Political culture
Geoffrey Koziol
Abstract In 754, three years after Pippin the Short had deposed last Merovingian to become king of Franks, Pope Stephen II levelled a curse good end time against any who would ever choose from outside ‘s line. Some 130 later, in face pressing Viking threat and mindful that four previous Carolingians proven themselves arrogant, incompetent, or simply fatally unlucky, northern magnates west Frankish kingdom did just that, overriding claims three-year-old Charles, great great-great-grandson Pippin, electing as Odo, count Paris margrave Neustria. Judging by next 300 history, God must have taken seriously, for Odo reign (888-98) begins sorry story. Civil wars treacheries followed an endless succession numbed even contemporaries. Alliances, truces, treaties were repudiated at first advantage. Kings imprisoned deposed, counts, bishops, court favourites assassinated, conspiracies intrigues abounded. The wonder it is Franks kept doing it, over over, centuries, swearing oaths they knew be broken, anointing kings conspire against, accepting safe conducts could violated.
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