Louis IV of France (September 920-10 September 954), born Louis d'Outremer, was King of West Francia from 936 to 954, succeeding Rudolph of France and preceding Lothair of France.
Biography[]
Louis was born in September 920, the only son of Charles III of France and Eadgifu of Wessex. In 923, he took refuge in England with his mother when his father was dethroned, and the death of his father in 929 and the death of the Bosonid usurper Rudolph of France allowed for Louis to become King of West Francia in 936. In 939, an invasion of Lotharingia resulted in disaster, and Otto I of Germany retaliated by besieging Reims in 940. He again failed in his invasion of William I Longsword's lands in Normandy, and Hugh the Great kidnapped him, being released after the Synod of Ingelheim in 948, which resulted in his excommunication. He died in 954, and Lothair of France succeeded him.