Battle of Toulouse (844)

Battle of Toulouse
	Part of Carolingian Civil War
Date	844
Location	Tolosa,Gallia NarbonensisI (modernToulouse,France)43°36′16″N1°26′38″E/ 43.6045°N 1.444°E
Result	Frankish defeat
Belligerents
West Francia	Kingdom of Aquitaine
Commanders and leaders
Charles the Bald	Pepin II of Aquitaine
Strength
Unknown	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown

TheBattle of Toulousein 844 was part of the campaign byCharles the Baldin Aquitaine to force the submission ofPepin II of Aquitaine,the rebellious son of Pepin, the half-brother of Charles. The historical context of this battle is the three-yearCarolingian civil war,culminating in theBattle of Fontenay-en-Puisayein 841. Here Charles andLouis the Germandefeated their brotherLothair I,who retreated to the south with his army.

A key player in this intrigue wasBernard of Septimania,Count of Barcelona, who remained outside the battle awaiting its result, upon which he sent his sonWilliam of Septimaniato offer homage to Charles and to promise him that his father would obtain the submission of Charles’ nephew Pepin II, who was claiming to rule Aquitaine. It seems that Bernard had no intention of keeping this last promise.

During Charles’ campaign in Aquitaine of 842, he decided to punish Bernard, dispossessing him of the county of Toulouse in favor ofAcfred, Count of Toulouse.Bernard refused to accept the decision and revolted, openly allying himself to Pepin II and expelling Acfred from Toulouse in 843. Charles responded by sendingGuerin, Duke of Provence,to direct the 842 campaign in Aquitaine against Bernard.

Renewed Viking invasions and Breton raids compelled an end to the internal civil struggles afflicting the empire and, in August 843, theTreaty of Verdunwas signed between Charles, Louis, and Lothair. Septimania and Gothia were left in the hands of Charles. The county of Uzès, where Bernard still possessed estates, was assigned to Lothair. Furthermore, the county of Autun, which had long been lost to Bernard, and to which his son had renewed a claim, was given to Guerin.

In 844, Charles returned to Aquitaine with the objective of forcing Pepin II to submit and conquering Toulouse. Bernard was captured by the royal forces during the assault on Toulouse. In May 844, Bernard was presented to Charles, who ordered his execution.Ekkehard, Count of Hesbaye,and two of his sons were killed in the battle.

The Frankish troops were beaten by the Aquitanians near the river Agout and were forced to retreat without significant accomplishments. However, Pepin’s allyNominoë, Duke of Brittany,refused to submit, and eventually defeated Charles in theBattle of Ballonon 22 November 845.^[1]

Sources

Reuter, Timothy (Translator),The Annals of Fulda,Manchester University Press, Manchester, 1992
Lewis, Archibald R.,The Dukes in the Regnum Francorum, A.D. 550-751,Speculum 51.3,^[2]July 1976
Bury, J. B. (Editor),The Cambridge Medieval History, Volume III: Germany and the Western Empire,^[3]Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1922

References

^Bury, J. B. (1922).The Cambridge Medieval History, Volume III: Germany and the Western Empire.Manchester: Manchester University Press. p. 31.
^Lewis, A. (1976).The Dukes in the Regnum Francorum, A.D. 550-751.Speculum, 51(3), 381-410
^Brooke, Z. N. (Zachary Nugent)., Previté-Orton, C. W. (Charles William)., Tanner, J. R. (Joseph Robson)., Whitney, J. Pounder., Gwatkin, H. Melvill., Bury, J. B. (John Bagnell). (19111936).The Cambridge medieval history.New York: Macmillan.

[1] Bury, J. B. (1922).The Cambridge Medieval History, Volume III: Germany and the Western Empire.Manchester: Manchester University Press. p. 31.

[2] Lewis, A. (1976).The Dukes in the Regnum Francorum, A.D. 550-751.Speculum, 51(3), 381-410

[3] Brooke, Z. N. (Zachary Nugent)., Previté-Orton, C. W. (Charles William)., Tanner, J. R. (Joseph Robson)., Whitney, J. Pounder., Gwatkin, H. Melvill., Bury, J. B. (John Bagnell). (19111936).The Cambridge medieval history.New York: Macmillan.

[1]

[2]

[3]