Neverwonagame3
Self-Styled Intellectual
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2006
- Messages
- 3,549
The Death of Bernard of Italy
The butterfly effect is said to affect history greatly- stepping on a butterfly can, given enough time, change everything. For some reason- some divergence, back in the distant past, by the death of Charlemange a lot of things were changing.
One was the death of Bernard of Italy. An influential man in Italy (with even the title of King) from 810 onwards, it was expected by all that this arrangement, endorsed by Charlemange himself as well as Louis, would continue.
But this was not to be. In an ironic twist of fate, he was travelling north to pay homage to Louis, and died of disease at Chalon. The end of his 'reign' (he was a vassal of Louis) would prevent a factor of conflict which, later historians have argued, could have triggered a civil war, or even the loss of Italy.
(OOC: In OTL, Bernard of Italy was said to be plotting rebellion, so Louis advanced on him. Bernard tried to negotiate terms at Chalon, but was forced to surrender and, while Louis only intended to blind him, the procedure caused his death two days later. Warning: My source is Wikipedia)
But at the time, it was not seen as such. The death of Bernard was interpreted as a bad omen for Louis's reign. A pious man, he was haunted by it- could it mean that God was not smiling on him? Amongst other things, as he saw it, that would mean the end of the Empire. This fear would affect the rest of his life...
The butterfly effect is said to affect history greatly- stepping on a butterfly can, given enough time, change everything. For some reason- some divergence, back in the distant past, by the death of Charlemange a lot of things were changing.
One was the death of Bernard of Italy. An influential man in Italy (with even the title of King) from 810 onwards, it was expected by all that this arrangement, endorsed by Charlemange himself as well as Louis, would continue.
But this was not to be. In an ironic twist of fate, he was travelling north to pay homage to Louis, and died of disease at Chalon. The end of his 'reign' (he was a vassal of Louis) would prevent a factor of conflict which, later historians have argued, could have triggered a civil war, or even the loss of Italy.
(OOC: In OTL, Bernard of Italy was said to be plotting rebellion, so Louis advanced on him. Bernard tried to negotiate terms at Chalon, but was forced to surrender and, while Louis only intended to blind him, the procedure caused his death two days later. Warning: My source is Wikipedia)
But at the time, it was not seen as such. The death of Bernard was interpreted as a bad omen for Louis's reign. A pious man, he was haunted by it- could it mean that God was not smiling on him? Amongst other things, as he saw it, that would mean the end of the Empire. This fear would affect the rest of his life...