• Born: 13 Jun 823, Frankfurt, Hessen-Nassau, Prussia
• Married (1): 13 Dec 842, Quierzy, Aisne, France
• Married (2): 12 Oct 869
• Died: 6 Oct 877, Brides-Les-Bain, Brios, France
• Buried: St Denis, Paris, Seine, France

  Research Notes:

The Annales S. Benigni Divisionensis record the birth of "Karolus filius Ludowici" in Frankfurt "Idus Iun 824". Thegan's Vita Hludowici Imperatoris names Charles as son of his father by his second wife. His father invested Charles as dux in Alemania, Rhetia, Alsace and part of Burgundy at Worms in Aug 829, reducing the territory of his oldest brother Lothaire to Italy. This triggered the revolt of his older half-brothers in Mar 830, when they captured their father at Compiègne and forced him to revert to the constitutional arrangements decided in 817. His father installed Charles as King of Aquitaine in Sep 832, having deprived Charles's half-brother Pépin. His father restored Aquitaine to Pépin 15 Mar 834 at Quierzy-sur-Oise. His father accorded Charles the land between Frisia and the Seine at the assembly of Aix-la-Chapelle in 837, Maine and the land between the Seine and the Loire (as well as a royal crown) in 838, and Francia between the Meuse and the Seine, western and southern Burgundy, Provence, Neustria, the march of Bretagne, Aquitaine, Gascony and Septimania at the assembly of Worms 28 May 839. On the death of his father, he became King of the Franks of the West. His brother Emperor Lothaire sought to deprive him of his lands. Charles allied himself with his half-brother Ludwig and together they defeated Lothaire at Fontenoy-en-Puisaye 25 Jun 841.

Under the division of imperial territories agreed under the Treaty of Verdun 11 Aug 843, he became CHARLES II “le Chauve” King of the West Franks. King of Aquitaine in 848, when he deposed his nephew Pépin II. When King Charles II was faced with widespread rebellion, his brother Ludwig II "der Deutsche" King of the East Franks invaded his kingdom in Aug 858 but was defeated 15 Jan 859 in the Laonnais and forced to withdraw. In 865, Charles agreed with King Ludwig II the future division of the territories of Lothaire II King of Lotharingia, but on the latter's death in 869 Charles invaded Lotharingia and proclaimed himself CHARLES King of Lotharingia before Ludwig could assert his rights. A settlement was reached at Meerssen in Aug 870 under which Charles received the Meuse valley, Lyonnais, Viennois and Vivarais, declaring himself king of Lotharingia in 869. He was crowned Emperor CHARLES II at Rome 25 Dec 875 by Pope John VIII, and elected king of Italy at Pavia in 876.

The Annales S. Benigni Divisionensis record the death of "Karolus imperator Prid Non Oct 877". The necrology of Reims Saint-Rémi records the death "III Non Oct" of "Karolus Calvus rex Francorum". The necrology of Saint-Germain-des-Prés records the death 877 “II Non Oct” of “Karoli...secundi imperatoris...” ¹