Fulcrad
Encyclopedia
Fulcrad or Folcrat was the Duke of Provence (or Arles), succeeding Guerin in 845 AD.
He was granted the title of Dux
or Duke
in 843 after the treaty of Verdun
due to Lothair
’s mistrust and previous conflict with Fulcrad’s predecessor Guerin
. In 845, he revolted against the Emperor Lothair I from his base of Marseille
, thus destabilizing the entire region. The emperor came down and forced Fulcrad to surrender, but the two were reconciled by the next year (846
).
During his tenure, Marseille came under attack from Greek and Saracen pirates. Previous to the Treaty of Vardun, Pepin II of Aquitaine, nephew to Lothair I, (who had previously claimed overlordship of his two brother’s kingdoms and supported his nephews claim to the throne of Aquitaine) had entreated the Vikings for help in the fight against his Uncles Louis the German
and Charles the Bald
. Though after the Battle of Fontenay (841) and the two brothers’ sealing their alliance with the Oath of Strasbourg (842), Lothair abandoned this course. This did not stop the expansion of Viking
raids into the Provence
region, which besides a slight tapering during the expeditions of Hastein
and Bjorn
859 and 862 (Two highly success raids through Italy and North Africa) continued to lay waste to the Coast of Arles, especially an incidence documented of Fulcrad’s stand amongst the Rhone valley.
within the late Carolingian
period he does, along with his colleagues, represent a destabilization between the Frankish kings and the nobles they ruled. Though the empire of Charles the Bald would later become the foundation for the country of France the infighting generated by first Louis the Pious, in three devastating civil wars, and then by Lothair I and his nephew Pepin II, had destabilized the Frankish control so masterfully instilled by the previous Carolingians rule of Charlemagne
. Though many outside incursions did occur this destabilization of the Frankish
empire
occurred due to the Carolingians nobilities thirst inheritance instead of their necessity for reform like their previous examples. In short the Kings of the Frank
s had become stagnant in their customs of ruler ship, wasting their time garnering crowns instead of furthering the development of the populous. Fulcrad’s predecessor Guiren had witnessed the beginning of this destabilization during his fight for Frankish unity and was replaced, not because he did not display a pension for leadership, but because he was aligned with Charles the Bald instead of Lothair I and participated greatly in Lothair’s defeat at the Battle of Fontenay. Ironically it would be Guiren’s replacement that instigated open rebellion against the Frankish dominance.
, his sole surviving son. Though Louis reign never reached the success of his father, he was able to meagerly retain the peace within Frankish Europe. Following Frankish customs Louis attempted to relegate his inheritance between his 3 sons, Louis the German, Lothair I and Pepin I of Aquitaine. After the death of his first wife Ermengarde of Hesbaye in October 818, Louis remarried Judith, daughter of Welf and count of Altdorf, in Aachen. (819) With Judith Louis had a fourth son Charles the Bald. Charles brothers had already been assigned Regnas or subkingdoms under what was called the Partition of Aachen
, so during Charles’s childhood Louis attempted to redistribute the lands of first Alemannia and then the country between the Meuse and the Pyrenees to generate a new subkingdom. Both attempts failed due to this reallocation generating resentment amongst Louis’ other sons. At Worms in 829 Louis gave Charles Alaemannia sparking a revolt from Louis eldest son Lothair (previous owner of the partitioned land). This began the first of three civil wars which all occurred between 829 and 839 of Louis’ reign. Within these confrontations not only did Lothair change sides twice but after the conclusion of the first war he was banished to Italy. Once he had died in 839 Louis’ son Pepin lost all claims to the Aquitaine, the lands instead going to Louis’ son Charles. Barely keeping a grip on royal control Louis was deposed once in 830
and again in 833. Louis refused to accept defeat in regaining the loyalty of his 3 sons and reuniting his shattered empire. Louis settled the wars with a final defeat of his third son Louis the German by a combined force of his, Lothair and Charles the Bald’s forces. Shortly after on 20 June 840 Louis the Pious died. As ordered his empire was divided amongst his two sons Charles the Bald and Lothair I. On Louis’ death he had the imperial insignia sent to Lothair, this was interpreted by Lothair as a legitimate claim to the entirety of the Frankish Empire and soon after he declared his Overlordship. Charles the Bald was pulled directly into conflict by Lothair supporting his nephew Pepin II as heir to the Aquitaine
throne, soon after Louis the German joined the conflict. During this conflict Pepin II entreated the Viking hordes well known for raiding and pillaging at the time to assist him in his fight against Charles, promising loot and plunder in return for their service. This unintentionally brought Viking scouts into the interior of the Frankish empire, a land they would later return to pillage. At the battle of Fontenay-en-Puisaye on 25 June 841 Lothair’s forces were eventually brought to ground by the strong alliance of his two brothers. Soon after he conceded to negotiations and on June 842 the brothers met on an island in the Saône. They agreed to the Treaty of Verdun signed in August 843 and entailing that the empire would be divided into three subkingdoms. Lothair receiving the central empire what later became the Low Countries, Lorraine
, Alsace
, Burgundy, Provence
, and the Kingdom of Italy
, it would later be known as the Middle Frankish Kingdom. Louis the German received all lands to the east of the Rhine and to the north and east of Italy, it would later be known as the Holy Roman Empire. Finally Charles received the western portion, which became France. What the extensive conflict between the Carolingians kings entails is the customs of the day mandating that disloyalty of kin be treated not with an iron fist, to preserve the kingdom, but instead pardoned and played out like some sort of game. In this way the Frankish Kings wasted desperate manpower and distanced the kings from the lords they had so harshly pushed into constant conflict.
