The divorce of King Lothar and Queen Theutberga: Hincmar of Rheims's <i>De divortio</i>

Between 858 and 869, an unprecedented scandal played out in Frankish Europe, becoming the subject of gossip not only in palaces and cathedrals. It was in these years that a Frankish king, Lothar II, made increasingly desperate efforts to divorce his wife, Queen Theutberga, and to marry instead a woman named Waldrada, the mother of his children. Lothar, however, faced opposition to his actions. Kings and bishops from neighbouring kingdoms, and several popes, were gradually drawn into a crisis affecting the fate of an entire kingdom. This book offers eye-opening insight not only on the political wrangling of the time, but also on early medieval attitudes towards issues, including magic, penance, gender, the ordeal, marriage, sodomy, the role of bishops, and kingship. In The Mid-ninth Century, Francia Was Rocked By The First Royal Divorce Scandal Of The Middle Ages: The Attempt By King Lothar Ii Of Lotharingia To Rid Himself Of His Queen, Theutberga And Remarry. Even 'women In Their Weaving Sheds' Were Allegedly Gossiping About The Lurid Accusations Made. Kings And Bishops From Neighbouring Kingdoms, And Several Popes, Were Gradually Drawn Into A Crisis Affecting The Fate Of An Entire Kingdom. This Is The First Professionally Published Translation Of A Key Source For This Extraordinary Episode: Archbishop Hincmar Of Rheims's De Divortio Lotharii Regis Et Theutbergae Reginae. This Text Offers Eye-opening Insight Both On The Political Wrangling Of The Time And On Early Medieval Attitudes Towards Magic, Penance, Gender, The Ordeal, Marriage, Sodomy, The Role Of Bishops, And Kingship.the Translation Includes A Substantial Introduction And Annotations, Putting The Case Into Its Early Medieval Context And Explaining Hincmar's Sometimes-dubious Methods Of Argument. Front matter Dedication Contents List of figures List of abbreviations Acknowledgements Map Genealogy Biographical notes Introduction Hincmar of Rheims, De divortio Bibliography Index The first published translation of Hincmar{u2019}s treatise {u2013} a key source for studying ninth-century political history and the ideology of kingship