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 I.] THE MERWINGS AND KARLINGS. 9 succeeded him in the duchy of France, but he always refused to be king. On Rudolf's death he joined with the other chief princes of Northern Gaul, Aniulf, Count of Flanders, William Longsxvord, Duke of Normandy, and Herbert of Vermandois, in bringing back Lewis, the son of Charles the Simple. His mother, Eadgifu, was the daughter of our king Edward the Elder, and she and her son had found shelter with her brother yEthel- stan. He now came from England, and became king of the West-Franks. His immediate dominion was only the city and territory of Laon, and his speech was Teutonic. He was an able and vigorous king ; but his whole reign was one struggle with his powerful vassals, who took part with him or with each other as suited their interest at the moment. When William Longsword was slain in 943 by Arnulf of Flanders at the bridge of Pccqidgny on the Somme, there was a great struggle for the possession of his lands and the person of his young heir Richard, of which King Lewis wished to get possession. The Normans were aided by Harald Bluetooth, King of Dejimark, and Lewis by his brother-in-law Otto, king of the East-Franks, afterwards the Emperor Otto the Great. Lewis was made prisoner, and given into the keeping of Hugh of Paris, from whom he only purchased his freedom by the surrender of his stronghold of Laon. Richard now com- ?ne?ided himself to Duke Hugh ; that is, he became his man ; so that it was now held that the Duke of the Nor- mans was the man, not of the king, but of the Duke of the French. Hugh and Richard were close allies, and, on the other hand, Lewis gained the assistance of King Otto and Conrad, King of Burgundy. The three kings took Rheims, but failed in their attacks on Laon, Paris, and Rouen, and though they M'ere forced to re- treat beyond the Rhine, Lewis's fortunes rose from that time till his death in 954. Hugh then again refused the crown, and acknowledged Lewis' eldest son Lothar as king. 12. Hugh Capet, 956. — Hugh the Great died in 956, leaving two sons, Hugh and Henry, the eldest only thirteen, and under the guardianship of Richard of Nor- mandy. Hugh is known as Capet, whether from the size of his head, or from the hood which betokened his here- ditary right to be protector of the abbey of St. Denys, is uncertain. He was on good terms with King Lothar, and