Regensburg Bayern Germany

The Bavarians had emerged in a region north of the Alps originally inhabited by the Celts, which had been part of the Roman provinces of Raetia and Noricum.

The Bavarians speak Old High German but, unlike other Germanic groups, probably did not migrate from elsewhere.

Rather, they seem to have coalesced out of other groups left behind by Roman withdrawal late in the fifth century.

These peoples may have included the Celtic Boii, some remaining Romans, Marcomanni, Allemanni, Quadi, Thuringians, Goths, Scirians, Rugians, Heruli.

The name "Bavarian" ("Baiuvarii") means "Men of Baia" which may indicate Bohemia, the homeland of the Celtic Boii and later of the Marcomanni.

They first appear in written sources around 520.

By the sixth century, there is evidence of the foundation of a Bavarian stem duchy whose leadership is related to the ruling Frankish (and possibly Alemannic/Swabian) houses.

The dukes of Bavaria choose the site of a first century CE Roman camp (later called Regensburg) as their seat; it will remain the capital of Bavaria from about 530 to the first half of the thirteenth century.

From about 554, the house of Agilolfing rules the Duchy of Bavaria, subordinate to the Franks.

Three early dukes are named in Frankish sources: Garibald I may have been appointed to the office by the Merovingian kings and married the Lombard princess Walderada when the church forbade her to King Chlothar I in 555.

The Avars, still in the pay of Constantinople, push west until, in 562, they meet the enlarged Frankish kingdom at the Elbe.

King Sigebert I repels an attack on Austrasia by the Avars at Regensburg.

Charles, after becoming the virtual ruler of the Frankish realm, fights in Bavaria, forcing the Alamanni to accompany him.

Bavaria’s late Agilolfing duke Theodbert had married Regintrude and had a son and a daughter: Hugbert, the only grandson of Theodo II, who inherits the duchy united after Grimoald's death in 724, and Guntrude, who had married Liutprand of the Lombards.

Duke Hugbert submits to Frankish suzerainty, and Charles brings the Bavarians into strict dependence.

Odilo, Duke of Bavaria, presides over the establishment of bishoprics in Bavaria, when in 739 Boniface establishes the dioceses of Regensburg, …

The residence of the largely independent Agilolfing dukes is at this time Regensburg, the former Roman Castra Regina, on the Danube river.

Odilo had married Hiltrud, daughter of the Frankish Mayor of the Palace Charles Martel, In 741, but a year later he had found himself at war with Martel's sons Carloman and Pepin the Short.

In 743, Pepin campaigns against Odilo and forces him to submit to Frankish suzerainty.

Grifo, half-brother of Carloman and Pepin, seeks to establish his own rule in Bavaria after the death of Odilo, Duke of Bavaria, in 748, but is defeated by Pepin, who installs their nephew, Odilo's infant son Tassilo III as duke of Bavaria, but under Frankish overlordship.

Charles conquers Bavaria in 787-88, absorbing the duchy in 788.

The Frankish forces have from 791 warred against the Avars, who control the central Danube valley.

Charles, unsuccessful in tracking down and crushing the enemy after four years of campaigning, returns to his base at Regensburg to strengthen his forces on the eastern frontier.

Louis is forced in 864 to grant Carloman the kingdom of Bavaria, which he himself had once held under his father.

Carloman has re-founded the palace and monastery at Ötting in Bavaria, dedicating it to the Virgin Mary and "numerous other saints whose relics we were able to collect with God's help", and appointing his father's friend, the linguistic scholar Baldo, as his chancellor.

He may have been the object in 878 of an assassination attempt.

According to the Annales Iuvavenses, the king "was surrounded by Count Ermenpert and some of his soldiers" at Ergolding, but the had count apparently fled to West Francia, where In a letter of June 7, 879, Pope John, having failed to persuade Louis the Stammerer, Charles the Bald's heir, to come to Italy for its defense, had appealed to Carloman, whom he had previously rejected.

It was too late.

Carloman had in 879 become incapacitated by illness, perhaps a stroke.

His brother Louis came to Bavaria to receive the recognition of the aristocracy as future king.

According to the Annales Fuldenses (879), Carloman lost his voice, but was still able to communicate by writing.

Regino of Prüm, writing for the year 880, recalls that he was "erudite in letters" (litteris eruditus), which indicates he could write Latin.

Most sources place Carloman's death in March 880, but the Annales Iuvavenses place it on September 21.Carloman leaves one illegitimate son, Arnulf, who continues as margrave of Carinthia during the reigns of Carloman's brothers.

In 887, he will become king of East Francia and in 896 emperor.