Carloman

▪ king of Bavaria

born c. 830

died , March or September 880, probably in Altötting, Ger.

      eldest son of Louis II the German (Louis II) and Emma and father of the emperor Arnulf. Appointed by his father to govern the eastern frontier of Bavaria, Carloman rebelled against his father in 861 and in 862–863; nevertheless, in 865 he was entrusted with a share in Louis's authority, being granted jurisdiction over Bavaria and Carinthia. After this he remained loyal to his father, even helping to suppress the rebellion of his two younger brothers (866) and taking part in a campaign against the Moravians (869). The latter by 874 were forced to admit Frankish supremacy. After the death of the emperor Louis II (875), a faction in northern Italy favoured Carloman as candidate for the imperial crown; but Pope John VIII preferred Charles II the Bald. When Louis the German died (876), Carloman succeeded him as king of some of the German territories. In undisputed control of Bavaria, he promptly crossed the Alps on the death of Charles the Bald (877) and was recognized as king in northern Italy. The Pope, however, still refused him the imperial crown. Falling ill, Carloman had to renounce his northern lands and titles to his brother Louis III the Younger. His illegitimate son Arnulf became emperor in 896.

▪ king of France [died 884]

died Dec. 12, 884

      second son of Louis II and king of France or the West Franks (882–884). On Louis II's death (879) Carloman was associated with his brother Louis III as king of the West Franks, but both, as the children of a first marriage that had been unacceptable to their grandfather Charles the Bald, had difficulty in obtaining recognition. On Louis's death (882) Carloman became sole ruler. He died while hunting.

▪ king of the Franks [715-754]

born c. 715

died Aug. 17, 754

      Frankish prince, son of Charles Martel and brother of Pippin III the Short.

      After inheriting Austrasia, Alemannia, Thuringia, and the suzerainty of Bavaria from his father (Charles Martel), Carloman fought alone and with his brother to suppress external enemies and rebellious subjects. Concerned with reform of the church, he called on St. Boniface (Boniface, Saint) for help and in 742 summoned the first Frankish council in nearly 50 years; in 743 the Synod of Estinnes regulated the problem of church lands seized by Charles Martel and granted out to his vassals.

      Carloman abandoned the secular life, becoming a monk first at Monte Soratte, later at Monte Cassino, in Italy.

▪ king of the Franks [751-771]

born 751

died Dec. 4, 771, Samoussy, France

      the younger brother of Charlemagne, with whom, at the instance of their father, Pippin III the Short, he was anointed king of the Franks in 754 by Pope Stephen II (or III) in the abbey of Saint-Denis. Carloman inherited the eastern part of Pippin's lands (768). He favoured alliance with the Lombards and married Gerberga, a daughter of their king, Desiderius. When Carloman died, Charlemagne annexed his territory and became sole ruler of the Frankish empire.

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