Bosonid dynasty
Encyclopedia
The Bosonids were a dynasty
that have been named in modern times by their descent from Boso the Elder
. "Bosonids" produced counts, dukes, bishops, and knights during the Carolingian age. Eventually they married into the royal Carolingian family and even produced kings and an emperor of the Frankish Empire.
The first great scion of the dynasty was Boso V
, Count of Arles and of 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 Charles' sons, Carloman
and Louis III
as kings of France and proclaimed himself King of Provence in 879
at Vienne
, with the support of the nobility. 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 was succeeded by his son Louis
under the regency of his wife Ermengard
, 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.
Dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire...
that have been named in modern times by their descent from Boso the Elder
Boso the Elder
Boso the Elder was a Frank from the Bosonid dynasty. He was married to Engeltrude and died around 855. His family, the Bosonids were a dynasty of Franks that produced counts, dukes, abbots and bishops during the Carolingian Age...
. "Bosonids" produced counts, dukes, bishops, and knights during the Carolingian age. Eventually they married into the royal Carolingian family and even produced kings and an emperor of the Frankish Empire.
The first great scion of the dynasty was Boso V
Boso of Provence
Boso was a Frankish nobleman from the Bosonid-family, who was related to the Carolingian dynasty, who rose to become King of Provence ....
, Count of Arles and of other Burgundian
Burgundians
The Burgundians were an East Germanic tribe which may have emigrated from mainland Scandinavia to the island of Bornholm, whose old form in Old Norse still was Burgundarholmr , and from there to mainland Europe...
counties in the mid-ninth century. Boso rose in favour as a courtier of Charles the Bald
Charles the Bald
Charles the Bald , Holy Roman Emperor and King of West Francia , was the youngest son of the Emperor Louis the Pious by his second wife Judith.-Struggle against his brothers:He was born on 13 June 823 in Frankfurt, when his elder...
. He was even appointed viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
in Italy in 875. After the death of Charles' son Louis II, Boso refused to recognise both Charles' sons, Carloman
Carloman of France
Carloman II , King of Western Francia, was the youngest son of King Louis the Stammerer and Ansgarde of Burgundy, and became king, jointly with his brother Louis III of France, on his father's death in 879....
and Louis III
Louis III of France
Louis III was the King of France, still then called West Francia, from 879 until his death. The second son of Louis the Stammerer and his first wife, Ansgarde, he succeeded his father to reign jointly with his younger brother Carloman II, who became sole ruler on Louis's death...
as kings of France and proclaimed himself King of Provence in 879
879
Year 879 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Pope John VIII recognizes the Duchy of Croatia as an independent state....
at Vienne
Vienne, Isère
Vienne is a commune in south-eastern France, located south of Lyon, on the Rhône River. It is the second largest city after Grenoble in the Isère department, of which it is a subprefecture. The city's population was of 29,400 as of the 2001 census....
, with the support of the nobility. Boso strove throughout the rest of his life to maintain his title in the face of the Emperor Charles III. He died in 887
887
Year 887 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The city of Toledo rises against the Umayyad leader....
and was succeeded by his son Louis
Louis the Blind
Louis the Blind was the king of Provence from January 11, 887, King of Italy from October 12, 900, and briefly Holy Roman Emperor, as Louis III, between 901 and 905. He was the son of Boso, the usurper king of Provence, and Ermengard, a daughter of the Emperor Louis II. Through his father, he was...
under the regency of his wife Ermengard
Ermengard of Provence
Ermengard was the only surviving daughter of Louis II, Holy Roman Emperor. In 876, she married Boso, from the Bosonid, Count of Vienne, who declared himself King of Provence in 879....
, 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
Carolingian
The Carolingian dynasty was a Frankish noble family with origins in the Arnulfing and Pippinid clans of the 7th century AD. The name "Carolingian", Medieval Latin karolingi, an altered form of an unattested Old High German *karling, kerling The Carolingian dynasty (known variously as the...
relatives on the imperial and Italian thrones in 900
900
Year 900 was a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* April 21 – Namwaran and his children, Lady Angkatan and Bukah, are granted pardon by the Datu of Tondo, as represented Jayadewa, Lord Minister of Pila, which released them of all their debts as inscribed in the...
. He was crowned in Pavia
Pavia
Pavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
and then in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, but could not actually hold onto power there.
Boso the Elder's branch
- Boso the ElderBoso the ElderBoso the Elder was a Frank from the Bosonid dynasty. He was married to Engeltrude and died around 855. His family, the Bosonids were a dynasty of Franks that produced counts, dukes, abbots and bishops during the Carolingian Age...
- daughter, possibly named Richildis, married to Bivin of GorzeBivin of GorzeBivin of Gorze was a Frank from the Bosonid-family. He was married to a daughter of Boso the Elder, who may have been called Richildis. During his life he functioned as lay abbot of the Gorze Abbey...
; for offspring see his branch - Boso, count in Italy
- TeutbergaTeutbergaTeutberga was a Frank and daughter of Boso the Elder. Therefore she was a Bosonid. She married Lothair II, a prince of the Carolingian dynasty, the imperial family of Francia...
, married to Lothar II - HucbertHucbertHucbert was a Frank and son of Boso the Elder. Therefore he was a Bosonid. His sister was Teutberga, who married Lothair II, a prince of the Carolingian dynasty, the imperial family of Francia...
, lay abbot of St-Maurice-in-Valais- Theobald of ArlesTheobald of ArlesTheobald, count of Arles, was a Frank from the Bosonid-family. He was son of Hucbert and he married Bertha - an illegitimate daughter of Lothair II, King of Lotharingia - that was renowned for her beauty and spirit. They had two sons Hugh of Italy and Boso of Tuscany. Theobald died in 925....
