Germany / France: Icon of Charles III (839-888),6th Holy Roman emperor, from the book Icones imperatorvm romanorvm, ex priscis numismatibus ad viuum delineatae, & breui narratione historica< / i>,1645

Charles III (839-888), more commonly known as Charles the Fat, was the youngest son of Louis the German, King of East Francia, and great-grandson of Emperor Charlemagne. Following the division of East Francia among Louis' sons, Charles inherited Alamannia in 876, but soon inherited the Kingdom of Italy in 876 after his older brother Carloman of Bavaria abdicated.

. Charles was eventually crowned as Holy Roman emperor in 881, and succeeded his brother Louis the Younger as king of Saxony and Bavaria a year later, reuniting the Kingdom of East Francia. He was forced to deal with the Great Heathen Army, a large force of Vikings that had been repelled from Britain by King Alfred the Great in 878, something he dealt with through assassination and bribery. After his cousin Carloman II died in 884, Charles also inherited all of West Francia, reuniting the Carolingian Empire under his reign.

. Charles' reunited kingdom did not last long, as a coup in November 887 led by his nephew Arnulf of Carinthia eventually deposed him. He was forced to retire, and soon died of natural causes a year later in January 888, only weeks after his deposition. The Carolingian Empire soon fell apart after his death, split into five successor kingdoms.

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38.3 x 38.2 cm | 15.1 x 15.0 in (300 dpi)