Lothaire II of Lotharingia (836-8 August 869) was the king of Lotharingia from 855 to 869, succeeding Lothaire of Italy and preceding Louis II of Italy and Charles II of West Francia.
Biography[]
Lothaire II of Lotharingia was born in 836 to Lothaire of Italy and Ermengarde of Tours, and was a Christian of the House of Karling. Lothaire was wedded to Teutberga, daughter of Count Boso the Elder of Valois by his father for political reasons. After his father's death, Lothaire inherited the Middle Francia territory west of the Rhine, which became known as Lotharingia. When his brother Charles of Provence died in 863, he added Provence to his empire. Aside from a few expeditions against Norman pirates, he did little for its government or its defense.
Lothaire was faced with an issue when he found out that Teutberga was unable to bear children. He wanted to annul his marriage, but his brothers had different opinions; Louis II of Italy supported it and Charles II of West Francia opposed it, bearing in mind that they would most likely inherit his lands if he could not have children. When he put away his wife for his mistress Waldrada, his brother-in-law Hucbert took up arms on his sister's behlaf, and when she submitted successfully to the "ordeal of cold water", he was forced to restore her in 858. However, he ceded some lands to Louis to win his support for his divorce and had the consent of the local clergy to divorce Teutberga for Waldrada. In 863 a church council at Metz confirmed his decision, but Teutberga fled to the court of Charles II of West Francia (Lothaire's brother and enemy), and Pope Nicholas I annulled the decision of the council. In 865 Lothaire was threatened with excommunication, so he again took back his wife. However, his wife eventually wanted a divorce, so Lothaire went to Rome with her, and Pope Adrian II agreed to divorce them. However, Lothaire died on the return journey at Piacenza on 8 August 869. Because his son Hugh was illegitimate, Lothaire's lands were divided between Louis II and Charles II.