Mature Life
was replaced by Fulcrad in 843. If anything can be said of Fulcrad’s early life it can only be presented through Frankish customs. In Frankish custom the position of Duke was not only a leader of a certain province but the military commander of the entire region. Fulcrad must have had some previous military training and served amongst the Frankish soldiers under Lothair. In retrospect of his eventual rebellion against King Lothair it would appear that Fulcrad was not one of the selected few who joined Lothair in his banishment in Italy. Also because Lothair main contingent was decimated at the battle of Fontenay-en-Puisaye it would seem unlikely that Lothair would still have a commander intelligent enough to command a dukedom but then disloyal enough to eventually revolt against his former master. Thus Fulcrad’s origins can be traced back to two different sources. Either he was a man distinguished amongst the forces Lothair raised after his retreat to Aachen in June of 841 or he was already a Lord within the region of Provence and Lothair only elevated him to take Guerin place. Due to the pro Charles sentiment of the region it would seem foolish of Lothair to take power away from one Provençal just to give it to another. Also Fulcrad is a Germanic
name more closely related to Germanic roots than the distinctly more Latin region of Provence. Whatever the case, Fulcrad came into power within region aflame with disapproval for Frankish rule. As previously stated the entire nation of Burgundy had stood proudly next to Charles the Bald. Of the brothers Charles was the only one to have never switched sides and always stood proudly for the Carolingian Empire. After the Treaty of Verdun the Kingdom of Provence and Burgundy were not given to the King they had so valiantly supported but his hated brother. This generated an immediate problem for Lothair control of the region. Also due to the destabilization of Lothair’s previous wars and Pepin II involving Vikings within the region (utilizing them as mercenaries against Charles). Provence becomes claim to constant acts of Piracy, first by the Greeks at Marseille in 848 and later by both the Vikings and the Saracens. Fulcrad seems to have been extremely successful in repulsing these attacks both winning battles against the Greek’s (848) the buckwheats at Arles in 850 and the Vikings amongst the Rhine valley in 860
. In 842
Arles had been attacked by Muslims but by 858 two years before Fulcrad no longer was Duke of Arles the city became fortified against raids.
Fulcrad lead the region of Provence in succession from the Frankish crown. His operations were based out of Marseille and he destabilized the entire region from Frankish control. Lothair quickly put down the rebellion, arriving with forces soon after. According to the historian Edouard Baratier , Lothair negotiates more than represses the rebels:
the new emperor comes to negotiate on the spot with the rebels to amnesty them and confirm them in their functions what increases further their feeling of independence .
