September 17 – Happy Birthday, Charles the Simple, King of Western France

nPostednon September 17, 2014

Charles the Simple

nTonme, “Charles the Simple” sounds like an insult. Indeed, it maynhave been an insult—although I wouldn’t expect the name for a kingnto be an insult!

nButnget this:

nCharlesnthe Simple (born on this date in 879) was the youngest child of Louis the Stammerer, King ofnAquitaine and later King of West Francia. n

nHisngrandfather’s name was Charles the Bald.

nCharlesnthe Simple was too young to rule when his older brother died, so thennobles of West Francia asked his cousin, Charles the Fat, to becomenking.

Charles the Fat

nThenSimple? The Stammerer? The Bald? The Fat? …It sounds like a comedynmeant to make fun of kings calling themselves so-and-so “thenGreat,” but this is reality, not parody!

nInalso read that the King of Germany, Louis the Child, died and thatnthe nobles of one region of Germany, under the leadership of ReginarnLongneck, declared Charles the Simple to be their king, too.

nAnfew other kings include Louis the Quarreler, Charles the Mad, Philipnthe Amorous, Pepin the Short, and (finally! Some compliments!) Louisnthe Debonaire and Charles the Affable.

nMaybenthese names sound less laughable in French?

nThenbirth of last names

nInnthe Middle Ages, there was enough travel from town-to-town, enoughntrade between peoples, and large enough gatherings of people in townsnto necessitate more than just one name. You can imagine somethingnlike this:

nWho is going to moveninto the room above the bar?

nJohn.

nJohn? I know threenJohns—which one do you mean? John the Smith, John the Cooper, ornJohn the Red Head?

n(Notenthat a smith is someone who creates objects out of metal, and ancooper is someone who makes barrels.)

nActually,nI mean John, son of Peter.

n Oh!nRight! Forgot about him!

John Smith, I presume?

nDuring this time whennpeople were trying to differentiate between people with the samenfirst name, they referred to people’s occupations, father’s names,nwhere they lived, and sometimes even their appearance or disposition.

nJohn the Smith became John Smith, and John the Cooper became JohnnCooper. John the Red Head might have become John Redd or JohnnRedford, and John-son-of-Peter became John Peterson.

nI can imaginenthat John from London became John London, and John-of-the-Hill becamenJohn Hill – and so on and on. Last names had been invented and tonsome extent evolved, mostly in the direction of streamlining andnsimplifying.

nAlsonon this date: