Bosonids

Burgundian and Porvancal regions, ruled or claimed by various members of the Bosonid family during the 9th and 10th centuries

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  Lower Burgundy, with Provence

  Upper Burgundy

  Duchy of Burgundy

The Bosonids were a dynasty of Carolingian-era counts, dukes, bishops, kings and emperors descended from Boso the Elder and his wife Engeltrude. They married into the Carolingian dynasty and raised to power during the second half of the 9th century, consequently establishing their own rule in various Burgundian regions, including Provence, and also in northern Italy.

The first great scion of the dynasty was Boso, count of Arles and of other Burgundian counties in the mid-9th 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 the Stammerer, Boso refused to recognise Louis' 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 Emperor Charles the Fat. He died in 887 and was succeeded by his son, Louis the Blind, under the regency of his wife Ermengard, a daughter of the Emperor Louis II.

Louis was adopted by Charles the Fat 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 on to power there.

Genealogy

Bosonids, Bivinids and their relatives, with the names of kings and emperors bolded.

Boso the Elder Engeltrude Louis II of Italy emperor Richildis (wife of Bivin of Gorze) Teutberga queen of Lotharingia Lothair II king of Lotharingia Waldrada mistress, later wife Hucbert count of Valois Boso count in Italy Ermengard of Italy queen of Provence Boso king of Provence Richildis empress Richard the Justiciar duke of Burgundy Bertha of Lotharingia countess of Arles Theobald count of Arles Engelberga Louis the Blind emperor Rudolph king of Western Francia Hugh the Black Hugh of Italy king of Italy Boso margrave of Tuscany Charles Constantine count of Vienne Lothair II of Italy king of Italy Adelaide of Italy Hubert duke of Spoleto Bertha-Eudokia Romanos II Byzantine emperor Willa queen of Italy Berengar II of Italy king of Italy Emma of Italy queen of West Francia Lothair of France king of West Francia Hugh of Tuscany margrave of Tuscany Adalbert of Italy king of Italy Rozala of Italy queen of West Francia Louis V of France last Carolingian king of West Francia

Sources

• Bouchard, Constance B. (1988). "The Bosonids or Rising to Power in the Late Carolingian Age". French Historical Studies. 15 (3): 407–431.
• Bouchard, Constance B. (1999). "Burgundy and Provence, 879–1032". The New Cambridge Medieval History. Vol. 3. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 328–345.
• Bouchard, Constance B. (2001). Those of My Blood: Creating Noble Families in Medieval Francia. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
• MacLean, Simon (2001). "The Carolingian response to the revolt of Boso, 879–887". French Historical Studies. 10 (1): 21–48.
• MacLean, Simon (2003). Kingship and Politics in the Late Ninth Century: Charles the Fat and the end of the Carolingian Empire. New York: Cambridge University Press.
• McKitterick, Rosamond (1983). The Frankish Kingdoms Under the Carolingians, 751-987. Harlow: Longman.
• Riché, Pierre (1993). The Carolingians: A Family Who Forged Europe. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.