LOUIS, son of CHARLES III "le Simple" King of the Franks & his second wife Eadgifu of England ([10 Sep 920/10 Sep 921]-Reims 10 Sep 954, bur Reims, Abbaye de Saint-Rémi). Rodulfus Glaber names "Ludowicum filium…regis Caroli"[369]. After his father was deposed in 923, his mother fled with Louis to England where he was brought up at the court of Æthelstan King of Wessex. His return to France after the death of King Raoul in early 936 was negotiated by Hugues "le Grand" [Capet]. He was crowned 19 Jun 936 at Laon by the Archbishop of Reims as LOUIS IV "d’Outremer" King of the Franks. He asserted his autonomy from Hugues "le Grand", to whom he awarded the title dux francorum, by establishing himself with his mother at Laon in 937[370]. His reign was characterised by constant disputes with his nobles, in particular Hugues "le Grand", Héribert II Comte de Vermandois, Arnoul Count of Flanders and Guillaume "Longuespée" Comte [de Normandie]. Despite constant military activity, he only increased the territory directly held by the kings of France by the counties of Laon (captured in 938 from Héribert II Comte de Vermandois) and Reims. He also temporarily held Amiens and Ponthieu. Following a revolt in Lotharingia against Otto I "der Große" King of Germany, Louis was offered the crown of Lotharingia in 939 by Duke Giselbert. King Otto responded by raiding Frankish territory, allying himself with Hugues "le Grand", Héribert II Comte de Vermandois, Arnoul I Count of Flanders and Guillaume "Longuespée" Comte [de Normandie], and obliged King Louis to renounce Lotharingia. Héribert and Hugues besieged Reims, forcing the restoration of Héribert's son as archbishop, and besieged King Louis at Laon. After the murder of Guillaume "Longuespée" Comte [de Normandie], King Louis detained Richard his heir, but was held captive himself by the people of Rouen after Richard escaped. King Otto launched a revenge attack, but was defeated by the Normans. After Louis was released by Hugues "le Grand", he was transferred to the custody of Thibaut Comte de Blois who held him captive for a year in 945/46[371]. King Louis died after falling from his horse on his way from Reims to Laon[372].
m (end 939) as her second husband, GERBERGA of Germany, widow of GISELBERT Graf [im Maasgau] Duke of Lotharingia, daughter of HEINRICH I King of Germany & his second wife Mathilde von Ringelheim [Immedinger] (Nordhausen [913/14]-Reims 5 May 984, bur Abbaye de Reims). Liutprand states that the wife of "Gislebertum Lotharingorum ducem" was "regis sororem"[373]. Flodoard names her "Gerbergam" when recording her second marriage[374]. King Louis married her without the permission of her brother Otto I King of Germany, presumably to increase his hold on Lotharingia (which had been ruled by her first husband). She was active in the defence of Laon in 941 and ofReims in 946,accompanied her husband on expeditions to Aquitaine in 944 and Burgundy in 949, and was active during his period of imprisonment in 945/46[375]. An educated person, she commissioned from Adso of Moutier-en-Der the De ortuet tempore antichristi[376]. Her husband gave her the abbey of Notre-Dame de Laon in 951, taken from his mother on her second marriage. Abbess of Notre Dame de Soissons in 959[377]. "Gerberga…Francorumregina" donated "alodo…Marsnam incomitatu Masaugo"to Reims Saint-Rémy, confirmed by "comitibusEmmone et Ansfrido",for the souls of "senioris nostri piæ memoriæ Gisleberti suique…patris…et matris Rageneri et Albradæ", by charter dated 10 Feb 968, signed by "Arnulfi comitis…Emmonis comitis,Ansfridi comitis…"[378]. The necrology of Reims Saint-Rémi records the death "III Non Feb" of "Gerberga Francorum regina"[379].
King Louis IV & his wife had seven children