| Odo | |
|---|---|
 Image of the coronation of Odo of France from theGrandes Chroniques de France (13th century) | |
| King of West Francia | |
| Reign | 888–898 |
| Coronation | February 888, Compiègne |
| Predecessor | Charles the Fat |
| Successor | Charles the Simple |
| Born | c. 857[1] |
| Died | 1 January 898 (aged c. 41) La Fère, West Francia |
| Burial | |
| Spouse | Théodrate of Troyes (m. 882) |
| House | Robertian |
| Father | Robert the Strong |
| Mother | N. sister of count Adalhelm, orAdelaide of Tours |
Odo (French:Eudes; c. 857 – 1 January 898) was King ofWest Francia from 888 to 898. He was the first king from theRobertian dynasty, the parent house of theHouse of Capet. Before assuming the kingship, Odo was theCount of Paris, since 882. His reign marked the definitive separation of West Francia from theCarolingian Empire, which would never be reunited.[2][3]
Odo was the eldest son ofRobert the Strong (d. 866),Duke of the Franks,Margrave of Neustria, andCount of Anjou. Regarding the identity of Odo's mother, chroniclerRegino of Prüm (d. 915) stated that count Adalhelm was Odo's maternal uncle (Latin:avunculus), meaning that Odo's mother was count Adalhelm's sister. On the other side, some researchers have proposed that Odo's father Robert was married toAdelaide of Tours,[4][5] but those suggestions are not universally acknowledged in scholarly literature,[6] since it was shown that they were based on some misunderstandings in the Chronicle of St-Bénigne.[7][8]
At the time of his father's death at theBattle of Brissarthe in 866, Odo and his brotherRobert were still young, and thus kingCharles the Bald appointedHugh the Abbot (d. 886) to govern over counties previously held by Robert the Strong.[9] Since 882, Odo was theCount of Paris,[10] and gained prominence during the reign ofCharles the Fat (884–887).[11] Odo was also thelay abbot of St. Martin of Tours.[12][13]
In 882 or 883 Odo marriedThéodrate of Troyes.[14] The eleventh-century chroniclerAdémar de Chabannes wrote that they had a son, Arnoul (c.882–898)[citation needed], who died shortly after his father. Guy is named as one of the couple's children in anAlan I's charter dated 28 August 903, but genealogistChristian Settipani has argued that the document is false.[15]The genealogical workEuropäische Stammtafeln refers to Raoul as a son of Odo by Théodrate, but its primary source is not known.
For his skill and bravery in resisting the attacks ofVikings during the 885–886Siege of Paris, Odo was chosen by the western Frankish nobles to be their king following the overthrow of EmperorCharles the Fat.[16] He was crowned atCompiègne in February 888 byWalter, Archbishop of Sens.[17]
Odo continued to battle against the Vikings and defeated them atMontfaucon, but was soon involved in a struggle with powerful Frankish nobles who supported the claim ofCharles the Simple to the throne.[16][18]
In 890 Odo granted special privileges to theCounty of Manresa inOsona.[19] Because of its position on the front line against theMoorish aggression, Manresa was given the right to build towers of defence known asmanresanas ormanresanes. This privilege was responsible for giving Manresa its unique character, distinct from the rest of Osona, for the next two centuries.[citation needed]
To gain prestige and support, Odo paid homage toEast Francia's KingArnulf in 888.[20][21] Despite this, in 894 Arnulf declared his support for Charles the Simple, and after a conflict which lasted three years, Odo was compelled to come to terms with his rival and surrender a district north of the Seine to him.[16] Odo died inLa Fère on 1 January 898.[a][22]
A character namedCount Odo is portrayed by Owen Roe[23] in the 2013History Channel seriesVikings. This fictional Odo actually saves Paris from a Viking attack, but is killed before ever succeeding in becoming king.[24]
Count Odo appears inThe Siege of Paris, the second expansion to the 2020 video gameAssassin's Creed Valhalla.[25]
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Odo, king of the Franks".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 20 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 4–5.
Media related toOdo of France at Wikimedia Commons| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | King of West Francia 888–898 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Count of Paris 882–888 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Margrave of Neustria 886–888 | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
