | 17 April 818 – 855 |
| Predecessor | Bernard of Italy |
| Successor | Louis II of Italy |
| King of Middle Francia | |
| Reign | c. 10 August 843 – 855 |
| Successor | Louis II (Italy) Lothair II (Lotharingia) Charles (Provence) |
| Born | 795 |
| Died | 29 September 855 (aged 59–60) Prüm |
| Burial | |
| Consort | Ermengarde of Tours |
| Issue more... | Louis II Lothair II Charles |
| House | Carolingian |
| Father | Louis I the Pious |
| Mother | Ermengarde of Hesbaye |
Lothair I was the eldest son of the Carolingian emperor Louis I and his wife Ermengarde of Hesbaye, daughter of Ingerman the duke of Hesbaye. On several occasions, Lothair led his full-brothers Pepin I of Aquitaine and Louis the German in revolt against their father to protest against attempts to make their half-brother Charles the Bald a co-heir to the Frankish domains. Upon the father's death, Charles and Louis joined forces against Lothair in a three-year civil war (840–843). The struggles between the brothers led directly to the breakup of the Frankish Empire assembled by their grandfather Charlemagne, and laid the foundation for the development of modern France and Germany.