Louis the Child facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Louis the Child |
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Louis the Child as he appears on the Imperial Sword.
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| King of East Francia | |
| Reign | 899 – 20/24 September 911 |
| Coronation | 4 February 900, Forchheim |
| Predecessor | Arnulf of Carinthia |
| Successor | Conrad I |
| King of Lotharingia | |
| Reign | 900 – 20/24 September 911 |
| Predecessor | Zwentibold |
| Successor | Charles III of France |
| Born | September/October 893 Ötting (Autingas), Bavaria |
| Died | 20/24 September 911 (aged 17 or 18) possibly Frankfurt |
| Burial | monastery of Saint Emmeram in Regensburg |
| Spouse | unknown |
| House | Carolingian dynasty |
| Father | Arnulf of Carinthia |
| Mother | Ota |
Louis the Child (born 893 – died 20 or 24 September 911) was a king who ruled a part of Europe called East Francia. He became king in 899 and ruled until he died. He was also recognized as king of Lotharingia starting in 900. Louis was the last ruler from the Carolingian dynasty in East Francia. He took over from his father, Arnulf of Carinthia, and his older half-brother, Zwentibold.
Louis became king when he was only six years old. He ruled for about 11 or 12 years, until he was 17 or 18. During his time as king, his country faced many attacks from a group of people called the Magyars.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Louis was born in September or October 893. His birthplace was Altötting in Bavaria. He was the only son of King Arnulf of Carinthia and his wife, Ota. This meant he was the only son born to them after they were married.
Louis had at least two half-brothers. One was Zwentibold, who ruled Lotharingia. Another brother was named Ratold, who briefly ruled the Kingdom of Italy. We don't know much about Ratold's mother or his exact age.
Becoming King
Louis was crowned king in Forchheim on February 4, 900. This was one of the earliest coronations in East Francia that we have clear records of.
Louis was often sick and not very strong. Because he was so young, powerful nobles and bishops really ran the government. They made most of the important decisions for the kingdom. His coronation probably happened because he was too young to challenge the nobles' power.
Ruling East Francia
The most important people advising Louis were Hatto I and Solomon III (bishop of Constance). They helped make decisions about who would lead different parts of the kingdom. For example, they chose Louis's nephew, Conrad, to be a duke.
In 903, new rules for trade were created under Louis's rule. These were called the Raffelstetten customs regulations. They were the first customs rules in the eastern part of Europe.
Ruling Lotharingia
Louis also became king of Lotharingia in 900, after his half-brother Zwentibold. He kept separate offices for East Francia and Lotharingia. He appointed an East Frank, Gebhard, to be the duke of Lotharingia. This made some of the nobles in Lotharingia unhappy. They often did not attend meetings in East Francia.
Magyar Invasions
During Louis's reign, the Magyars often attacked his kingdom. In 900, a Magyar army attacked Bavaria. Another group of Magyars was defeated by a leader named Luitpold, Margrave of Bavaria. In 901, they attacked Carinthia.
In 904, Louis invited a Magyar leader, Kurszán, to talk. Sadly, Louis had Kurszán and his group killed. This did not stop the attacks. In 906, Magyars attacked Saxony twice.
In 907, the Magyars badly defeated the Bavarians in the Battle of Pressburg. Many important nobles, including Luitpold, were killed. The next year, Saxony and Thuringia were attacked. In 909, Alemannia was raided. On their way back, the Magyars were defeated by Arnulf, Duke of Bavaria. However, in 910, the Magyars defeated Louis the Child's army in the Battle of Augsburg.
As Louis got older, he tried to take more control of the army. But he had little success against the Magyars. His army was destroyed at Ennsburg in 907.
Death and Succession
Louis died in Frankfurt am Main on September 20 or 24, 911. He was only seventeen or eighteen years old. He was buried in the monastery of Saint Emmeram's in Regensburg. His father, Arnulf, was also buried there.
Louis's death was very important. It meant the end of the Carolingian family's rule in East Francia. In 911, the dukes of East Francia chose Conrad of Franconia to be their new king. The nobles of Lotharingia chose Charles the Simple, who was already king of West Francia.
See also
In Spanish: Luis IV de Alemania para niños
- Kings of Germany family tree
- List of Frankish kings
