Lower Burgundy is sometimes called the Kingdom of Arelat, the Kingdom of Cisjurane Burgundy, or the Kingdom of Provence.

The borders of Lower Burgundy are the Mediterranean Sea to the south, Septimania to the southwest, Aquitaine to the west, the Kingdom of Upper Burgundy to the north, and the Kingdom of Italy to the east.

Louis the Stammerer, who dies on April 10, 879, is survived by two adult sons, Louis and Carloman.

Boso renounces allegiance to both brothers and in July claims independence of the Kingdom of Provence.

On 15 October 879, the bishops and nobles of the region around the rivers Rhône and Saône assemble in the Synod of Mantaille and elect Boso king as successor to Louis the Stammerer, the first non-Carolingian king in Western Europe in more than a century.

This is the first "free election" of a king among the Franks, without regard to royal descent, though his mother was a Carolingian.

The Kingdom comprises 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.

Atlantic West Europe (880–891): Renewed Carolingian Authority, Regional Powers, and Viking Threats

Between 880 and 891, Atlantic West Europe saw the resurgence of Carolingian power in West Francia, the ongoing fragmentation and consolidation of regional principalities like Flanders, Anjou, Aquitaine, Brittany, and Burgundy, and continued threats from Viking raids.

Political and Military Developments

• West Francia: Restoration Under Charles the Fat

  • Carolingian authority briefly consolidated under Emperor Charles the Fat (r. 881–888), who reunited Carolingian territories including West Francia.
  • Charles proved largely ineffective, failing notably during the Viking siege of Paris (885–886), despite the heroic defense led by Count Odo of Paris.

• Rise of Odo of Paris

  • Odo, Count of Paris, emerged as a military hero by successfully defending Paris against the Vikings.
  • Following Charles the Fat’s deposition in 887 and subsequent death in 888, West Francia's nobility elevated Odo to kingship, establishing him as the first non-Carolingian king since Charlemagne’s dynasty began.

• Establishment of Principalities

  • Flanders continued its growth under Baldwin II "the Bald," fortifying its independence by securing royal recognition and expanding its territories.
  • Anjou steadily consolidated power under local counts, enhancing regional autonomy in the Loire Valley.
  • Aquitaine experienced ongoing fragmentation among local nobles, though its regional identity and autonomy persisted.
  • Brittany strengthened under Duke Alain I, successfully resisting Viking invasions and securing regional autonomy.

• Upper and Lower Burgundy: Formation of Independent Kingdoms

  • After the death of Charles the Fat (888), Upper Burgundy (the future Free County of Burgundy or Franche-Comté) established itself independently under Rudolph I.
  • Concurrently, Lower Burgundy (later Kingdom of Provence or Cisjurane Burgundy) emerged under Boso, expanding regional autonomy.

Economic and Social Developments

• Impact of Viking Raids

  • Continued Viking raids disrupted trade routes along the Loire and Seine rivers, leading to fortified towns and castles as defensive measures.
  • This further accelerated regional fragmentation and encouraged the rise of local strongholds.

• Urbanization and Trade

  • Despite disruptions, towns like Paris, Tours, and Bruges gradually enhanced their roles as centers of commerce and administrative power, especially with increasing fortifications.

Religious and Cultural Developments

• Monastic Revival and Cultural Preservation
  • Monastic centers, despite Viking threats, continued intellectual preservation, notably at Saint-Martin of Tours and Saint-Bertin in Flanders.
  • Manuscript illumination and Latin scholarship continued, albeit reduced by instability.

Legacy and Significance

By 891, Atlantic West Europe had experienced:

• The decisive failure and ultimate end of centralized Carolingian control, setting the stage for Odo’s accession and the eventual rise of the Robertian dynasty.
• Continued growth and regional consolidation in Flanders, Anjou, Brittany, and Burgundy, reinforcing political fragmentation into strong regional states.
• Significant cultural preservation despite ongoing disruptions, laying the foundations for regional identities and future political structures in the early medieval period.

This era firmly signaled the fragmentation of Carolingian authority, paving the way toward the feudal decentralization that characterized subsequent medieval Europe.

Provence had been legally a part of the Italian kingdom from 863.

Following the death of Louis the Stammerer and the division of his realm between his two sons, Carloman and Louis, some nobles advocate electing a sole king, but eventually both brothers are elected kings.

Although doubts are cast upon their legitimacy, the brothers had obtained recognition and in March 880 divide their father's realm at Amiens, Carloman receiving Burgundy and Aquitaine.

However, Duke Boso has renounced his allegiance to both brothers and had been elected King of Provence, or Lower Burgundy.

The brothers Carloman and Louis march against him in the summer of 880, taking Mâcon and the northern parts of Boso's realm.

They unite their forces with those of Charles the Fat and unsuccessfully besiege Vienne from August to November.

Richard, called the Justiciar, is a Bosonid, the son of Bivin of Gorze and Richildis.

His elder brother is Boso of Provence and his younger sister is Richildis, second wife of Charles the Bald.

After the death of the Emperor Louis II in 875, Richard and Boso had accompanied Charles to Italy for his imperial coronation.

In Pavia, while preparing for his return journey in February 876, Charles had nominated Boso "Duke and Viceroy of Italy and Duke of Provence."

On Charles' death in 877, Boso had returned to France and confided the realm of Italy and the duchy of Provence to Richard and Hugh the Abbot as missi dominici.

When Boso declared himself "King of Provence" in 879 following the death of Louis the Stammerer, Richard had defected from Boso and taken Boso's county of Autun, which Carloman II had confirmed to him in 880.

