Emperor Karl III.

(also called Karl der Dicke, 839 - 988)

839	born as the youngest son of King Ludwig des Deutschen
876 - 887	Karl comes to power over of the east Franconia realm after the death of his brother King Ludwig der Jüngere
879 - 887	King of Italy
881	Coronation to the Roman Emperor
in the middle of 882	after the battle of Asselt Karl III. bribes the Normans to retreat
Autumn 884	Peace with Swatopluk of Moravia who threatened Bavaria and the Ostmark (territories south of the Danube)
885 - 887	King of the West Franconia realm after the death of his brother Karlmann
January 7th 886	bishop Engelmar of Passau receives from Karl a privilege for Passau as a "bishop's town"
887	he was deposed after an armed conflict with his illegitimate nephew Arnulf von Kärnten
13.01.888	Karl dies in Neidingen (Neudingen) close to the Danube

Assessment:
As the last Carolingian ruler Karl III. reunited once again the empire of Karl des Großens, but he did not have the talent to rule such a great empire. He was unable to meet with the internal and external functions of rulership.
He undertook resultless campaigns towards Bohemia and Italy while the Normans were agitating in the northwest of the empire.
When he bribed the Normans to retreat he lost the regard of his subjects.
In November 887 he was forced to resignation. One year later he died.

Working: Katrin Wulfert
Translation: Ruth Weber

B. Schneidmüller, in: LexMA V 968f.

working: Katrin Wulfert
translation: Ruth Weber
(17.8.2004/19.5.2005)