Carolingian Fathers and Sons in Italy
Elina Screen
Successive Carolingian rulers found managing the relationship with their adult sons challenging. The father-son between Lothar I and his oldest son, Louis II, offers a valuable perspective on forces at work in relationships senior junior more widely, as well specific challenges involved ruling Italy from Francia. While our sources generally emphasize obedience to father, successful partnerships also had reciprocal elements, effort both sides. II seem have maintained stable productive 840 Lothar’s death 855. Public affirmation of partnership father gradual delegation power absence key triggers for rebellion, such direct threat II’s position, help account this success. A tight-knit lay ecclesiastical elite that spanned courts helped stabilize relationship. When positive factors assisting father’s control were absent, negative prompting rebellion part son present, could did go awry, Pious’s case.
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