, married to BerthaBertha, daughter of Lothair IIBertha was the second illegitimate daughter of Lothair II, King of Lotharingia, by his concubine Waldrada. She was renowned to be beautiful, spirited, and courageous. Ambition, coupled with her influence, involved her husbands in many wars....
, daughter of Lothar II and Waldrada- Hugh of Arles, king of Italy
- LothairLothair II of ItalyLothair II , often Lothair of Arles, was the King of Italy from 948 to his death. He was of the noble Frankish lineage of the Bosonids, descended from Boso the Elder...
, king of Italy
- Lothair
- Hugh of Arles, king of Italy
- Theobald of Arles
- daughter, possibly named Richildis, married to Bivin of Gorze
Bivin of Gorze's branch
- Richard, count of Amiens
- Richard
- Bivin of GorzeBivin of GorzeBivin of Gorze was a Frank from the Bosonid-family. He was married to a daughter of Boso the Elder, who may have been called Richildis. During his life he functioned as lay abbot of the Gorze Abbey...
, married to a daughter of Boso the ElderBoso the ElderBoso the Elder was a Frank from the Bosonid dynasty. He was married to Engeltrude and died around 855. His family, the Bosonids were a dynasty of Franks that produced counts, dukes, abbots and bishops during the Carolingian Age...
, possibly named Richildis- Richard the Justiciar, Duke of Burgundy, first married to Adelaida of Auxerre
- RudolfRudolph of FranceRudolph was the Duke of Burgundy between 921 and 923 and King of Western Francia from thereafter to his death. Rudolph inherited the duchy of Burgundy from his father, Richard the Justiciar...
, Duke Burgundy, King of France, married Emma of Paris- Louis
- Judith
- Hugh the Black, Duke of Burgundy
- daughter or sister of Hugh the Black? Married to Gilbert of Burgundy
- Adelaida, surnamed Werra, married to Robert of Meaux
- Liegardis, married Odo, son of Hugh the GreatHugh the GreatHugh the Great or Hugues le Grand was duke of the Franks and count of Paris, son of King Robert I of France and nephew of King Odo. He was born in Paris, Île-de-France, France. His eldest son was Hugh Capet who became King of France in 987...
- daughter or sister of Hugh the Black? Married to Gilbert of Burgundy
- Boso, count, married Bertha
- Gibuin, count of Dijon; from a second marriage
- Hugo, count of Dijon
- Richard, count of Dijon
- Hugo, count
- Gibuin, bishop of Chalon
- Odo
- Hugo, count of Dijon
- Rudolf
- RichildisRichilde of ProvenceRichilde of the Ardennes was the second consort of Charles the Bald, King and Emperor of the Franks. By her marriage, she became Queen of the West Franks, and then Empress of the Franks...
, married to Charles the BaldCharles the BaldCharles the Bald , Holy Roman Emperor and King of West Francia , was the youngest son of the Emperor Louis the Pious by his second wife Judith.-Struggle against his brothers:He was born on 13 June 823 in Frankfurt, when his elder... - ? possibly Bivin, count of Metz?
- BosoBoso of ProvenceBoso was a Frankish nobleman from the Bosonid-family, who was related to the Carolingian dynasty, who rose to become King of Provence ....
, count of Vienne, king of the Provence, married secondly to ErmengardErmengard of ProvenceErmengard was the only surviving daughter of Louis II, Holy Roman Emperor. In 876, she married Boso, from the Bosonid, Count of Vienne, who declared himself King of Provence in 879....
, daughter of Louis IILouis II, Holy Roman EmperorLouis II the Younger was the King of Italy and Roman Emperor from 844, co-ruling with his father Lothair I until 855, after which he ruled alone. Louis's usual title was imperator augustus , but he used imperator Romanorum after his conquest of Bari in 871, which led to poor relations with Byzantium...
- Louis the BlindLouis the BlindLouis the Blind was the king of Provence from January 11, 887, King of Italy from October 12, 900, and briefly Holy Roman Emperor, as Louis III, between 901 and 905. He was the son of Boso, the usurper king of Provence, and Ermengard, a daughter of the Emperor Louis II. Through his father, he was...
- Carolus Constantinus, count of Vienne, married Theoberga of Sens
- Hugobert
- Richard
- (perhaps) Constantia, married Boso II of Arles
- Carolus Constantinus, count of Vienne, married Theoberga of Sens
- Engelberga, married to William the PiousWilliam I of AquitaineWilliam I , called the Pious, was the Count of Auvergne from 886 and Duke of Aquitaine from 893, succeeding the Poitevin ruler Ebalus Manser. He made numerous monastic foundations, most important among them the foundation of Cluny Abbey on 11 September 910.William was the son of Bernard II of...
, duke of Aquitaine
- Louis the Blind
- Richard the Justiciar, Duke of Burgundy, first married to Adelaida of Auxerre
Further reading
- Constance B. Bouchard, "The Bosonids or Rising to Power in the Late Carolingian Age" French Historical Studies 15.3 (Spring 1988), pp. 407-431.
Sources
- Christian SettipaniChristian SettipaniChristian Settipani is the Technical Director of an IT company in Paris and a genealogist and historian.He has a Master of Advanced Studies degree from the Paris-Sorbonne University and is currently preparing his doctoral thesis, while he often gives lectures to students undergraduates at the...
, La Préhistoire des Capétiens, Premiere Partie: Mérovigiens, Carolingiens et Robertiens. - Pierre Riché, The Carolingians, a family who forged Europe.