Charles was the son of Louis I "The Pious" Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and his second wife, Judith of Bavaria. Charles was a grandson of the famous Charlemagne, whose lands would be fought over for centuries.
Charles was the husband of Ermentrude, daughter of Odo I, Count of Orléans. They married in 842, and they had the following children, most of whom married into or became royalty:
* Judith, wife of Ethelwulf of Wessex, stepson Ethelbald of Wessex and Baldwin I of Flanders. 844–870
* Louis the Stammerer 846–879
* Charles the Child 847–866
* Lothar the Lame, Abbot of Saint-Germain 848–866
* Carloman 849–876
* Rotrud, Abbess of Saint-Radegunde 852–912
* Ermentrud, Abbess of Hasnon 854–877
* Hildegard born 856, died young
* Gisela 857–874
* Godehilde 864-907
Ermentrude died in 869, and Charles married a second time to Richilde, the daughter of Budwine Count of Italy and Richildis of Arles of Lorraine. They married in 870 and had five more children:
* Rothild, wife of Hugues, Count of Bourges and Roger, Count of Maine 871–929
* Drogo 872–873
* Pippin 873–874
* Son, born and died 875
* Charles 876–877
Charles was not bald, he was so hairy he would have been an easy target. It is thought the nickname is satirical.
Charles spent most of his life and career fighting his brothers, Lothair, Pepin and Louis for power and land conquered by his grandfather.
When Pope John VIII was being attacked by the Saracens, and called for help, his brother, Louis the German, arrived first. Charles turned about only to become ill on the trip back to Gaul. Charles died while crossing the pass of Mont Cenis at Brides-les-Bains, and was quickly buried at the nearby abbey of Nantua, Burgundy in France as his attendants were no longer able to tolerate the stench of his decaying corpse. Records state he was later transferred to the Basilique Saint-Denis where his memorial brass was melted down at the Revolution.
Charles was the son of Louis I "The Pious" Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and his second wife, Judith of Bavaria. Charles was a grandson of the famous Charlemagne, whose lands would be fought over for centuries.
Charles was the husband of Ermentrude, daughter of Odo I, Count of Orléans. They married in 842, and they had the following children, most of whom married into or became royalty:
* Judith, wife of Ethelwulf of Wessex, stepson Ethelbald of Wessex and Baldwin I of Flanders. 844–870
* Louis the Stammerer 846–879
* Charles the Child 847–866
* Lothar the Lame, Abbot of Saint-Germain 848–866
* Carloman 849–876
* Rotrud, Abbess of Saint-Radegunde 852–912
* Ermentrud, Abbess of Hasnon 854–877
* Hildegard born 856, died young
* Gisela 857–874
* Godehilde 864-907
Ermentrude died in 869, and Charles married a second time to Richilde, the daughter of Budwine Count of Italy and Richildis of Arles of Lorraine. They married in 870 and had five more children:
* Rothild, wife of Hugues, Count of Bourges and Roger, Count of Maine 871–929
* Drogo 872–873
* Pippin 873–874
* Son, born and died 875
* Charles 876–877
Charles was not bald, he was so hairy he would have been an easy target. It is thought the nickname is satirical.
Charles spent most of his life and career fighting his brothers, Lothair, Pepin and Louis for power and land conquered by his grandfather.
When Pope John VIII was being attacked by the Saracens, and called for help, his brother, Louis the German, arrived first. Charles turned about only to become ill on the trip back to Gaul. Charles died while crossing the pass of Mont Cenis at Brides-les-Bains, and was quickly buried at the nearby abbey of Nantua, Burgundy in France as his attendants were no longer able to tolerate the stench of his decaying corpse. Records state he was later transferred to the Basilique Saint-Denis where his memorial brass was melted down at the Revolution.
Family Members
-
![]()
Judith de France
844–870
-
![]()
Louis II "The Stammerer" of Aquitaine
846–879
-
Charles "The Child" King of Aquitaine
847–866
-
Lothair "The Lame" Carolingian
848–866
-
Carloman Carolingians
849–876
-
Abbess Rotrude of Saint-Radegunde
852–912
-
Abbess Ermentrud of Hasnon
854–877
-
Gisela Carolingian
857–874
-
![]()
Godehilde Carolingian de France
864–923
-
Hersinda Alberada of Francia
865–927
-
Rothilde de France
871–927
-
Abbé Lothaire de Lorraine
unknown–865
