How was the Frankish Kingdom Divided in its Final Years?

In 843, the Treaty of Verdun divided Charlemagne’s vast empire, carving it into three separate realms. Italy and Lotharingia was received by Lothair, the German-speaking lands went to Louis the German and France was given to Charles the Bald. They swore that no more divisions would occur, but history has little patience for such promises.

When the Lotharingian line died out, the Eastern Frankish kings seized Lotharingia, establishing a border between the Western Frankish Kingdom and the Eastern Frankish Kingdom that later evolved into the Holy Roman Empire. This division not only shaped the medieval political landscape but also revealed a striking truth: empires often hinge on the decisions of a few individuals. The human need for a singular figure to embody authority has persisted throughout history. Why do we consistently entrust entire nations to one leader? Perhaps it’s rooted in our evolutionary desire for clear hierarchies, or perhaps it reflects our deep-seated need for a sense of unity and purpose.

Yet power is a double-edged sword. While some seek guidance under a strong ruler, others hunger for autonomy. In the Eastern Frankish Kingdom, no one considered inviting a Western Frankish ruler to the throne. Instead, the German tribal dukes elected kings from among themselves. By 921, the Eastern and Western kings formalized their division in Bonn, opting for peaceful separation over warfare—a rare but important reminder that not all conflicts require bloodshed.

However, fragmentation continued to erode royal authority. Across German lands, former royal officials—counts, margraves, and palatine counts—gradually turned their appointed positions into hereditary fiefs. They built private armies, collected taxes, and even wielded judicial power. Over time, these feudal lords transformed their regions into de facto independent principalities. This decentralization might seem chaotic, but it reflects a recurring pattern in human history: the tension between centralization and local autonomy.

What’s fascinating is how this dynamic mirrors modern challenges. Today, we see similar struggles in the balance of power between governments and corporations, or between nation-states and local communities. The rise of feudal lords in medieval Europe wasn’t just a quirk of history—it was a manifestation of a deeper human instinct: the desire for control over one’s own domain.

This same instinct created the duality that defined the medieval political order. On one side were those who craved strong, centralized leadership; on the other, those who sought to carve out their own spheres of influence. Ultimately, this tension led to the fragmented map of feudal Europe, shaping the destinies of France, Germany, and beyond. It serves as a reminder that history is not a linear march toward greater unity or freedom, but a perpetual dance between the forces of consolidation and fragmentation.