Odo (or
Eudes I) (c. 860 – 1 January 898) was
King of Western Francia (888 - 898). He was a son of
Robert the StrongRobert IV the Strong , was Margrave in Neustria. His family is named after him and called Robertians. He was first nominated by Charles the Bald missus dominicus in 853. Robert was the father of the kings Odo and Robert I of France. Robert was the great-grandfather of Hugh Capet and thus the...
, count of Anjou, and is sometimes referred to as duke of
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
and also as count of Paris. His family is known as the Robertians.
History
He was eldest son of Robert the Strong, Duke of the Franks and Marquis of Neustria, it belongs to the branch Robertians. He inherits from his father's death in 866 the title of Marquis of Neustria, but King Charles the Bald resigns in the 866 this function that gives Hugh the Abbot. In 882/883, he was made Count of Paris and in September 886, he is invested Marquis of Neustria following the death of Count Henry in the siege of Paris. It is also lay abbot of St. Martin of Tours.On 12 May 886 , by the death of Hugh the Abbot, he became marquise of Neustria
For his skill and bravery in resisting the attacks of the
NormansThe Normans were the people who gave their names to Normandy, a region in northern France. They descended from Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of mostly Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
at the
Siege of ParisThe Siege of Paris of 885 to 886 was a Viking siege of Paris, then capital of the kingdom of the West Franks. It was, in hindsight, the most important event of the reign of the Emperor Charles the Fat and a turning point in the fortunes of the Carolingian dynasty and the history of France.The...
, Odo was chosen king by the western Franks when the emperor
Charles the FatCharles the Fat was the King of Alemannia from 876, King of Italy from 879, Holy Roman Emperor from 881, King of East Francia from 882, and King of West Francia from 884. He was deposed in East Francia, Lotharingia, and possibly Italy, where the records are not clear, in 887...
was deposed in 887 and was crowned at
CompiègneCompiègne is a commune in the Oise department in northern France.The city is located along the Oise River. Its inhabitants are called Compiégnois.-Administration:Compiègne is the seat of three cantons*Compiègne-Nord...
in February 888 by Walter, Archbishop of Sens. But before before going to Rheims to receive the crown of Western Francia , he sought his presence at Worms in order to place himself under Arnulf protection (August 888).
He continued to battle against the Normans, whom he defeated at
Montfaucon-Places:*In Switzerland**Montfaucon, Switzerland, in the canton of Jura*In France** Montfaucon, Aisne, in the Aisne département** Montfaucon, Doubs, in the du Doubs département** Montfaucon, Gard, in the Gard département...
and elsewhere, but was soon involved in a struggle with some powerful nobles, who supported the claim of Charles, afterwards
King Charles IIICharles III , called the Simple or the Straightforward , was the undisputed King of France from 898 until 922 and the King of Lotharingia from 911 until 919/23...
, to the Frankish kingdom.
In 889 and 890 Odo granted special privileges to the
County of ManresaThe County of Manresa or Manressa is a term which refers to the western extremity of the County of Ausona, divided into the Moianès and Bages. Through the Reconquista, Manresa was extended as far as Anoia, Segarra, and Urgell....
in
OsonaOsona, or Ausona , was one of the Catalan counties of the marca Hispanica in the Early and High Middle Ages. It was based around the capital city of Vic and the corresponding diocese, whose territory was roughly the current comarca of Osona.The ancient diocese of Ausona was conquered by the Arabs...
. Because of its position on the front line against
MoorishThe description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of Muslim people of Berber, Black African and Arab descent from North Africa, some of whom came to conquer and occupy the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. The North Africans termed it Al Andalus, comprising most...
aggression, it was given the right to build towers of defence called
manresanas or
manresanes. This privilege was responsible for giving Manresa its unique character separate from the rest of Osona for the next two centuries.
To gain prestige and support, Odo paid homage to the Eastern Frankish King
Arnulf of CarinthiaArnulf of Carinthia was the Carolingian King of East Francia from 887 and Holy Roman Emperor from 896 until his death.-Biography:...
, but in 894 Arnulf declared for Charles. Eventually, after a struggle which lasted for three years, Odo was compelled to come to terms with his rival, and to surrender to him a district north of the Seine. He died at La Fère on 1 January 898.
Family
Odo married
Théodrate of TroyesThéodrate of Troyes was the wife of Odo, Count of Paris. She was Queen consort of Western Francia. She had two known sons, Arnulf and Guy , neither of whom lived past the age of fifteen....
and had two known sons, Arnulf (born probably about 885) and Guy (born probably about 888), neither of whom lived past the age of fifteen.