Louis II of Italy

Louis II, sometimes called the Younger, lived a long time ago from 825 to 875. He was the king of Italy and also became emperor of the big Carolingian Empire in 844. At first, he ruled together with his father, Lothair I, but after Lothair I passed away in 855, Louis ruled all by himself.

Louis had many important titles. People usually called him "august emperor," but after he won a battle in a place called Bari in 871, he started using the title "emperor of the Romans." This made some other leaders, especially in the Eastern Roman Empire, unhappy with him.

One of the main writers who told stories about Louis was Andreas of Bergamo. After Louis passed away, Andreas wrote that a big trouble came to Italy. Louis had many different titles used by different people, showing how important he was in many lands.

Childhood

Louis was born in 825, the eldest son of the junior emperor Lothair I and his wife Ermengarde of Tours. His father was the son of the reigning emperor, Louis the Pious. Not much is known about his early years, but he grew up in his grandfather's court. In 839, his grandfather named him King of Italy, and Louis moved there to live.

The next year, Louis the Pious passed away, and his empire was partitioned among his sons. Louis' father, Lothair, became the main ruler. On June 15, 844, Louis was crowned King and co-emperor by Pope Sergius II in Rome. This ceremony followed a tradition started by Charlemagne and continued by Louis the Pious.

Joint emperor

Louis II became a joint emperor in 850 when Pope Leo IV crowned him in Rome. He married Engelberga and began ruling Italy on his own. In 851, he traveled to southern Italy and helped the dukes of Benevento, Radelchis I and Siconulf, make peace. He split the Lombardy area so that Radelchis could keep Benevento, and Siconulf got to lead in Salerno. Later, Louis confirmed Peter as the leader of Salerno in 853 after his father passed away in 855, making him the sole emperor.

Sole emperor

Main article: Louis II's campaign against Bari (866–871)

Louis II became the sole ruler of Italy after his father passed away. He worked hard to bring peace to the land, dealing with local leaders and fighting off invaders from North Africa. In 866, he began efforts to capture the city of Bari, which was under control of these invaders. With help from ships provided by a ruler in the East, Louis succeeded in taking Bari in 871.

During this time, Louis faced challenges from other family members and local leaders. He was once captured by a local prince but was later released. After returning to Rome, he was crowned emperor a second time. Louis continued his efforts against the invaders until his death in 875. He was buried in Milan.

Family

On October 5, 851, Louis married Engelberga, the daughter of Adelchis I of Spoleto. They had two daughters. One was Gisela, who became the Abbess of the Monastery of San Salvador of Brescia in 861. The other daughter was Ermengard, who later married Boso of Provence.