Louis the Pious

Emperor of the Frankish Empire. Louis I (778-840) was often called Louis the Pious. He was the son and successor of Charlemagne (813-833, 834-840).

In the legend, he was portrayed as a weaker king than his father, and although not exactly a villain, he was shown to be ungrateful to those who served him.

Historically, Louis' mother was Hildegard. He was the brother of Charles, Pepin, Rotrud and Hildegard. Louis ruled the kingdom of Aquitane from 781, at the age of three. He was married to Irmingard, a daughter of Count Ingram, in 794, and had five children by her - including Lothair, Louis the German, and Pepin (I am not certain of the names of his daughters).

He was sole heir to the throne when his older brothers died - Charles and Pepin. He became co-emperor with his father in 813, until Charlemagne's death.

Trouble brewed when Louis remarried to Judith, and became father of Charles. His elder sons, along with many allies, revolted against Louis showing favoritism towards his younger son (830). In 833, he was forced to abdicate and join the monastery, but his three sons squabbling over the division of the empire resulted in Louis being reinstated as king.

He ruled until his death in 840, and the kingdom was divided into three between his surviving sons - Lothair received Italy, Louis the German received the German kingdoms, and Charles II, who was known as Charles the Bald, received France.