Franco-German war of 978–980
Franco-German war | |||||||
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Grandes chroniques de France) | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
West Francia | Holy Roman Empire | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
King Lothair | Emperor Otto II | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
20,000 ( Richer of Reims ) | 30,000 (Annals of Saint Gall) | ||||||
Contemporary strength figures are exaggerated. |
The Franco-German war of 978–980 was fought over possession of
Background
In the years 976–978, Otto II was beset by simultaneous unrest in the southeast and northwest of Germany and by the machinations of his West Frankish neighbour. It is probable that there was some coordination between his opponents. In 977, Otto was victorious in the
In 978, Otto turned against the
The earliest narrative account of the war is found in the
Course
French invasion
Lothair, with a large suite of bishops, visited
In August 978, Lothair launched a surprise invasion of Lotharingia, striking for Aachen to capture the Emperor Otto II and Empress Theophanu.[2][12] He was accompanied by his most powerful vassals, Hugh Capet and Henry of Burgundy.[2] It is not clear from the sources if seizing the imperial couple was Lothair's original intention, or if in striking towards Aachen he was merely taking advantage of the couple's presence during a broader effort to seize all of Lotharingia.[12] According to Richer, Lothair was more offended that Otto "did not hesitate to approach his borders" than that the latter was in occupation of the disputed territory. That this was Lothair's primary motivation, however, seems unlikely, since Otto is known to have visited Aachen in July 973 and Easter 975 without incident.[13]
When Otto was first alerted the invasion, he did not believe the reports. It was only when Lothair was almost at the gates of the city that he and Theophanu made their escape to
A lack of provisions forced Lothair to abandon Aachen after three days.[16] He pillaged the palace before leaving.[3] Having lain claim to all the land between the Moselle and the Rhine after his victory, according to the Annals of Saint Gall, he tried and failed to take Metz.[6][9] There he was opposed by the bishop, Theoderic, who wrote a letter urging Otto II to respond in kind to Lothair's insolence.[17] By the autumn, Lothair had retreated to West Francia with the intention of returning to Lotharingia.[2][12] The History of the Franks of Sens indicates that the Germans did not pursue him.[14]
German counter-invasion
According to the
According to the Annals of Saint Gall, Otto invaded West Francia with 30,000 horsemen.[6] When he crossed the border, Lothair retreated to Étampes. Otto sacked the royal palaces at Compiègne and Attigny, seized Laon and was unopposed at Reims and Soissons.[18] The Annals depict the Germans ravaging the West Frankish countryside.[6] The Gesta, however, contrasts the good conduct of the German army with the pillaging and carousing of the West Franks. It credits Otto with sparing churches and even giving them donations.[4] On this last point, the West Frankish historian Richer agrees, praising Otto for his good treatment of the churches and describing his anger when his troops destroyed the nunnery of Sainte-Balthilde-de-Chelles.[13]
Otto set up Charles as king in opposition to Lothair, a fact known only from a pair of angry letters exchanged between Charles and Bishop Theoderic of Metz in 984. Both letters were written by Gerbert of Aurillac, who later apologized to Theoderic for the tone of Charles's letter. Otto's failed attempt to replace Lothair is ignored in all the narrative accounts of the war, but it may explain why Hugh Capet remained loyal to the latter in 978.[10]
Otto devastated the suburbs of
Unable to take Paris, Otto retreated to Lotharingia in November 978.
Peace
In 979, Lothair was preoccupied by a local dispute in Flanders.[18] In 980, Otto sued for peace.[2] The kings met at Margut on the border and Lothair renounced any claim on Lotharingia.[1][12][16] Thietmar writes that Lothair obtained Otto's friendship by going to him with gifts.[17] According to Richer, Lothair reconciled with Otto to gain his support against his main internal rival, Hugh Capet.[20] The exclusion of Hugh from the terms of the treaty reached at Margut meant that he remained unreconciled to Charles and at odds with Lothair for the remainder of the latter's reign.[21]
The peace did not long outlive Otto II, who died in 983.
Notes
- ^ a b c Reuter 1993, p. 176.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Dunbabin 2000, p. 388.
- ^ a b c Poole 1922, p. 207.
- ^ a b c d e f Riches 2008, p. 201.
- ^ a b Lot 1891, p. 93.
- ^ a b c d Riches 2008, p. 195.
- ^ Kohn 2007.
- ^ Phillips & Axelrod 2005.
- ^ a b c Parisse 2000, p. 320.
- ^ a b Riches 2008, pp. 193 n. 10 and 195 n. 20.
- ^ Lot 1891, p. 92.
- ^ a b c d e f Riches 2008, pp. 191–192.
- ^ a b c Riches 2008, p. 197.
- ^ a b c d e Riches 2008, p. 200.
- ^ Poole 1922, p. 207n.
- ^ a b c d e Halphen 1922, p. 80.
- ^ a b c Riches 2008, p. 199.
- ^ a b Poole 1922, p. 208.
- ^ Riches 2008, p. 196.
- ^ a b Riches 2008, p. 198.
- ^ Dunbabin 2000, pp. 388–389.
- ^ Reuter 1993, p. 185.
- ^ Reuter 1993, p. 212.
Bibliography
- Dunbabin, Jean (1985). France in the Making, 843–1180. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Dunbabin, Jean (2000). "West Francia: The Kingdom". In ISBN 978-1-13905572-7.
- Fields, Nic (2002). "Franco-German War (978–980)". In Stanley Sandler (ed.). Ground Warfare: An International Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO. p. 291.
- Previté-Orton, C. W. (eds.). The Cambridge Medieval History, Volume 3: Germany and the Western Empire. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 71–98.
- Kohn, George Childs (2007) [1986]. "Franco-German War of 978–980 C.E.". Dictionary of Wars (3rd ed.). New York: Facts on File. p. 190.
- .
- Lot, Ferdinand (1891). Les derniers Carolingiens: Lothaire, Louis V, Charles de Lorraine (954–991). Paris: Émile Bouillon.
- McKitterick, Rosamond (1983). The Frankish Kingdoms under the Carolingians, 751–987. London: Longman.
- Mohr, Walter (1957). "Die lothringische Frage unter Otto II. und Lothar". Revue belge de philologie et d'histoire. 35 (3–4): 705–725. .
- ISBN 978-1-13905572-7.
- Previté-Orton, C. W. (eds.). The Cambridge Medieval History, Volume 3: Germany and the Western Empire. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 204–214.
- Phillips, Charles; Axelrod, Alan (2005). "Franco-German War (978–980)". Encyclopedia of Wars. New York: Facts on File. pp. 464–465.
- Reuter, Timothy (1993). Germany in the Early Middle Ages, 800–1056. London: Longman.
- Riches, Theo (2008). "The Carolingian Capture of Aachen in 978 and Its Historiographical Footprint". In Paul Fouracre; David Ganz (eds.). Frankland: The Franks and the World of the Early Middle Ages. Manchester: Manchester University Press. pp. 191–208.