Biography of Charles "Simple" III King West Francia 879-929

Paternal Family Tree: Carolingian

884 Death of Carloman II King West Francia

924 Death of King Edward the Elder

925 Coronation of King Athelstan

In February 875 [his father] Louis "Stammerer" II King Aquitaine III King West Francia (age 28) and [his mother] Adelaide Paris Queen Consort Aquitaine and West Francia (age 25) were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Aquitaine, Queen Consort West Francia. He the son of [his grandfather] Charles "Bald" I King West Francia (age 51) and [his grandmother] Ermentrude Orléans Queen Consort West Francia.

On 10th April 879 [his father] Louis "Stammerer" II King Aquitaine III King West Francia (age 32) died. His son [his half-brother] Louis (age 16) succeeded III King West Francia. His son [his half-brother] Carloman (age 13) succeeded King West Francia. Engelberge Bivinids Queen Consort West Francia by marriage Queen Consort West Francia.

On 17th September 879 Charles "Simple" III was born to [his father] Louis "Stammerer" II King Aquitaine III King West Francia and [his mother] Adelaide Paris Queen Consort Aquitaine and West Francia (age 29).

On 5th August 882 [his half-brother] Louis III King West Francia (age 19) died.

Death of Carloman II King West Francia

On 12th December 884 [his half-brother] Carloman II King West Francia (age 18) died. His half first cousin once removed Charles (age 45) succeeded III King West Francia, King Aquitaine.

On 1st January 898 Odo I King West Franks (age 41) died. Charles "Simple" III (age 18) succeeded III King West Francia.

On 10th November 901 [his mother] Adelaide Paris Queen Consort Aquitaine and West Francia (age 51) died.

William of Worcester's Chronicle of England

William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.

Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.

On 10th February 917 [his wife] Frederuna von Ringelheim Queen Consort West Francia (age 32) died.

On 7th October 919 Charles "Simple" III (age 40) and Eadgifu Wessex Queen Consort West Francia were married. She by marriage Queen Consort West Francia. She the daughter of King Edward "Elder" of the Anglo Saxons (age 45) and Aelfflaed Wiltshire Queen Anglo Saxons (age 49). He the son of Louis "Stammerer" II King Aquitaine III King West Francia and Adelaide Paris Queen Consort Aquitaine and West Francia.

Around 920 [his son] Louis "Overseas" IV King West Francia was born to Charles "Simple" III (age 40) and [his wife] Eadgifu Wessex Queen Consort West Francia. He married 939 Gerberga Queen Consort West Francia, daughter of Henry "Fowler" I King East Francia and Matilda Ringelheim Queen Consort East Francia, and had issue.

Death of King Edward the Elder

On 17th July 924 [his father-in-law] King Edward "Elder" of the Anglo Saxons (age 50) died. He was buried in St Oswald's Priory [Map]. His son [his brother-in-law] Æthelstan (age 30) succeeded King Anglo Saxons. His son Æthelstan succeeded I King Anglo Saxons.

Coronation of King Athelstan

On 4th September 925 [his brother-in-law] King Æthelstan I of England (age 31) was crowned I King Anglo Saxons by Archbishop Athelm, possibly at a site now known as the Coronation Stone, Kingston upon Thames [Map], or possibly in front of St Mary's chapel, which stood at the south-east of All Saint's Church, Kingston upon Thames [Map]. It was the first coronation in which the King wore a Crown rather than a helmet.

In 929 Otto I King Germany I King Italy Holy Roman Emperor (age 16) and [his sister-in-law] Eadgyth Wessex Queen Consort Germany were married. She the daughter of [his father-in-law] King Edward "Elder" of the Anglo Saxons and Aelfflaed Wiltshire Queen Anglo Saxons (age 59). He the son of Henry "Fowler" I King East Francia (age 53) and Matilda Ringelheim Queen Consort East Francia.

On 7th October 929 Charles "Simple" III (age 50) died.

In 951 Herbert "Old" Vermandois III Count Troyes and Meaux (age 41) and [his former wife] Eadgifu Wessex Queen Consort West Francia were married. She by marriage Countess Troyes and Meaux. She the daughter of [his former father-in-law] King Edward "Elder" of the Anglo Saxons and Aelfflaed Wiltshire Queen Anglo Saxons (age 81). He the son of Herbert II Count Vermandois, Soissons and Meaux and Adela Capet Countess Vermandois, Soissons and Meaux.

In 951 [his former wife] Eadgifu Wessex Queen Consort West Francia died.

[his daughter] Gisela Carolingian was born to Charles "Simple" III and Frederuna von Ringelheim Queen Consort West Francia.

Jean de Waurin's Chronicle of England Volume 6 Books 3-6: The Wars of the Roses

Jean de Waurin was a French Chronicler, from the Artois region, who was born around 1400, and died around 1474. Waurin’s Chronicle of England, Volume 6, covering the period 1450 to 1471, from which we have selected and translated Chapters relating to the Wars of the Roses, provides a vivid, original, contemporary description of key events some of which he witnessed first-hand, some of which he was told by the key people involved with whom Waurin had a personal relationship.

Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.

[his daughter] Rotrude Carolingian was born to Charles "Simple" III and Frederuna von Ringelheim Queen Consort West Francia.

[his daughter] Hildegarde Carolingian was born to Charles "Simple" III and Frederuna von Ringelheim Queen Consort West Francia.

[his daughter] Adelaide Carolingian was born to Charles "Simple" III and Frederuna von Ringelheim Queen Consort West Francia.

[his daughter] Frederuna Carolingian was born to Charles "Simple" III and Frederuna von Ringelheim Queen Consort West Francia.

[his daughter] Ermentrude Carolingian was born to Charles "Simple" III and Frederuna von Ringelheim Queen Consort West Francia.

Royal Ancestors of Charles "Simple" III

Kings Franks: Great Grand Son of Louis "Pious" King Aquitaine I King of the Franks

Royal Descendants of Charles "Simple" III
Number after indicates the number of unique routes of descent. Descendants of Kings and Queens not included.

Louis "Overseas" IV King West Francia [1]

Ancestors of Charles "Simple" III

GrandFather: Charles "Bald" I King West Francia

Great x 2 Grandfather: Welf

Great x 1 Grandmother: Judith Welf Queen Consort Aquitaine Queen Consort Franks

Great x 3 Grandfather: Isambart "The Saxon" Saxony

Great x 2 Grandmother: Hedwig Saxony

Father: Louis "Stammerer" II King Aquitaine III King West Francia

Great x 1 Grandfather: Odi Orléans 1st Count Orléans

GrandMother: Ermentrude Orléans Queen Consort West Francia

Charles "Simple" III King West Francia

GrandFather: Adalard Count of Paris

Mother: Adelaide Paris Queen Consort Aquitaine and West Francia