Though Lothair was able to avoid violence within the region, the incident opened up Provence to continued pirate raiding and created a hotbed of anti Frankish sentiment. Archibald R. Lewis confirms Edouard’s theory stating that Fulcrad’s revolt was “a revolt which the emperor Lothair does not appear to have completely suppressed.” This individuality generated by Fulcrad’s staunch disapproval of Lothair’s rule set Provence apart from the rest of The Middle Frankish kingdom. Fulcrad’s rebellion forced Provence into the spotlight highlighting the disproval of the common nobility to foolish imperial rule and fostered an independence that would live long past his life.
at Amherst
, was prominent during 1985, where after his retirement he wrote a series of historical text and edited the American Neptune, a quarterly journal of maritime history published by the Peabody Museum of Salem. He also lectured on the Middle Ages at the University of Arizona
and other campuses. In Mr. Lewis book, THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOUTHERN FRENCH AND CATALAN SOCIETY 718-1050 he attributes Fulcrad’s rebellion to be piece of the “Civil War, Invasion, and the Breakdown of Royal Authority” that occurred within the Frankish Empire from the time period of 828-900. He declares that the time period specified can be referred to as “The Decline of Royal Power” amongst the Frankish nobility of the day. He credits the rebellion of Fulcrad as the precursor from the later distinction of Provence as its own kingdom under Lothair’s son Charles.
Similarly Édouard Baratier (Marseille, 19 August 1923 – Marseille, 31 July 1972) a French historian documented who documented the history of the Savoie
s states that Fulcrad is the precursor to the independent Provence kingdom. He also documents the entirety of the Frankish collapse under Lothair and his brothers Charles the Bald, Pepin and Louis.
He was granted the title of Dux
Dux
Dux is Latin for leader and later for Duke and its variant forms ....
or Duke
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
in 843 after the treaty of Verdun
Treaty of Verdun
The Treaty of Verdun was a treaty between the three surviving sons of Louis the Pious, the son and successor of Charlemagne, which divided the Carolingian Empire into three kingdoms...
due to Lothair
Lothair
Lothair is a Germanic given name, derived from the older form Clotaire .- People :It can refer to these people:*Lothair I , a King of Italy and Holy Roman Emperor...
’s mistrust and previous conflict with Fulcrad’s predecessor Guerin
Guerin
-People:* Alphonse Guérin , French surgeon* Bill Guerin , ice hockey player* Camille Guérin , French immunologist* Claudine Guérin de Tencin , French courtesan* Daniel Guérin , French anarchist...
. In 845, he revolted against the Emperor Lothair I from his base of Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
, thus destabilizing the entire region. The emperor came down and forced Fulcrad to surrender, but the two were reconciled by the next year (846
846
Year 846 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Nominoe occupies Nantes and Rennes, he makes raids in Anjou and threatens Bayeux...
).
During his tenure, Marseille came under attack from Greek and Saracen pirates. Previous to the Treaty of Vardun, Pepin II of Aquitaine, nephew to Lothair I, (who had previously claimed overlordship of his two brother’s kingdoms and supported his nephews claim to the throne of Aquitaine) had entreated the Vikings for help in the fight against his Uncles Louis the German
Louis the German
Louis the German , also known as Louis II or Louis the Bavarian, was a grandson of Charlemagne and the third son of the succeeding Frankish Emperor Louis the Pious and his first wife, Ermengarde of Hesbaye.He received the appellation 'Germanicus' shortly after his death in recognition of the fact...
and Charles the Bald
Charles the Bald
Charles the Bald , Holy Roman Emperor and King of West Francia , was the youngest son of the Emperor Louis the Pious by his second wife Judith.-Struggle against his brothers:He was born on 13 June 823 in Frankfurt, when his elder...
. Though after the Battle of Fontenay (841) and the two brothers’ sealing their alliance with the Oath of Strasbourg (842), Lothair abandoned this course. This did not stop the expansion of Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
raids into the Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
region, which besides a slight tapering during the expeditions of Hastein
Hastein
Hastein was a notable Viking chieftain of the late 9th century who made several raiding voyages.- Early life :...
and Bjorn
Bjorn
Bjorn , Björn , Bjørn , Beorn or, rarely, Bjôrn, Biorn, or Latinized Biornus, is a Nordic male given name, or less often a surname, meaning "bear"...
859 and 862 (Two highly success raids through Italy and North Africa) continued to lay waste to the Coast of Arles, especially an incidence documented of Fulcrad’s stand amongst the Rhone valley.
