OCR Specification focus:
‘Divisio, death of his sons and role of Louis.’
The Divisio of 806, the deaths of Charlemagne’s elder sons, and Louis’s inheritance shaped succession planning and the stability of the Carolingian Empire.
The Divisio of 806
In 806, Charlemagne issued the Divisio Regnorum (Division of the Kingdoms), a crucial document outlining how his empire would be divided among his three surviving sons: Charles the Younger, Pepin of Italy, and Louis of Aquitaine.
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Image: insert image from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carte_de_l%27empire_de_Charlemagne_apr%C3%A8s_le_partage_de_806_(Auguste_Longnon,_1876).jpg
Identification: Antique, colour-washed historical map with French title and legend, showing three shaded regions for Charlemagne’s sons. Caption on page: “Carte de l'empire de Charlemagne après le partage de 806 dressée par Auguste Longnon, 1876.” Position: primary image directly under the file title.
Caption: Map of Charlemagne’s empire as divided in the Divisio Regnorum (806), showing intended territories for Charles the Younger, Pepin of Italy, and Louis of Aquitaine.
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The Divisio was designed to prevent disputes by allocating separate territories but maintaining unity under Carolingian leadership. It reflected both Roman and Frankish traditions of inheritance.
Provisions of the Divisio
Charles the Younger: the Frankish heartlands, including Austrasia, Neustria, and Saxony.
Pepin of Italy: Lombardy, Bavaria, and associated territories in Italy.
Louis of Aquitaine: Aquitaine, Provence, and Septimania.
Imperial unity was to be symbolised by continued allegiance to their father and the Christian mission.
The Divisio showed Charlemagne’s awareness of the dangers of civil war, recalling the violent Merovingian partitions of the past.
Divisio Regnorum: The succession plan of 806 dividing Charlemagne’s empire among his sons, aiming to preserve unity while avoiding inheritance disputes.
While Charlemagne hoped to balance division with continuity, the plan ultimately failed because of unforeseen deaths.
Deaths of Charlemagne’s Sons
The effectiveness of the Divisio was undermined by the premature deaths of Charlemagne’s elder sons.
Pepin of Italy died in 810.
Charles the Younger died in 811.
This left Louis of Aquitaine as the sole surviving legitimate son by 813. With no rivals, he was elevated as heir and later crowned co-emperor.
The deaths dramatically simplified succession but created challenges:
The empire would pass undivided to one heir.
Regional elites who had been aligned with Pepin or Charles lost influence.
Tensions over aristocratic loyalties persisted, laying seeds for later instability.
Primogeniture: A system of inheritance where the eldest son receives the entirety of a father’s estate. The Carolingians instead used partition, dividing lands among sons.
This shows how Charlemagne’s intentions to avoid disputes conflicted with Frankish custom and dynastic realities.
Role of Louis the Pious
With the deaths of his brothers, Louis of Aquitaine became Charlemagne’s only heir. His role expanded from regional ruler to imperial successor.
Preparation for Rule
In 813, Charlemagne summoned Louis to Aachen.
He crowned him co-emperor in a symbolic ceremony, ensuring recognition by nobles and clergy.
This act was unusual, as normally the pope performed coronations; Charlemagne bypassed papal involvement, asserting imperial autonomy.
Characteristics of Louis’s Inheritance
Louis inherited the entire empire, not a divided portion.
The Christian mission of empire, emphasised by Charlemagne, became central to Louis’s reign.
Louis’s piety and reformist tendencies earned him the epithet “the Pious”.
However, Louis faced immense challenges in maintaining cohesion, as aristocratic rivalries and dynastic disputes resurfaced after Charlemagne’s death in 814.
Broader Implications of the Divisio
Although the Divisio of 806 was overtaken by events, it remains historically significant for what it reveals about Carolingian governance and attitudes towards succession.
Reflections on Carolingian Rule
Imperial vision: The Divisio highlighted Charlemagne’s attempt to combine Frankish inheritance customs with the unity of a Christian empire.
Fragility of dynastic plans: Mortality rates among rulers meant carefully crafted plans could collapse quickly.
Legacy of unity vs. division: Though Louis inherited an undivided empire, his later reign saw renewed partition and conflict among his own sons.
Historical Consequences
The Divisio became a template for later Carolingian partitions, showing both ambition and weakness.
The deaths of Charles and Pepin made Louis’s accession smooth, but aristocratic loyalties became fragmented.
Louis’s reliance on the Church and his reformist policies stemmed partly from inheriting an empire without brotherly rivals, but with internal divisions unresolved.
Key Themes for Study
The Divisio Regnorum demonstrates the tension between unity and division in Carolingian succession planning.
The deaths of heirs reshaped dynastic politics, leaving Louis as sole successor.
The role of Louis illustrates continuity of the Carolingian imperial project but foreshadows later difficulties in maintaining cohesion.
By 814, Charlemagne’s empire passed intact to Louis the Pious, yet the Divisio of 806 reminds historians of the inherent instability of dynastic succession.
Map of the Carolingian Empire in 814, inherited intact by Louis the Pious. Borders are generalised but provide clear context for the empire’s territorial extent. Source
FAQ
Charlemagne followed Frankish custom, which traditionally divided lands among multiple heirs rather than awarding everything to the eldest son. This aimed to prevent rivalry by giving each son a share.
However, Charlemagne added a unifying element by stressing loyalty to the Christian mission and to himself as emperor. This hybrid system reflected both practical politics and his vision of a Christian empire.
The Merovingian dynasty frequently divided territories between sons, which often led to internal wars. Charlemagne knew of these failures and tried to avoid them.
Unlike the Merovingians, he emphasised unity through shared Christian identity and required his sons to uphold imperial cohesion. His document was therefore both traditional and innovative.
Aristocrats were crucial in enforcing the succession plan because they managed local power structures. Their support ensured smooth transitions.
Aristocrats tied their fortunes to specific princes, strengthening loyalty networks.
With the deaths of Pepin and Charles, these networks collapsed, forcing elites to realign with Louis.
This disruption contributed to instability in the later empire.
Charlemagne crowned Louis co-emperor to secure recognition while he was still alive. This reduced the risk of dispute after his death.
By bypassing the pope, Charlemagne reinforced his independence from Rome and set a precedent that the emperor could transmit authority directly. This moment reflected both dynastic necessity and political calculation.
Although Louis inherited the empire undivided, he internalised the logic of partition.
He later divided his empire among his sons in the Ordinatio Imperii (817).
This shows continuity with Charlemagne’s attempt to balance unity with division.
Louis’s experience as sole heir shaped his reliance on the Church as a stabilising force.
Practice Questions
Question 1 (2 marks)
In what year did Charlemagne issue the Divisio Regnorum and what was its main purpose?
Mark Scheme:
1 mark for correctly stating the year: 806.
1 mark for correctly stating the main purpose: to divide Charlemagne’s empire among his sons while preserving overall unity.
Question 2 (6 marks)
Explain how the deaths of Charlemagne’s sons affected the succession arrangements set out in the Divisio Regnorum.
Mark Scheme:
Up to 2 marks for identifying the deaths:
Pepin of Italy died in 810.
Charles the Younger died in 811.
Up to 2 marks for explaining the effect on succession:
With their deaths, Louis of Aquitaine was left as the sole legitimate heir by 813.
Up to 2 marks for wider impact:
Simplification of succession as the empire passed intact to Louis (1 mark).
However, aristocratic loyalties tied to Pepin and Charles were disrupted, creating future tensions (1 mark).
