Page:Cambridge Medieval History Volume 3.pdf/119

Rh The death of Charles the Simple in his prison at Péronne (7 Oct. 929) deprived Herbert of a formidable weapon always at hand, and Raoul having shortly afterwards won a brilliant victory at Limoges over the Normans of the Loire, seemed stronger than ever.

The Aquitanian nobles recognised Raoul as king, and on the death of Rollo, Duke of Normandy, his son and successor, William Longsword, came and did homage to him, while for a time his authority was acknowledged even in the Lyonnais and the Viennois, both at that period forming part theoretically of the kingdom of Burgundy. Herbert of Vermandois still held out, but Raoul got the better of him; entering Rheims by the strong hand he promoted to the archiepiscopal throne the monk Artaud (Artald) in place of young Hugh (931), and with the help of his brother-in-law Hugh the Great, son of the late King Robert, he waged an unrelenting war against Herbert, burning his strongholds, and besieging him in Château-Thierry (933-934).

Just, however, as a peace had been concluded between the king and his powerful vassal, Raoul suddenly fell sick (autumn of 935). A few months later he died (14 or 15 January 936).

The disappearance of Raoul, who died childless, once more imposed upon the nobles the obligation of choosing a king. The most powerful of their number was, without question, the Marquess of Neustria, Hugh the Great, son of King Robert, nephew of King Odo and brother-in-law of the prince who had just died. Heir to the whole of the former "March," once entrusted to Robert the Strong, consisting of all the counties lying between Normandy and Brittany, the Loire and the Seine, Hugh was recognised throughout these districts if not as the direct lord, at least as a suzerain who was respected and obeyed. The petty local counts and viscounts, the future rulers of Angers, Blois, Chartres or Le Mans, who were beginning on all hands to consolidate their power, were his very submissive vassals. The numerous domains which Hugh had reserved for himself, his titles as Abbot of St Martin of Tours, of Marmoutier, and perhaps also of St Aignan of Orleans, gave him, besides, opportunities of acting directly over the whole extent of the Neustrian March. He was also Count of Paris, had possessions in the district of Meaux, was titular Abbot of St Denis, of Morienval, of St Valery, and of St Riquier and St Germain at Auxerre, and finally, in addition to all this, bearing the somewhat vague, but imposing title of "Duke of the Franks," Hugh the Great was a person of the highest importance.

But however great was the ascendancy of the "Duke of the Franks" he did not fail to meet with formidable opposition, the chief of it coming from the other brother-in-law of the late King Raoul, Herbert, Count of Vermandois. A direct descendant of Charlemagne, through his grandfather, Bernard, King of Italy (the same prince whose eyes