Louis V of France facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Louis V |
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14th century miniature of Louis V from Généalogie des rois de France Bernard Gui
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| King of West Francia | |
| Reign | 2 March 986 – 22 May 987 |
| Coronation | 8 June 979 |
| Predecessor | Lothair |
| Successor | Hugh Capet |
| Born | 966/967 |
| Died | 22 May 987 (aged 20–21) Forest of Halatte, Oise |
| Burial | Saint Corneille Abbey, Compiègne |
| Spouse | Adelaide-Blanche of Anjou (m. 982; ann. 984) |
| Dynasty | Carolingian |
| Father | Lothair of France |
| Mother | Emma of Italy |
Louis V (born around 966 or 967, died May 22, 987) was a king of West Francia. He was also known as Louis the Do-Nothing (in French, Louis le Fainéant). He ruled from 979, first alongside his father Lothair, and then alone from 986 until his early death in 987.
During his time as king, the powerful nobles of the country held most of the real power. Louis V died without any children. This meant he was the last king from the Carolingian dynasty to rule in West Francia.
Contents
Early Life and Coronation
Louis was born around the year 966. He was the oldest son of King Lothair of France, who was the Carolingian ruler of France. His mother was Queen Emma, whose own mother was Empress Adelaide.
In 978, Louis's father included him in the government. On June 8, 979, Louis was crowned as a co-king. This ceremony took place at the Abbey of Saint-Corneille in Compiègne. Archbishop Adalbero of Reims performed the coronation.
A Royal Marriage for Power
In 982, when Louis was about fifteen years old, he married Adelaide-Blanche of Anjou. She was around forty years old and had been married twice before. This marriage happened in Vieille-Brioude, Haute-Loire.
This wedding was not for love but for political reasons. King Lothair, Louis's father, arranged it. He hoped this marriage would help the Carolingian family regain power in the southern parts of the kingdom. He also wanted to gain support from powerful southern lords. This support was needed in his struggles against the Robertians, another powerful family. By connecting his family to two strong southern noble families, Lothair believed he could challenge Hugh Capet's influence.
Right after their wedding, Louis and Adelaide-Blanche were crowned king and queen of Aquitaine. However, the couple did not get along well. They had a big age difference, and they often disagreed. They lived separately and rarely spoke to each other. After two years, their marriage ended in 984. They had no children together. Adelaide-Blanche later left Louis and returned to her family.
Louis V's Short Reign
When his father died on March 2, 986, Louis V became the sole king of the Franks. At this time, the Frankish court had two main groups. One group, led by Archbishop Adalberon of Reims and Queen Emma, wanted to be friends with the Ottonian dynasty. The Ottonian family ruled the Holy Roman Empire.
The other group wanted to continue King Lothair's old policies. They wanted to expand the kingdom to the east and reclaim Lotharingia. This was a region that had been lost. Louis V also inherited a long-standing conflict between his family and the Ottonian house. The Ottonian emperors had influence over who became church leaders in Carolingian lands. These church leaders often did not support the Carolingian kings.
At first, Queen Emma had a lot of influence. But in the summer of 986, the group against the Ottonians gained power. Queen Emma had to leave the court and seek safety with Hugh Capet. Archbishop Adalberon also faced trouble. He had been given his important position by the Ottonian emperor. Louis V saw Adalberon's actions as betrayal. He threatened to attack Reims, where Adalberon was.
The conflict was supposed to be settled in a court meeting in Compiègne. However, Louis V changed his mind and tried to make peace with Adalberon. In the spring of 987, he planned a meeting with Empress Theophanu, who represented her son, Emperor Otto III.
Before these issues could be fully resolved, Louis V died on May 22, 987. He fell while hunting in the Forest of Halatte, near the town of Senlis, Oise. He was buried in the Abbey of Saint-Corneille in Compiègne.
The End of a Dynasty
Louis V did not have any children who could inherit the throne. His uncle, Charles, Duke of Lower Lorraine, was the closest relative. However, important church leaders, including Archbishop Adalberon, argued for a different choice. They strongly supported Hugh Capet. Hugh was not only from a royal family but had also shown great leadership and military strength.
Hugh Capet was chosen as the new king of the Franks. Adalberon crowned him. All of this happened within two months of Louis V's death. This marked the end of the Carolingian dynasty. A new era, known as the Capetian era, began with Hugh Capet.
See also
In Spanish: Luis V de Francia para niños