A Contribution Of Insight
Though Fulcrad exist amongst a series of poorly documented Dukes of ArlesArles
Arles is a city and commune in the south of France, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, of which it is a subprefecture, in the former province of Provence....
within the late Carolingian
Carolingian
The Carolingian dynasty was a Frankish noble family with origins in the Arnulfing and Pippinid clans of the 7th century AD. The name "Carolingian", Medieval Latin karolingi, an altered form of an unattested Old High German *karling, kerling The Carolingian dynasty (known variously as the...
period he does, along with his colleagues, represent a destabilization between the Frankish kings and the nobles they ruled. Though the empire of Charles the Bald would later become the foundation for the country of France the infighting generated by first Louis the Pious, in three devastating civil wars, and then by Lothair I and his nephew Pepin II, had destabilized the Frankish control so masterfully instilled by the previous Carolingians rule of Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
. Though many outside incursions did occur this destabilization of the Frankish
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
empire
Empire
The term empire derives from the Latin imperium . Politically, an empire is a geographically extensive group of states and peoples united and ruled either by a monarch or an oligarchy....
occurred due to the Carolingians nobilities thirst inheritance instead of their necessity for reform like their previous examples. In short the Kings of the Frank
Frank
Frank may refer to:* A member of the medieval Germanic people, the Franks* Frank * Frank * Crusaders or any persons originating in Catholic western Europe, in medieval Middle Eastern history...
s had become stagnant in their customs of ruler ship, wasting their time garnering crowns instead of furthering the development of the populous. Fulcrad’s predecessor Guiren had witnessed the beginning of this destabilization during his fight for Frankish unity and was replaced, not because he did not display a pension for leadership, but because he was aligned with Charles the Bald instead of Lothair I and participated greatly in Lothair’s defeat at the Battle of Fontenay. Ironically it would be Guiren’s replacement that instigated open rebellion against the Frankish dominance.
The Empire Before Fulcrad
On the death of Charlemagne the Empire of the Franks fell into the hands of Louis the PiousLouis the Pious
Louis the Pious , also called the Fair, and the Debonaire, was the King of Aquitaine from 781. He was also King of the Franks and co-Emperor with his father, Charlemagne, from 813...
, his sole surviving son. Though Louis reign never reached the success of his father, he was able to meagerly retain the peace within Frankish Europe. Following Frankish customs Louis attempted to relegate his inheritance between his 3 sons, Louis the German, Lothair I and Pepin I of Aquitaine. After the death of his first wife Ermengarde of Hesbaye in October 818, Louis remarried Judith, daughter of Welf and count of Altdorf, in Aachen. (819) With Judith Louis had a fourth son Charles the Bald. Charles brothers had already been assigned Regnas or subkingdoms under what was called the Partition of Aachen
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
, so during Charles’s childhood Louis attempted to redistribute the lands of first Alemannia and then the country between the Meuse and the Pyrenees to generate a new subkingdom. Both attempts failed due to this reallocation generating resentment amongst Louis’ other sons. At Worms in 829 Louis gave Charles Alaemannia sparking a revolt from Louis eldest son Lothair (previous owner of the partitioned land). This began the first of three civil wars which all occurred between 829 and 839 of Louis’ reign. Within these confrontations not only did Lothair change sides twice but after the conclusion of the first war he was banished to Italy. Once he had died in 839 Louis’ son Pepin lost all claims to the Aquitaine, the lands instead going to Louis’ son Charles. Barely keeping a grip on royal control Louis was deposed once in 830
830
Year 830 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.-Africa:* Creation of the Ad-dimnah hospital in al-Qayrawan by the Aghlabid ruler Ziyadat Allah I.- Europe :...
and again in 833. Louis refused to accept defeat in regaining the loyalty of his 3 sons and reuniting his shattered empire. Louis settled the wars with a final defeat of his third son Louis the German by a combined force of his, Lothair and Charles the Bald’s forces. Shortly after on 20 June 840 Louis the Pious died. As ordered his empire was divided amongst his two sons Charles the Bald and Lothair I. On Louis’ death he had the imperial insignia sent to Lothair, this was interpreted by Lothair as a legitimate claim to the entirety of the Frankish Empire and soon after he declared his Overlordship. Charles the Bald was pulled directly into conflict by Lothair supporting his nephew Pepin II as heir to the Aquitaine
Aquitaine
Aquitaine , archaic Guyenne/Guienne , is one of the 27 regions of France, in the south-western part of metropolitan France, along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range on the border with Spain. It comprises the 5 departments of Dordogne, :Lot et Garonne, :Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Landes...
throne, soon after Louis the German joined the conflict. During this conflict Pepin II entreated the Viking hordes well known for raiding and pillaging at the time to assist him in his fight against Charles, promising loot and plunder in return for their service. This unintentionally brought Viking scouts into the interior of the Frankish empire, a land they would later return to pillage. At the battle of Fontenay-en-Puisaye on 25 June 841 Lothair’s forces were eventually brought to ground by the strong alliance of his two brothers. Soon after he conceded to negotiations and on June 842 the brothers met on an island in the Saône. They agreed to the Treaty of Verdun signed in August 843 and entailing that the empire would be divided into three subkingdoms. Lothair receiving the central empire what later became the Low Countries, Lorraine
Lorraine (région)
Lorraine is one of the 27 régions of France. The administrative region has two cities of equal importance, Metz and Nancy. Metz is considered to be the official capital since that is where the regional parliament is situated...
, Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
, Burgundy, Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
, and the Kingdom of Italy
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
, it would later be known as the Middle Frankish Kingdom. Louis the German received all lands to the east of the Rhine and to the north and east of Italy, it would later be known as the Holy Roman Empire. Finally Charles received the western portion, which became France. What the extensive conflict between the Carolingians kings entails is the customs of the day mandating that disloyalty of kin be treated not with an iron fist, to preserve the kingdom, but instead pardoned and played out like some sort of game. In this way the Frankish Kings wasted desperate manpower and distanced the kings from the lords they had so harshly pushed into constant conflict.
Mature Life
Dukedom Granted and Defended
Once Lothair had taken control of his Middle Frankish Kingdom he began his rule by removing players loyal to his two brothers. This included the present ruler of Arles, Duke Guerin who turned the tides at the Battle of Fontenay in favor of Charles. GuerinGuerin
-People:* Alphonse Guérin , French surgeon* Bill Guerin , ice hockey player* Camille Guérin , French immunologist* Claudine Guérin de Tencin , French courtesan* Daniel Guérin , French anarchist...
was replaced by Fulcrad in 843. If anything can be said of Fulcrad’s early life it can only be presented through Frankish customs. In Frankish custom the position of Duke was not only a leader of a certain province but the military commander of the entire region. Fulcrad must have had some previous military training and served amongst the Frankish soldiers under Lothair. In retrospect of his eventual rebellion against King Lothair it would appear that Fulcrad was not one of the selected few who joined Lothair in his banishment in Italy. Also because Lothair main contingent was decimated at the battle of Fontenay-en-Puisaye it would seem unlikely that Lothair would still have a commander intelligent enough to command a dukedom but then disloyal enough to eventually revolt against his former master. Thus Fulcrad’s origins can be traced back to two different sources. Either he was a man distinguished amongst the forces Lothair raised after his retreat to Aachen in June of 841 or he was already a Lord within the region of Provence and Lothair only elevated him to take Guerin place. Due to the pro Charles sentiment of the region it would seem foolish of Lothair to take power away from one Provençal just to give it to another. Also Fulcrad is a Germanic
Germanic languages
The Germanic languages constitute a sub-branch of the Indo-European language family. The common ancestor of all of the languages in this branch is called Proto-Germanic , which was spoken in approximately the mid-1st millennium BC in Iron Age northern Europe...
name more closely related to Germanic roots than the distinctly more Latin region of Provence. Whatever the case, Fulcrad came into power within region aflame with disapproval for Frankish rule. As previously stated the entire nation of Burgundy had stood proudly next to Charles the Bald. Of the brothers Charles was the only one to have never switched sides and always stood proudly for the Carolingian Empire. After the Treaty of Verdun the Kingdom of Provence and Burgundy were not given to the King they had so valiantly supported but his hated brother. This generated an immediate problem for Lothair control of the region. Also due to the destabilization of Lothair’s previous wars and Pepin II involving Vikings within the region (utilizing them as mercenaries against Charles). Provence becomes claim to constant acts of Piracy, first by the Greeks at Marseille in 848 and later by both the Vikings and the Saracens. Fulcrad seems to have been extremely successful in repulsing these attacks both winning battles against the Greek’s (848) the buckwheats at Arles in 850 and the Vikings amongst the Rhine valley in 860
860
Year 860 was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Ethelbert succeeds as king of Wessex.* The later Harald I of Norway becomes king.- Art :...
. In 842
842
Year 842 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* February 14 – Charles the Bald and Louis the German sign a treaty....
Arles had been attacked by Muslims but by 858 two years before Fulcrad no longer was Duke of Arles the city became fortified against raids.
A Rebellion Arises
In 845845
Year 845 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* March 28 – Paris is sacked by Viking raiders, probably under Ragnar Lodbrok, who collect a huge ransom in exchange for leaving.* The Vikings also sack Hamburg and Melun.* November 22 – Count of Vannes,...
