Bosonid

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The Bosonids were a dynasty of Frankish origin, descending from one Boso the Old or Biwin in the ealry ninth century. From lowly baronial rank, the dynasts rose to make themselves kings and eventually emperor.

The first great scion of the dynasty was Boso V, Count of Arles among other Burgundian counties, in the mid-ninth century. Boso rose in favour as a courtier of Charles the Bald. He was even appointed viceroy in Italy in 875. After the death of Charles' son Louis II, Boso refused to recognise both his sons, Carloman and Louis III, as kings of France and proclaimed himself, with the support of the nobility, King of Provence in 879 at Vienne. Boso strove throughout the rest of his life to maintain his title in the face of the Emperor Charles III. He died in 887 and his son Louis under the regency of his wife Ermengard, who was a daughter of the Emperor Louis II.

Louis was adopted by Charles III and legitimised in his royal title. With this legal basis, he sought to take the place of his Carolingian relatives on the imperial and Italian thrones in 900. He was crowned in Pavia and then in Rome, but could not actually hold onto power there.