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Rh over to Hugh the Great (945). But the latter quickly realised that an attempt at revolution would only end in disappointment, and thought it better policy to obtain from the king the surrender of his capital, Laon.

As soon as he was set at liberty, Louis appealed to Otto. The kings joined in re-taking Rheims, drove out the Archbishop, Hugh of Vermandois, and restored Artaud (946). Then in June 948 a solemn council assembled on German soil at Ingelheim, under the presidency of the Pope's legate, to consider the situation. The kings, Louis and Otto, appeared there side by side. Hugh of Vermandois was excommunicated. Louis himself made a speech, and recalled how "he had been summoned from regions beyond the sea by the envoys of Duke Hugh and the other lords of France, to receive the kingdom, the inheritance of his fathers; how he had been raised to the royal dignity and consecrated by the universal desire and amid the acclamations of the magnates and warriors of the Franks; how then, after that he had been driven from his throne by the same Hugh, traitorously attacked, made prisoner and detained by him under a strong guard for a whole year; how at last in order to recover his liberty he had been compelled to abandon to him the town of Laon, the only one of all the royal residences which the queen, Gerberga, and his faithful subjects had been able to preserve." In conclusion he added that "if anyone would maintain that these evils endured by him since he had obtained the crown had come upon him by his own fault, he would purge himself of that accusation according to the judgment of the Synod and the decision of King Otto, and that he was even prepared to make good his right in single combat." Touched by this remonstrance, the Fathers of the Council replied by the following decision: "For the future, let none dare to assail the royal power, nor traitorously to dishonour it by a perfidious attack. We decide, in consequence, according to the decree of the Council of Toledo, that Hugh, the invader and despoiler of the kingdom of Louis, be smitten with sword of excommunication, unless, within the interval fixed, he shall present himself before the Council, and unless he amends his ways, giving satisfaction for his signal perversity." And, in fact, Hugh the Great, who had not feared even further to expel the Bishop of Laon from his see, was summoned under pain of excommunication to appear at a forthcoming council which was to meet at Trèves in the ensuing month of September. He did not appear and was excommunicated. Not long after, a lucky stroke made Louis again master of Laon (949) and Hugh, again solemnly excommunicated by the Pope "until he should give satisfaction to King Louis," was soon constrained to come and renew his submission (950).

Everything considered, the power of Louis seemed to have been greatly strengthened, when he died suddenly on 10 September 954, as a result of a fall from his horse. This explains why the nobles, Duke Hugh foremost among them, without raising any difficulties chose his