Charles the Simple
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Charles III (September 17, 879 – October 7, 929), called the Simple, was a member of the Carolingian dynasty who ruled as King of France (or Western Francia) from 898 to his death.
The posthumous son of King Louis the Stammerer and Adelaide, Charles married Frederonne who died in 917 and he then married Eadgifu, the daughter of Edward the Elder of England, on October 7, 919.
As a child, Charles was prevented from succeeding to the throne at the time of the death in 884 of his half-brother Carloman or at the time of the deposition of the Holy Roman Emperor, his uncle Charles the Fat, in 887. Instead, Odo, Count of Paris, succeeded Charles the Fat. Nonetheless, Charles became king at the age of nineteen upon the death of Odo in 898.
The kingdom of Charles the Simple was similar to today's France, but he was obliged to concede what would become known as Normandy to the Norsemen.
In 922 some of the barons (including Herbert II of Vermandois) revolted and crowned Robert I, brother of Odo, king. In 923, at the battle of Soissons, King Robert was killed, but Charles was also defeated. Rudolph, Duke of Burgundy was elected king, and Charles was imprisoned.
Charles died on October 7, 929, in prison at Péronne (Somme, France) and was buried there at the L'abbaye de St-Fursy. His son with Eadgifu would eventually be crowned in 936 as Louis IV of France.
| Preceded by: Odo |
King of Western Francia 898–922 |
Succeeded by: Robert I |
| Preceded by: Louis the Child |
King of Lotharingia 911–922 |
Succeeded by: Henry the Fowler |
