The Book of Emperors: A Translation of the Middle High German Kaiserchronik

XLIV. Louis III, “the Child”

345 result of this crime. Emperor Arnulf destroyed him with everything that belonged to him. His relatives are scattered far and wide. When Emperor Arnulf learned what a true stalwart of God the good Saint Emmeran was, he loved him more and more. He built him the best cathedral that he could in the city of Regensburg and willed money from his own inheritance to it. The Book tells us truly that he had the Empire for twelve years and five months; they buried that ruler in Regensburg. XLIV Louis III, “the Child” Arnulf’s son, Louis (Roman emperor 900–911), was given the imperial title at age seven, soon after his father’s death. As long as he was still quite young, Bishop Hatto of Mainz oversaw the administration of the empire. The Book of Emperors is accurate enough in portraying Louis’s reign as marked by Hungarian invasions and internal German conflicts, although individual names and events are sometimes arbitrarily handled. For instance, the historical Count Adalbert of Babensberg1 becomes “Bishop Albrecht .” Historically, Adalbert had killed Louis’s brother, Conrad, and was captured by trickery planned by Bishop Hatto, brought before King Louis for judgment, and beheaded. Our author continues to identify the Hungarians with the Huns, using the two names interchangeably, as if to associate the reputation of the Huns for savage conduct with that of the Hungarians of his own day. The etymology he uses for Frankfurt as “Ford of the Franks” has held up over the centuries, although today that city’s inhabitants derive the name from an encampment there by 1. Modern Bamberg. 346 Chapter Forty-four Charlemagne, greatest king of the Franks, rather than Louis the Child. With the death of Louis the Child, the rule of members of Charlemagne’s family as emperors came to an end in Germany. when Emperor Arnulf departed this life, he left a son named Louis. It was not yet the right time for him to hold the Empire after his father; however, he did so in spite of being still a young child. The Hungarians heard it told that Emperor Arnulf was dead, and they scorned the young ruler, raising great havoc in the Empire. They invaded Bavaria, plundering and burning as they went. They destroyed churches and carried the people off with them, but soon young King Louis was coming to be able to save his people. The Hungarians wanted to cross a river called the Engesin. The young king fought them with his troops, and God’s power helped him prevail over the Huns—eight thousand of them were slain. A prince named Conrad—that is what is written here—was a brother of King Louis, with whom he engaged in conflict that grew to warfare within Bavaria. [In spite of this, when] Conrad lay slain, King Louis avenged his death. A bishop named Albrecht suffered grave injustice in the eyes of God. Following a false accusation he was seized and brought before King Louis , and he was sentenced and beheaded. He lay dead with no guilt on his part. In the fourth year of Louis’s reign, the Hungarians truly gained revenge . The Bavarians fought them at a river called the Inn. The Bavarians survived with very little that was good for anything. Those most evil Hungarians, together with Saxons and Thuringians, ravished the countryside with their swords, sparing neither women nor children. They rode into Frankish territory, plundering and burning as they went. The Eastern Franks attacked them in front and at their rear, as did the Ripuarian Franks. The Book tells us beyond any doubt that one Sunday the forces reached each other at Frankfurt. The Franks avenged their women and children with sword and spear—that is how the city got 347 its name.2 Many a fine hero lay fallen there; so many Christians fell in battle they could not be counted. Duke Burchart was slain along with his men who lay there beside him. The Christians struggled until nightfall, but the Huns maintained control of the area, using ferocious measures. Louis ruled the Empire, the Book tells us for a fact, exactly twelve years. Then he fell out of a tower. Everything that happens is still God’s will. XLV Conrad I Conrad I (r. as German king 911–918) never was crowned emperor , but functioned as one nonetheless. Election as German king had the effect...