Boso of Provence - Independent Rule

Independent Rule

In April 879, Louis died, leaving behind two adult sons, Louis and Carloman. Boso joined with other western Frankish nobles and advocated making Louis III of France the sole heir of the western kingdom, but eventually both brothers were elected kings. Boso, however, renounced allegiance to both brothers and in July claimed independence by using the style Dei gratia id quod sum: by the Grace of God, that is what I am. He also claimed that his imperial father-in-law had named him as his heir. On 15 October 879, the bishops and nobles of the region around the rivers Rhône and Saône assembled in the Synod of Mantaille elected Boso king as successor to Louis the Stammerer, the first non-Carolingian king in Western Europe in more than a century. This event marks the first occurrence of a "free election" among the Franks, without regard to royal descent, inspired by a canonical principle (but not constant practice) of ecclesiastical elections.

Boso's realm, usually called the Kingdom of Provence, comprised the ecclesiastical provinces of the archbishops of Arles, Aix, Vienne, Lyon (without Langres), and probably Besançon, as well as the dioceses of Tarentaise, Uzès, and Viviers.

After Louis and Carloman had divided their father's realm at Amiens in March 880, the two brothers joined to march against Boso. They took Mâcon and the northern parts of Boso's realm. Then uniting their forces with those of Charles the Fat, they unsuccessfully besieged Vienne from August to November.

In August 882, Boso was again besieged at Vienne by his relative, Richard, Count of Autun, who took the city in September. After this, Boso could not regain most of his realm and was restricted to the vicinity of Vienne.

He died in 887 and was succeeded by his son Louis the Blind.

Boso was the progenitor of three successful lineages, called the "Bosonids" by modern historians. Through his marriage to Ermengard of Italy he also had two daughters: Ermengard (c.877-917), who married Manasses, Count of Chalon, and Ethelberga, who married first Carloman and then William the Pious, Count of Auvergne.

It is possible (though not certain) that the famous Guilla of Provence, queen of Upper Burgundy, was his daughter, then presumably by an earlier wife than Ermengarde.