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LEwis, who was left the sole son of Charlemagne, was consecrated at Rheimes by Pope Stephen, Anno Domini. 814. In the beginning of his Empire, he reduced the Sclavo∣nians, Sorabes and Gascoignes under his
obedience who had revolted upon the death of Charlemaine: He held a Par∣liament at Aix, where he caused his eldest sonne Prince Lotharius, to bee crowned Emperour with him, and cau∣sed his other sonnes to bee Crowned Kings, giving unto Pepin the Kingdome of Aquitaine, and to Lewis the Dutchy of Bavaria. By reason whereof, his Nephew Bernard rebelled against him, who by a sentence of the Emperours Counsaile had his eyes pulled out, whereupon he dyed with griefe. From thence Lewis went against the Bretons, who had made an insurrection, and chaced Lindeute, Governour of Au∣stria, out of Pannonia. And having Anno Domini 824 renewed his alli∣ance with Michael the Emperour of Constantinople; and his wife Hermin∣garde being dead, he marryed with Ju∣dith, daughter of the Count Artolf, which Iudith, because she advanced hers to the disadvantage of the Emperours Children, was a cause that they raised
an army against their Father; who ha∣ving confined her into a Monastery of Italy, she was put into a Coffer at St. Me∣dards of Soissons, from whence she was conveyed out by the French Princes. Lotharius seeing this, fled into Italy: The troubles of France being appeased, the Danes and Normans ransacked the Countrey of Zeland, and Frizland, and also the Bretons rebelled. Also the Sara∣cens much perplexed the Emperor in the chasing them out of Italy and Provence, who finding himselfe neare his end, be∣queathed unto his son Charles the Occi∣dentall part of France, and by the death of Pepin, A.D. 838. Aquitaine was added; & to Lotharius he left the Empire, with the rest of the Kingdome of France; & to Lewis the kingdom of Bavaria Lewis be∣ing discontented at this partage, would needes take Almaine into his power: but having beene hindered two severall times by the Emperours Army, in the end the Emperour dyed in an Isle of the Rhine the sixtieth yeare of his age,
and the 27. of his Empire and reign•• Anno Domini 840.
This Lewis was of a milde and gentle disposition, fitter to be a Church-man, than a King; wherby he grew contemp∣tible to his Subjects; yet milde natures much provoked are violent in revenge; for having taken Bernard, he impriso∣ned him, then put out his eyes, and all the Bishops & noblemen his adherents: Hee indiscreetly gave his sonnes their portions, and thereby procured his own affliction, arming them with strength to rebell against their Father; and for af∣fection to Church-men he was by them censured for his cruelty to the Bishops, to be confined to a Monastery, while the Clergy adhered to the rebellious Children against the father; whose late attempt was to chastise the insolency of of his sonne Lewis; but age and griefe concluded his happinesse, and the good old King having felt enough vexation in the unnaturall rebellion of his Chil∣dren, forsooke the world, and so found rest and happines.