Sustaining the Carolingian empire: politics and government, 840–888
Marios Costambeys|Matthew Innes|Simon MacLean
The deposition of Louis the Pious in 833 was neither, we have seen, definitive disaster emperor's own reign nor Carolingian empire writ large. Still, Frankish political community unmistakably shocked. main protagonists harboured anxieties about what they had done: a letter 847, emperor Lothar reflected almost disbelievingly on that time conflict between him and his brothers as ‘the work Devil through agents’. But even traumas early 830s were eclipsed psyche by three years bloody civil war which followed death 840. Once again, sons at heart matter. A loose alliance Charles Bald German teamed up against Pippin II Aquitaine (the kings’ nephew who hoping to dislodge from south-west claim kingdom father I, died 838). As their armies ceaselessly roamed game armed chess whose top prize control heartlands north, long series stand-offs skirmishes peaked battle Fontenoy June 841. (See Map 14 for places mentioned this chapter.) man called Engelbert, fought Lothar's side, later wrote poem lamenting extreme violence horrifying implications battle: ‘No slaughter ever worse any field war…This is not worthy praise, fit be sung.’
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