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Birth:           797 Vermandois, Picardy
Death:          17 Apr  818 Milan, Lombardy
Burial:         Milan, Lombardy

Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_of_Italy
Bernard (797, Vermandois, Picardy – 17 April 818, Milan, Lombardy) was the King of 
the Lombards from 810 to 818. He plotted against his uncle, Emperor Louis the Pious, 
when the latter's Ordinatio Imperii made Bernard a vassal of his cousin Lothair. When 
his plot was discovered, Louis had him blinded, a procedure which killed him.



Contents  [hide] 
1 Life
2 Legacy
3 References
4 Sources


Life[edit]

Bernard was born in 797, the illegitimate son of King Pepin of Italy, himself the second 
legitimate son of the Emperor Charlemagne. At that time, Charlemange was the most 
powerful ruler in Western Europe and ruler of the Carolingian Empire, established 
during the lifetime of his own grandfather, Bernard's great-great grandfather Charles 
Martel. However, there is little known about Bernards early childhood.

In 810, Pepin died from an illness contracted at a siege of Venice; although Bernard 
was illegitimate, his grandfather allowed the 13 year old Bernard to inherit Italy. 
Bernard married a woman named Cunigunde, but the year of their marriage, and her 
origins are obscure; spuriously she has been called "of Laon". They had one son, 
Pepin, Count of Vermandois, who was born in 817, when Bernard was 20.

Prior to 817, Bernard was a trusted agent of his grandfather Charlemange, and after 
the old kings death in 814 (When Bernard was 17) ,of his uncle Louis the Pious. His 
rights in Italy were respected, and he was used as an intermediary to manage events 
in his sphere of influence – for example, when in 815 Louis the Pious received reports 
that some Roman nobles had conspired to murder Pope Leo III, and that he had 
responded by butchering the ringleaders, the 18 year old Bernard was sent to 
investigate the matter.

A change came in 817, when Louis the Pious drew up an Ordinatio Imperii, detailing 
the future of the Frankish Empire. Under this, the bulk of the Frankish territory went to 
Louis' eldest son, Lothair; Bernard received no further territory, and although his 
Kingship of Italy was confirmed, he would be a vassal of Lothair. This was, it was later 
alleged, the work of the Empress, Ermengarde, who wished Bernard to be displaced in 
favour of her own sons. Resenting Louis' actions, Bernard began plotting with a group 
of magnates: Eggideo, Reginhard, and Reginhar, the last being the grandson of a 
Thuringian rebel against Charlemagne, Hardrad. Anshelm, Bishop of Milan and 
Theodulf, Bishop of Orléans, were also accused of being involved: there is no 
evidence either to support or contradict this in the case of Theodulf, whilst the case 
for Anshelm is murkier.[1][2]

Bernard's main complaint was the notion of his being a vassal of Lothair. In practical 
terms, his actual position had not been altered at all by the terms of the decree, and 
he could safely have continued to rule under such a system. Nonetheless, "partly 
true" reports came to Louis the Pious that his nephew was planning to set up an 
'unlawful' – i.e. independent – regime in Italy.[1]

Louis the Pious reacted swiftly to the plot, marching south to Chalon. Bernard and his 
associates were taken by surprise; Bernard travelled to Chalon in an attempt to 
negotiate terms, but he and the ringleaders were forced to surrender to him. Louis had 
them taken to Aix-la-Chapelle, where they were tried and condemned to death. Louis 
'mercifully' commuted their sentences to blinding, which would neutralize Bernard as a 
threat without actually killing him; however, the process of blinding (carried out by 
means of pressing a red-hot stiletto to the eyeballs) proved so traumatic that Bernard 
died in agony two days after the procedure was carried out. At the same time, Louis 
also had his half-brothers Drogo, Hugh and Theoderic tonsured and confined to 
monasteries, to prevent other Carolingian offshoots challenging the main line. He also 
treated those guilty or suspected of conspiring with Bernard harshly: Theodulf of 
Orleans was imprisoned, and died soon afterwards; the lay conspirators were blinded, 
the clerics deposed and imprisoned; all lost lands and honours.[1][2][3]

Legacy[edit]

His Kingdom of Italy was reabsorbed into the Frankish empire, and soon after 
bestowed upon Louis' eldest son Lothair. In 822, Louis made a display of public 
penance at Attigny, where he confessed before all the court to having sinfully slain his 
nephew; he also welcomed his half-brothers back into his favour. These actions 
possibly stemmed from guilt over his part in Bernard's death. It has been argued by 
some historians that his behaviour left him open to clerical domination, and reduced 
his prestige and respect amongst the Frankish nobility.[1] Others, however, point out 
that Bernard's plot had been a serious threat to the stability of the kingdom, and the 
reaction no less a threat; Louis' display of penance, then, "was a well-judged gesture 
to restore harmony and re-establish his authority."[3]

Parents
OF ITALY Pepin (Apr  773 - 8 Jul  810)
D'AUTUN Ingeltrude (Rothais) (Chrothais) (ABT  775 - )

Siblings
OF ITALY Bernard ( 797 - 17 Apr  818)

Marriage To ____ Cunigunde (Kunigunde) (ABT  800 - 15 Jun  835)
    m.  

Notes


Children by ____ Cunigunde (Kunigunde) ABT  800 - 15 Jun  835
OF PERONNE Pepin ( 817 - AFT  840)

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