Louis II of Italy
Ludwig II (* 825, † August 12 875 at Brescia) was ( titular ) King of Italy from 839/840, King of Lombards from 844, Roman co-emperor from 850 and Emperor from 855
Life
Ludwig II was the eldest son of Emperor Lothar I from his marriage to Ermengarde of Tours. His father made him 839/840 a king of Italy. Pope Sergius II crowned him then on June 15, 844 to the king of the Lombards and Pope Leo IV crowned him on April 6, 850 for Roman ( co-) emperor.
In his father's abdication, 855 he received from his kingdom of Italy. The Roman Empire fell under him to a mere title down and had to renounce any authority over the other Frankish kingdoms. Even in Italy Muslim Arabs ( Saracens ) had his kingdom wrested from the south, such as Benevento, which was taken by storm in the year 841. After the Saracens had their devastating raids extended to the monasteries of Monte Cassino and San Vincenzo on the Volturno, called the abbots of both monasteries Ludwig II to help. This took 851/852 a campaign. But Bari could not be recaptured. The Dukes of Benevento and the monasteries had to be freed by tribute from the looting. In the years 866-871, the Emperor held without interruption in southern Italy. In the re-conquest of Bari in 871, where a Saracen emir had set, Ludwig received Byzantine naval support.
Although the alliance with the Byzantine Empire to the expulsion of the Saracens led to the conquest of Bari 871 and a victory over Islam in Italy, however, the two emperors fell out over the rank question. A response letter to Louis the Byzantine Emperor Basil I explained the circumstances, Basil wanted Ludwig not concede the title of Emperor Augustus. The Byzantine emperor went so far as to testify, Charlemagne had lawfully may not claim the imperial dignity.
After the childless death of his youngest brother Charles of Provence 863 he had shared with Lothar II Burgundy. As well as Lothar II, in whose favor he had 864 taken a train to Rome to force Pope Nicholas I to give way in his marriage dispute, 869 died without an heir, he did nothing to take the possession of the land, the his uncles Charles the Bald ( western France ) and Louis the German ( eastern kingdom ) fell to. Returning from an unsuccessful punitive expedition against Benevento to northern Italy, he died on 12 August 875, near Brescia. Because of his marriage to Engelberga emerged only two daughters, went out with him, the Italian branch of the Carolingians. The empire went over to the Bald Charles.
The two daughters are:
- Gisla (* probably 852/855, † before April 28 868 ), abbess of San Salvatore at Brescia
- Ermengarde (* probably 852/855, † 896 ), abbess of San Salvatore at Brescia