The two had joined battle on the Saône and Richard had captured Mâcon and garrisoned it in the name of Carloman and Louis III under the command of Bernard Plantapilosa, a relative of the hereditary Counts of Mâcon.

After taking Lyon, he had besieged his brother's capital of Vienne, where he had been joined by Louis, Carloman, and the emperor Charles the Fat.

Richard eventually drives Boso out in September 882 and captures his wife Ermengard and children Engelberga and Louis, sending them as prisoners to Autun.

Boso goes into hiding in Provence.

The Death of Louis III and the Crisis of West Francia (882)

On August 5, 882, Louis III, King of West Francia, dies after falling from his horse while chasing a girl with amorous intent. His sudden and unexpected death occurs at Saint-Denis, a central location within his realm, and he is buried in the royal mausoleum of the Basilica of Saint-Denis.

The Aftermath: Carloman Becomes Sole King

• Louis III had no heirs, leaving his brother Carloman II as the sole ruler of West Francia.
• Carloman inherits a kingdom in crisis, beset by Viking invasions, feudal revolts, and territorial instability.

The Dire Condition of West Francia (882)

1. Viking Incursions

   • Norman raiders continue to plunder towns, monasteries, and cities, particularly in the Seine and Loire valleys.
   • The kingdom’s defensive structures are inadequate, and Carloman struggles to muster a unified military response.

2. Weak Royal Authority

   • The power of the West Frankish monarchy is limited, as local lords grow increasingly independent.
   • Even within his own kingdom, Carloman’s authority is heavily circumscribed, with nobles asserting regional autonomy.

3. Revolts in Burgundy

   • Feudal lords in Burgundy rise in rebellion, further weakening royal influence over the region.
   • This signals the continued fragmentation of the Carolingian realm, as local rulers refuse to recognize centralized authority.

Legacy of Louis III

• Though his reign was short (879–882), Louis III is remembered for his victory over the Vikings at Saucourt (881), immortalized in the Ludwigslied.
• His death marks another step in the decline of the Carolingian monarchy, accelerating the rise of feudal states.
• With West Francia increasingly vulnerable, Carloman faces the daunting task of holding together a kingdom on the brink of disintegration.

Though Louis III’s reign was defined by both military triumph and personal recklessness, his untimely death leaves West Francia in a precarious state, setting the stage for continued instability and the eventual collapse of Carolingian rule.

Atlantic West Europe (892–903): Decline of Carolingian Authority and Rise of Regional Powers

Between 892 and 903, Atlantic West Europe experienced the rapid disintegration of Carolingian authority, the solidification of regional principalities such as Brittany, Flanders, Anjou, and Upper and Lower Burgundy, and significant shifts driven by ongoing Viking invasions.

Political and Military Developments

• West Francia: Struggle Between Carolingian and Robertian Dynasties

  • King Odo of Paris (r. 888–898), despite his initial popularity and military successes, struggled to assert royal authority amid rising noble independence and ongoing Viking incursions.
  • Upon Odo’s death, Charles the Simple (r. 898–922), a Carolingian descendant, regained the throne, though royal power was severely limited and regional nobility increasingly autonomous.

• Flanders: Growth of Territorial Strength

  • Count Baldwin II of Flanders (r. 879–918) continued consolidating his power, fortifying towns like Bruges and Ghent against Viking threats, and reinforcing Flemish political autonomy and economic stability.

• Brittany: Defiance and Autonomy

  • Under Duke Alain I (r. 877–907), Brittany resisted Viking attacks effectively, asserting its independence from Frankish domination and strengthening regional identity.

• Anjou: Expansion of Comital Power

  • The Counts of Anjou consolidated local authority along the Loire Valley, fortifying territories against Viking incursions and enhancing political and economic stability.

• Upper and Lower Burgundy: Independent Kingdoms

  • Upper Burgundy under Rudolph I (r. 888–912) firmly established itself as an independent entity (future Franche-Comté region).
  • Lower Burgundy (Provence) maintained its independence under King Louis the Blind (r. 887–928), navigating between Carolingian and Imperial spheres of influence.

Economic and Social Developments

• Viking Raids and Urban Fortification

  • Frequent Viking raids along rivers such as the Seine and Loire compelled communities to construct defensive fortifications, enhancing the emergence of local strongholds and fortified towns like Paris and Tours.
  • These fortifications stimulated local economies and increased autonomy for town-based elites.

• Agricultural Stability and Local Economies

  • Despite instability, regional economies in areas such as Flanders, Anjou, and Aquitaine remained resilient, with agricultural production sustaining modest urban growth and local trade.

Religious and Cultural Developments

• Monasticism and Manuscript Culture
  • Monastic institutions like Saint-Martin of Tours, despite occasional disruptions by Viking incursions, remained essential in preserving Latin learning, manuscript culture, and religious reform.
  • Cultural life, though strained, persisted in monasteries and cathedral schools across the region.

Legacy and Significance

By 903, Atlantic West Europe had undergone significant transitions:

• The authority of the Carolingian monarchy in West Francia had been irreversibly weakened, facilitating the rise of regional dynasties and local autonomy.
• Robust territorial principalities, notably Flanders, Brittany, Anjou, and the two Burgundies, emerged clearly defined and increasingly independent.
• Viking incursions accelerated the militarization and fortification of urban centers, laying the groundwork for medieval town structures.
• Despite widespread disruption, monastic centers maintained essential continuity in cultural and religious life.

This era represented a pivotal shift from centralized Carolingian rule toward localized power structures, significantly shaping the feudal landscape of medieval Atlantic West Europe.