CHARLES, son of LOUIS IV "d'Outremer" King of the Franks & his wife Gerberga of Germany (Laon summer 953-in prison Orléans 12 Jun 991, bur 1001 Maastricht, St Servatius). Twin with his brother Henri. Flodoard records the birth of twins to "Gerberga regina" in 953 "unus Karolus, alter Heinricus, sed Henricus mox post baptismum defunctus est"[177]. Flodoard records war between "Karolum regis filium fratrem" and "Godefridum atque Arnulfum, Lotharienses comites" in 975[178]. Banished from the Frankish court after accusing Queen Emma of adultery with Adalbero Bishop of Laon[179], he sought refuge at the court of Emperor Otto II who created him Duke of Lower Lotharingia in May 977 at Diedenhofen. The Gesta Episcoporum Cameracensium record that "Karolum ducem, regis Lotharii fratrem" had been granted Lotharingia by Emperor Otto[180]. During Emperor Otto's campaign against his brother King Lothaire, Duke Charles captured Laon in 978 and was proclaimed King of the Franks by Theudebert Bishop of Metz[181]. He claimed the French throne after the death of his brother in 986, and that of his nephew in 987. He captured Laon in [May] 988, and Reims in [Aug/Sep] 989, thanks to his nephew Arnoul Archbishop of Reims. He was captured at Laon 30 Mar 991 with his wife and children and taken to Senlis. Richer records that "Karolum…cum uxore Adelaide et filio Ludovico, et filiabus duabus, quarum altera Gerberga, altera Adelaidis dicebatur, necnon et Arnulfo nepote" were imprisoned[182]. From there, they were imprisoned by Hugues Capet King of France at Orléans, where he died[183]. "Otto…rex" donated property "Vvalbisci in comitatu Karoli comitis" to Quedlinburg by charter dated 6 Jan 992[184]. It is assumed that this refers to Charles ex-Duke of Lotharingia as no other Count Charles or Karl has been identified in Germany at the time. If this is correct, the charter demonstrates that Charles was still recognised with a title in Germany after his capture by the French, although this was "comes" rather than "dux". The necrology of Liège Saint-Lambert records the death "X Kal Jul" of "Karoli ducis"[185]. Sigebert records that "Karolus dux" died in 991 and that "Otto filius eius" succeeded in the duchy of Lotharingia[186].
m ([970]) ADELAIS de Troyes, daughter of [ROBERT Comte de Troyes & his wife Adelais [de Bourgogne]. The Historia Francorum Senonensis refers to the wife of "Karolus" as "filiam Herberti comitis Trecarum"[187]. Assuming the birth of the couple's eldest son in 970, this could not refer to Héribert, son of Robert, whose birth is dated to [950]. It is also unlikely to have been Héribert [II] Comte de Vermandois, father of Robert, who was not comte de Troyes. Settipani suggests[188] that the Historia must be in error and that her father was Robert Comte de Troyes. This would not be the only error in this source, as the Historia also refers to "Karolus, frater eius [=Hludovicus], filius Hlotharii regis" when recording his "succession" in 987[189]. The Chronico Richardi Pictavensis also names "Carolus uxore sua…filia Herberti Comitis Trecarum"[190], presumably based on the same source as the Historia. Her name is recorded by Richer, who states that "Karolum…cum uxore Adelaide et filio Ludovico, et filiabus duabus, quarum altera Gerberga, altera Adelaidis dicebatur, necnon et Arnulfo nepote" were imprisoned by Hugues "Capet" King of France[191]. Orderic Vitalis links the two sets of references by recording that Charles was imprisoned with his wife who was the daughter of Héribert Comte de Troyes[192]. An interesting twist to this apparently straight-forward explanation is provided by another passage in Richer which refers disparagingly to Charles's marriage to "uxorem de militari ordine sibi imparem"[193]. It is difficult to imagine this description being appropriate to the Vermandois/Carolingian origin of Charles's known wife. Ferdinand Lot therefore proposed that the text meant that Charles was married twice[194]. If such a second marriage did take place, it must have occurred at the height of the dispute between Charles and his brother King Lothar around [975]. At that time Charles was challenging his brother's authority to rule, and it is difficult to imagine that he would have weakened his own position by contracting an unequal marriage. On the basis of the primary sources so far consulted, it is felt that there is insufficient basis for concluding that Duke Charles married twice. The comment by Richer could presumably be explained by his personal dislike of the Vermandois family.
Duke Charles & his wife had six children