Episode 2: From Kingdom to Duchy

Posted byJosh ZuckerPosted inUncategorized

In this episode we’re covering the centuries between King Clothair’s conquest of the Kingdom of Burgundy and King Robert II’s conquest of the Duchy of Burgundy. A lot changed in that period and we’re going to look at the decline of the Merovingians, the rise and fall of the Carolingians, the rise of Feudalism, some of the big events of Frankish History, and how Burgundy became a Duchy. I hope you’ll join me!

Time Period Covered: 561 – 1016

Notable People: Pepin de Herstal, Charles Martell, Lothar I, Richard the Justiciar, Hugh the Great, King Robert II

Notable Events: Battle of Tertry, Battle of Tours, Treaty of Verdun, Capitularies of Charles the Bald, Viking Raids in France

In this map we can see how the Treaty of Verdun split Charlemagne’s empire into three pieces. However, that would not last long, after the death of Lothar I and his sons, Lothar’s brothers would split Middle Francia between them.
Here we can see the old Burgundian Kingdom split into three parts (just like the Frankish kingdom!). Burgundia became the Duchy of Burgundy in West Francia, the County of Burgundy in Middle Francia, and the County of Provence/Arles also in Middle Francia. The County of Provence was briefly the Kingdom of Provence under the usurper Boso of Provence, the brother of the first Duke of Burgundy.

Sources

Medieval Europe by Chris Wickham

The Course of French History by Pierre Goubert

The Golden Age of Burgundy by Joseph Calmette

The Burgundians by Bart Van Loo

Lotharingia by Simon Winder

French Rural History by Marc Bloch

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