Page:Cambridge Medieval History Volume 3.pdf/250

Rh of his diocese, he was granted his liberty (July). The repeated rebellions in Bavaria occasioned a marked change in the character of the duchy. Its traditions, its independent position, its ruling family were crushed. Henceforth Bavaria like the other duchies takes its place in the national system of Otto the Great. It was also in consequence of the new appointments in Bavaria and of the elevation of the two Ottos to the ducal dignity that the Empress Adelaide who had, in the first years of the reign, exercised considerable influence over her son, now withdrew from court to her native Burgundy. Her place of influence in Otto's councils was afterwards taken by the Empress Theophano.

Lorraine had from the beginning of the reign been a source of trouble to Otto. The lower province, after the death of Duke Godfrey in Italy, had fallen under the direct government of the king. In January 974 Reginar and Lambert (Lantbert), the sons of the banished Count Reginar of Hainault, had attempted to regain their father's possessions and fortified Boussu on the river Haine. Otto advanced into Lorraine, burnt the stronghold, and captured the garrison; but he allowed the brothers to escape. Two years later they reappeared in alliance with Charles, the brother of Lothair, King of France, and Otto, son of the Count of Vermandois. The revolt was, however, suppressed by Godfrey, whom the Emperor had set over the county of Hainault. The next year the troublesome sons of Reginar were reinstated in their paternal inheritance of Hainault, and their ally in the recent rebellion, Charles, the brother of the King of France, was invested with the duchy of Lower Lorraine.

Charles, however, entertained no fraternal feelings for his brother; indeed, Otto's object in granting him the duchy seems to have been a desire to gain an ally in the all too probable event of his coming to blows with the King of France. This appointment, therefore, together with the slight shewn to the Empress Adelaide, whose daughter Emma by her first marriage with Lothar of Italy was now Queen of France, provided ample pretext for Lothair to try to regain Lorraine for the West Frankish crown. So long as a Caroling occupied the Western throne, there was a party in Lorraine ready to transfer their allegiance to him. With so large an army that "their erect spears appeared more like a grove of trees than arms," Lothair marched against Aix-la-Chapelle. When news of the French advance was brought to Otto he refused to believe it possible. Convinced of the truth only when the enemy were at the very gates of the town, he and his wife were compelled to make a hasty retreat to Cologne, leaving the old Carolingian capital in the hands of the enemy. Lothair sacked the palace and reversed the position of the brazen eagle set up on its summit by Charles the Great. He then returned to his own dominions. Otto did not