two of the reasons he was denied the throne. Charles made war on Hugh, even taking Rheims and Laon. However, on Maundy Thursday (26 March) 991, he was captured, through the perfidy of the Bishop Adalberon, and was imprisoned by Hugh in Orléans. He was succeeded as Duke of Lower Lorraine by his son Otto. There is uncertainty over the date and place of Charles's death. The necrology of the diocese of Liège dates Charles's death to 22 June without specifying the year. Sigebert of Gembloux records it under the year 991, but he may have confused it with his capture, since two documents of January 992 seem to imply that Charles was still alive. One was dated by a supporter to the fifth year of "Charles king in waiting" (sperante Karolo rege), the other is dated by Hugh's reign, "Charles being thrown in prison" (Karolo trusus in carcere). He must have been dead by 995, when Adalberon and Count Odo of Blois tried to install his son Louis on the throne. His death is sometimes placed in Orléans, but this is pure conjecture. The Historia Francorum Senonensis, written between 1015 and 1034, propagated the view that Charles was the rightful king in 987 and Hugh a usurper. In 1666, the lead sarcophagus of Charles was discovered in the Basilica of Saint Servatius in Maastricht with an inscription bearing the date 1001. This appears to be the date of his interment in Maastricht, however, and not of his death. Probably his son Otto had his body moved. While the sarcophagus remains, the original inscription has been lost. Family In 970 Charles married Adelaide of Troyes. Together he and Adelaide had: Otto, succeeded as Duke of Lower Lotharingia Ermengarde, who married Albert I, Count of Namur Gerberga of Lower Lorraine (b. 975–1018), who married Lambert I, Count of Louvain Louis ( 989 – aft. 993) Charles (b. 989) References Sources Further reading Gwatkin, H. M., Whitney, J. P. (ed.) et al. The Cambridge Medieval History: Volume III. Cambridge University Press, 1926. 953 births 990s deaths People from Laon Dukes of Lower Lorraine Burials at the Basilica of Saint Servatius Sons of kings