Page:Cambridge Medieval History Volume 3.pdf/79

36 preparing for a war with the Slavs had prevented him from complying with their request. Charles the Bald attempted to provide against such contingencies. At Verberie near Senlis (856), at Quierzy near Laon (857 and 858), at Brienne (858), he demanded of his magnates that they should renew their oath of fealty. In 858 he thought he could sufficiently depend on them to venture on a new expedition against the Northmen, who had fortified themselves in the island of Oscellum. Charles the Younger and Pepin II of Aquitaine had promised their help. Lothar II himself came with a Lotharingian contingent to take a share in the campaign (summer of 858). This was the moment which Adalard and Odo chose for addressing a fresh appeal to Louis the German. The latter, who was on the point of marching anew against the Slavs, hesitated long, if we are to trust his chroniclers. Finally, "strong in the purity of his intentions, he preferred to serve the interests of the many rather than to submit to the tyranny of one man." Above all, he considered the opportunity favourable. Lothar's absence left the road across Alsace clear for him, and by 1 September 858 he had established himself in the Western Kingdom, in the palace of Ponthion. Here he was joined by such of the magnates as had deserted Charles the Bald before the fortified Northmen. Thence by way of Châlons-sur-Marne, he reached first Sens, whither he was called by its Archbishop Ganelon, and then Orleans, shewing plainly his intention of holding out a hand to the rebels of Le Mans and Aquitaine.

Charles, for his part, on hearing of the invasion, had hastily raised the siege of Oscellum, and was on the march for Lorraine. Louis, fearing to have his retreat to Germany cut off, retraced his steps, whereupon the armies of the two brothers found themselves face to face in the neighbourhood of Brienne. But the Frankish counts, whose support was essential for the final success of either party, had a deep and well-founded distaste for pitched battles; the question for them, was merely the greater or less number of "benefices" which they might hope to obtain from one or the other adversary. Recourse was consequently had to negotiation, when despite the numerous embassies sent by Charles to Louis, the latter shewed himself the more skilful of the two. By dint of promises, he succeeded in corrupting nearly all his brother's vassals. Charles found himself constrained to throw up the game, and retire to Burgundy, the one province where his supporters were still in a majority. Louis, seeing nothing to be gained by pursuing him thither, betook himself to the palace of Attigny, whence on 7 December he issued a diploma as king of Western Francia, and where he spent his time in dealing out honours and benefices to those who had come over to his side. But in order to make his triumph secure, he still had to be acknowledged and consecrated by the Church. The episcopate of the Western Kingdom, however, remained faithful to Charles, whether through attachment to the principles of peace and concord, or through