Fulcrad lead the region of Provence in succession from the Frankish crown. His operations were based out of Marseille and he destabilized the entire region from Frankish control. Lothair quickly put down the rebellion, arriving with forces soon after. According to the historian Edouard Baratier , Lothair negotiates more than represses the rebels:
the new emperor comes to negotiate on the spot with the rebels to amnesty them and confirm them in their functions what increases further their feeling of independence .
Though Lothair was able to avoid violence within the region, the incident opened up Provence to continued pirate raiding and created a hotbed of anti Frankish sentiment. Archibald R. Lewis confirms Edouard’s theory stating that Fulcrad’s revolt was “a revolt which the emperor Lothair does not appear to have completely suppressed.” This individuality generated by Fulcrad’s staunch disapproval of Lothair’s rule set Provence apart from the rest of The Middle Frankish kingdom. Fulcrad’s rebellion forced Provence into the spotlight highlighting the disproval of the common nobility to foolish imperial rule and fostered an independence that would live long past his life.
Death
Nothing is known exactly of Fulcrad’s death. It is only commented on that besides a list of monetary donations there is no mention of Fulcrad after 860. Though in name Charles of Provence came into power by 855 it is disputed if by this point he ever controlled the region. Due to interventions by his two brothers Lothair II and Louis II as well as his uncle Charles the Bald, it can be assumed that Charles never truly controlled Provence besides the name.Analysis of Contributions
Once Lothair had passed he followed customs much as his father had. His lands were separated between his three sons, one of which, ironically named Charles, became ruler of the new kingdom of Provence. Though sometimes grouped amongst other regions Provence just as regularly existed as a sovereign state. Finally about 200 years later Provence ceases to be a separate kingdom become part of upper Burgundy instead. Fulcrad’s rebellion not only represented one of the earliest examples of minor nobility balking at the stranglehold of imperial rule (amongst medieval Europe) but also as the fostering of a new nations whose independence distanced it from its larger or stronger neighbors. In the scheme of things Fulcrad’s rule had little affect on the progression of the Carolingians dynasty but in actuality he highlighted every flaw within the Frankish rule. He never would have been elected if not for the dissention within the relations between Carolingians and their citizenry. His rebellion expresses the distaste for the obsession of Frankish kings over the lands of their forefathers rather than the lives of the people they ruled. And he heralds the final days of a grand Carolingian Empire. After the 9th century the constant regrouping and subdividing of the Frankish Empire amongst its heirs will see an end to a united Frankish identity. Soon the society broke down into a feudal system and what little of the Middle Frankish Empire that existed, became the nations we know today.Past Historical Interpretation
Most of what we know of Fulcrad can be drawn back to two influential historical figures. Firstly Archibald Ross Lewis, professor emeritus of history at the University of MassachusettsUniversity of Massachusetts
This article relates to the statewide university system. For the flagship campus often referred to as "UMass", see University of Massachusetts Amherst...
at Amherst
Amherst, Massachusetts
Amherst is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States in the Connecticut River valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 37,819, making it the largest community in Hampshire County . The town is home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts...
, was prominent during 1985, where after his retirement he wrote a series of historical text and edited the American Neptune, a quarterly journal of maritime history published by the Peabody Museum of Salem. He also lectured on the Middle Ages at the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
and other campuses. In Mr. Lewis book, THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOUTHERN FRENCH AND CATALAN SOCIETY 718-1050 he attributes Fulcrad’s rebellion to be piece of the “Civil War, Invasion, and the Breakdown of Royal Authority” that occurred within the Frankish Empire from the time period of 828-900. He declares that the time period specified can be referred to as “The Decline of Royal Power” amongst the Frankish nobility of the day. He credits the rebellion of Fulcrad as the precursor from the later distinction of Provence as its own kingdom under Lothair’s son Charles.
Similarly Édouard Baratier (Marseille, 19 August 1923 – Marseille, 31 July 1972) a French historian documented who documented the history of the Savoie
Savoie
Savoie is a French department located in the Rhône-Alpes region in the French Alps.Together with the Haute-Savoie, Savoie is one of the two departments of the historic region of Savoy that was annexed by France on June 14, 1860, following the signature of the Treaty of Turin on March 24, 1860...
s states that Fulcrad is the precursor to the independent Provence kingdom. He also documents the entirety of the Frankish collapse under Lothair and his brothers Charles the Bald, Pepin and Louis.