CHARLES, son of LOUIS II "le Bègue" King of the West Franks & his second wife Adelais (posthumously 17 Sep 879-Péronne 7 Oct 929, bur Péronne, monastère de Saint-Fursy). The Genealogica Arnulfi Comitis names (in order) "Karolum quoque postumum et Irmintrudim" as children of "Hlodovicus rex…ex Adelheidi regina"[321]. His parentage is also given in the Annalista Saxo[322]. Regino specifies that he was born posthumously[323]. On the death of King Louis II, Emperor Charles III "le Gros" was elected King of the West Franks, and on the latter's death in 888, Eudes [Capet] was elected king. Louis II's son, Charles, sought refuge with Ramnulf II Comte de Poitou[324]. Reginonames "Folcone episcopo, Heriberto et Pippino comitibus in Remorum civitate" when recording that they supported the accessionof Charles as king in 892 in opposition to King Eudes[325]. Supported by Foucher Archbishop of Reims, he was crowned 28 Jan 893 at Reims as CHARLES III "le Simple" King of the West Franks, as anti-king to Eudes, who later agreed to appoint him as his successor and whom he succeeded from 1 Jan 898. The early years of his reign appear to have been dominated by Viking raids in the north which led to the treaty with Rollo in 911 and the grantof territory in the future duchy of Normandy. He was chosenas CHARLES King of Lotharingia 1 Nov 911, in succession to Ludwig IV "das Kind" King of the East Franks and Lotharingia, representing a significant extension of the royal domain. He used the title "King of the Franks/rex francorum", and later "King of France/rex franciæ". He captured Alsace early in 912, and fought the army of Konrad I King of Germany three times in Lotharingia[326]. From [920], he fell under the influence of Haganon, a Lotharingian described in a charter of 921 as his cousin on his mother's side[327]. This triggered the revolt of Robert Marquis en Neustrie [Capet] and other nobles during which King Charles was obliged to seek refuge with Hérivé Archbishop of Reims. Although the king was restored after seven months,tension continued and Charles's award of themonastery of Chelles to Haganon in 922 triggered another revolt which led to the king's deposition 30 Jun 922 in favour of Robert, who was elected as Robert I King of France. Ex-king Charles fled to Lotharingia. All these events are recorded by Flodoard[328]. He returned, but was defeated at Soissons 15 Jun 923, although King Robert was killed in the battle: Flodoard records in 923 that "Karolus cum suis Lothariensibus" crossed “Mosam...ad Atiniacum...et...super Axonam” where he lost the battle near Soissons in which “Rotbertus...rex” was killed[329]. Raoul de Bourgogne was elected king of France 13 Jul 923. Ex-king Charles was tricked into capture by Héribert II Comte de Vermandois and imprisoned at Château-Thierry: Flodoard records in 923 that "Heribertus comes" sent “Bernardum consobrinum suum” with a delegation “ad Karolum” who was “in castello suo super Somnam apud Sanctum Quintinum”, and who was detained “in...munitionem suam...Castellum Theoderici super Maternam fluvium”[330]. He was transferred in 924 to the château de Péronne, where he remained captivefor the rest of his life[331]. He was briefly declared king once more in 927 by Comte Héribert during the latter's unsuccessful attempt to capture Laon[332]. According to Thietmar of Merseburg, Heinrich I King of Germany secured his release from prison and in return was rewarded with "the right hand of St Denis and the entire kingdom of the Lotharingians"[333].
m firstly ([1/18] Apr 907) FREDERUNA, sister of BOVO [II] Bishop of Châlons, daughter of --- (-10 Feb 917,bur Reims, église abbatiale de Saint-Rémi). The charter of "Karolus…rex" dated "907 XIII Kal Mai" refers to "quondam nobili prosapia puellam…Frederunam" who had recently become his wife[334]. The charter of "Karolus…rex" dated "917 VII Kal Aug" refers to "nostra uxor Frideruna…frater eius Bovo Catalannensis Antistes Ecclesiæ"[335]. Nothing definite is known about the origins of Bovo, although Flodoard refers to "Berengario Transrhenensi clerico" as "nepoti Bovonis Catalaunensis quondam episcopi" when recording his appointment as Bishop of Cambrai in 956[336]. McKitterick assumes that Frederuna was of Lotharingian origin[337]. Settipani speculates that Queen Frederuna was probably a close relation ofMathilde, second wife of Heinrich I King of Germany[338]. This could be explained if Mathilde's mother, Reginlind, was Queen Frederuna's sister, as hypothesised in the document REIMS. The charter of "Karolus…rex" dated "918 IV Id Feb" refers to the death of "nostræ…coniugisFriderunæ"[339], and the charter dated "918 II Id Mar" that she had died "IV Id Feb"[340]. The necrology of Reims Saint-Rémi records the death "IV Id Feb" of "Frederuna regina"[341].
m secondly ([917/19]) as her first husband, EADGIFU, daughter of EDWARD I "the Elder" King of England & his second wife Ælfleda ([902/05]-after 951, bur église Saint-Médard de Soissons). The Genealogica Arnulfi Comitis names "Otgiva" wife of "Karolus rex" after the death of "Frederuna regina"[342]. She fled with her two-year-old son to England in 923 after her husband wasdeposed, returning to France in 936 after the death of King Raoul. Abbess of Notre-Dame de Laon, this was taken from her 951 by her son on her second marriage. She married secondly (951) Héribert Comte "le Vieux" [de Vermandois] (-980/84). Flodoard records in 951 that “Ottogeba regina mater Ludowici regis” married “Heriberti...Adalberti fratris” and that “rex Ludowicus iratus” confiscated “abbatiam sanctæ Mariæ...Lauduni” from her and donated it to “Gerbergæ uxori suæ”[343].
Mistresses: ---. The names of King Charles III's mistresses are not known.