Who dated Waldrada of Lotharingia?

Waldrada of Lotharingia

Waldrada was the mistress, and later the wife, of Lothair II of Lotharingia.

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Lothair II of Lotharingia

Lothair II of Lotharingia

Lothair II (c.837 — 7 August 869) was the king of Lotharingia from 855 until his death. He is known for his over ten-year-long divorce case with his wife Teutberga so that he could remarry his long-standing lover Waldrada. Lothair began a relationship with Waldrada in his adolescence. By the time of his accession in September 855, he seems to have still loved her. However, the king was forced to marry Teutberga of the Bosonids and ally with her brother Hucbert to maintain his position. Lothair put away Teutberga as Hucbert's importance waned, but after she passed a trial by ordeal he was forced to take her back. Hucbert died in revolt in 864 after being replaced in Lothair's court.

In 858, Louis the German unsuccessfully invaded West Francia, but Lothair helped negotiate a peace between Louis and Charles the Bald by June 860. He was able to act as a mediator between his kingly uncles. Lothair convened his first council at Aachen in that year, in which he was divorced from Teutberga. Charles broke the peace in 861, but by 862 Lothair had allied with Louis the German and again held the upper hand. Lothair convened the second Aachen council in that year which allowed him to marry Waldrada and made peace with Charles in November. Lothair's brother, Charles of Provence died in 863 and Lothair partitioned Lower Burgundy with his elder brother, Emperor Louis. Pope Nicholas I suddenly undermined Lothair's position and excommunicated two of his archbishops, and some Lotharingian bishops sought the pope's forgiveness. Nicholas was able to force Lothair to remarry Teutberga by 865. In 867, Nicholas died, and his successor Adrian II was more flexible. Lothair went to Rome in 869 to meet with him, but died on the return trip.

Lothair issued less coinage than his father and significantly fewer charters than Charles the Bald, although his chancery remained functional. Lothair's dealings with the Northmen were focused on Rorik of Dorestad, a Viking leader in Frisia. In 863, Lothair attacked and chased a Norse raiding party, but did not destroy them. Lothair won a significant victory against Rorik in 867 and inflicted heavy casualties.

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