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OF PROVENCE Boso II
Birth: ABT 841
Death: 11 Jan 887
Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boso_of_Provence
Boso (c. 841 – January 11, 887) was a Frankish nobleman of the Bosonid family who
was related to the Carolingian dynasty[1] and who rose to become King of Lower
Burgundy and Provence.
Family[edit]
Boso was the son of Bivin of Gorze, Count of Lotharingia, by Richildis of Arles, the
daughter of Boso the Elder by his wife Engeltrude. His maternal aunt Teutberga was
the wife of Lothair II, King of Lotharingia. Boso was also the nephew of the Boso,
Count of Valois, for whom he was named, and of Hucbert, lay abbot of St. Maurice's
Abbey, to which Boso succeeded in 869. He would later marry Ermengard of Italy, the
daughter of Louis II of Italy and granddaughter of the Holy Roman Emperor Lothair I,
whom he married at age 35.
Service of Charles the Bald[edit]
In 870, Charles the Bald, King of West Francia, married Boso's sister Richilde. This
marriage paved the way for Boso's career in the service of his royal brother-in-law. In
the same year, Boso was appointed Count of Lyon and Vienne, replacing Gerard of
Roussillon.
In 872, Charles appointed him chamberlain and magister ostiariorum (master of porters)
to his heir Louis the Stammerer. Boso likewise received investiture as Count of
Bourges. Louis was reigning as a subordinate king of Aquitaine, but because of his
youth, it was Boso who looked after the administration of that realm.
In the autumn of 875, Boso accompanied Charles on his first Italian campaign and at
the diet of Pavia in February 876 he was appointed arch-minister and missus
dominicus for Italy and elevated to the rank of duke. He became Governor and Count
of Provence in 877. He acted as a viceroy and married Ermengarde of Italy, the only
daughter of the Emperor Louis II.
Out of favour[edit]
Boso disapproved of Charles' second Italian campaign in 877 and conspired with other
like-minded nobles against his king. After Charles's death in October, these nobles
forced Charles's son to confirm their rights and privileges.
Boso also formed close relations to the papacy and accompanied Pope John VIII in
September 878 to Troyes, where the Pope asked King Louis for his support in Italy.
The Pope adopted Boso as his son and probably offered to crown Louis emperor. It is
said that he wanted to crown Boso emperor.[2]
Independent rule[edit]
In April 879, Louis died, leaving two adult sons, Louis III of France and Carloman II.
Boso joined with other western Frankish nobles and advocated making Louis III of
France the sole heir of the western kingdom, but eventually both brothers were
elected kings. Boso renounced allegiance to the brothers and in July claimed
independence by claiming the title Dei gratia id quod sum: by the Grace of God, that is
what I am. He also claimed that his imperial father-in-law had named him as his heir.
On 15 October 879, the bishops and nobles of the region around the rivers Rhône and
Saône assembled in the Synod of Mantaille. They elected Boso King and successor to
Louis the Stammerer, the first non-Carolingian king in Western Europe in more than a
century.[3] This event was the first "free election" among the Franks, without regard
to royal descent, inspired by a canonical principle (but not constant practice) of
ecclesiastical elections.
Boso's realm, usually called the Kingdom of Provence, comprised the ecclesiastical
provinces of the archbishops of Arles, Aix, Vienne, Lyon (without Langres), and
probably Besançon, and the dioceses of Tarentaise, Uzès, and Viviers.
After Louis and Carloman divided their father's realm at Amiens in March 880, the two
brothers joined to march against Boso. They took Mâcon and the northern parts of
Boso's realm. Then uniting their forces with those of Charles the Fat, they
unsuccessfully besieged Vienne from August to November.
In August 882, Boso was again besieged at Vienne by his brother, Richard, Duke of
Burgundy, Count of Autun, who took the city in September. Boso never regained much
of his realm and was restricted to the county of Vienne.
He died in 887 and was succeeded by his son Louis the Blind.
Marriages and issue[edit]
Boso was married twice. The identity of his first wife is not known; his second wife
was Ermengard of Italy, only daughter of Louis II, Holy Roman Emperor, whom he wed
in March 876. His issue was, in supposed chronological order:
Guilla/Willa (December 873-before June 15, 929), married firstly Rudolph I of
Burgundy, secondly Hugh of Italy; her mother is reported to have been Ermengard, but
this seems to be erroneous because she was born before Boso and Ermengarde's
wedding
Ermengarde/Ermengard (c. 877-April 12, 935), married Manasses I the Old, Count of
Chalons-sur-Seine (Chalon-sur-Saône?); her mother is reported to have been
Ermengard
Engelberge/Ethelberga, married firstly Carloman II, secondly William the Pious;[4] her
mother is reported to have been Ermengard
Louis the Blind (before 884-Jun3 5, 928), possibly had a non-marital relationship, next
supposedly married Anna/Eudocia Mamikonian (according to a letter that Christian
Settipani attributes to Nicholas Mystikos), lastly married Adelaide of Burgundy, who
might have been a daughter of his sister Guilla/Willa; his mother is reported to have
been Ermengard
Carloman
Parents
OF GORZE [OF METZ] Bivin (Budwine) (Bouin) (ABT 820 - 863)
OF ARLES Richilde (ABT 822 - ABT 883)
Siblings
OF METZ Buvinus (ABT 840 - )
OF PROVENCE Boso II (ABT 841 - 11 Jan 887)
OF PROVENCE Richilde (ABT 850 - 2 Jun 910)
OF AUTUN Richard "the Justiciar" ( 858 - 1 Sep 921)
Marriage To ----- ----- ()
m.
Notes
Children by ----- -----
OF VIENNE [OF BURGUNDY] Willa (Guilla) (ABT 862 - BEF 924)
OF PROVENCE Ermengarde (ABT 870 - BEF 21 Apr 935)
Marriage To ____ Ermengard ( 843 - 2 Jun 896)
m. 876
Notes
Parents
____ Louis II ( 825 - 12 Aug 875)
____ Engelberge (ABT 825 - ABT 900)
Children by ____ Ermengard 843 - 2 Jun 896
____ Louis III Beronides "the Blind" (ABT 883 - 28 Jun 928)
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