Ranulf II (also spelledRannoux,Rannulf,Ramnulf, andRanulph) (850 – 5 August 890) wasCount of Poitou from 866 andDuke of Aquitaine from 887. On the death ofCharles the Fat in 888, he styled himself King of Aquitaine and did so until 889 or his death, after which the title fell into abeyance.
Ranulf was a son ofRanulf I andAdeltrude of Maine.[1] He married an Ermengard (died 935) and by her had a son, Ranulf III of Poitiers, who succeeded him in Poitiers. His illegitimate sonEbalus succeeded him in Aquitaine[2] and upon the death of Ranulf III, in Poitiers too.
Ranulf may have been selected as a king by the Aquitanian nobles, for they accepted KingOdo of France in 892 only after Ranulf's death. Only theAnnales Fuldenses definitively give him this title, saying "Ranulf then set himself up as king" (Deinceps Rannolfus se regem haberi statuit). He is recorded to have taken custody ofCharles, the young son ofLouis the Stammerer and he certainly did not recognise Odo as king. TheAnnales Vedastes record that in 889
Post nativitatem vero Domini cum paucis Francis Aquitaniam perrexit, ut eos sibi sociaret. Quo audito, Ramnulfus, dux maximae partis Aquitaniae, cum sibi faventibus venit ad eum, adducens secum Karolum puerum, filium Hludowici regis; et iuravit illi quae digna fuerunt, simul et de ipso puerulo... Aquitanos itaque rex ex parte receptos, festinavit propter Nortmannos redire in Franciam.
After Christmas [888], [Odo] went to Aquitaine with a few Franks, in order to be accepted [as king]. Upon hearing this, Ranulf, duke of the greater part of Aquitaine, with his supporters came to him, bringing with him the child, Charles, the son of King Louis; and he swore to him who was worthy of it [i.e., Odo], as did the boy... So the king returned from Aquitaine to France [in June] because of the Norsemen.
Ranulf founded theviscountcy of Thouars at about this time, as part of a larger movement to create viscounts with powers over regional fortresses to man them against theVikings.
Ranulf II of Aquitaine Born: 850 Died: 5 August 890 | ||
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Vacant Title last held by Louis the Stammerer | King of Aquitaine 888–890 | Vacant Title next held by Louis the Sluggard |
| Vacant Title last held by Ranulf I | Duke of Aquitaine 887–888 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Count of Poitou 886–890 | |
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*Count through marriage. **Style only. | ||
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