The Kingdom of West Francia

      (Today part of: western (without Bretagne), central and northern France, western Belgium, northeastern Spain (Navarra, Catalonia)

Although territorially separated, the Kingdoms of West and East Francia, will continue to be considered two branches of one overarching state, until the mid-10^th century, which, in practice, also made itself apparent in their symbolic subjugation to a single Emperor. The state was named Francia meaning “the land of the Franks,” seen as how the ruling dynasty originated from a Frankish tribe. Of course, its population was predominantly non-Frankish. Moreover, West Francia, in the terms of the size of its territory, was too large an area for the military and reigningcapabilities of the king, whose rights were limited by the difficulties in communication,as well as a weak organization of centralized government. There were vassal relations outside the wider Paris area, but they were fragmented, if not put into question on the whole, and vassals relations which were even further away disappeared completely (Gascony, Aquitaine, the Spanish marches, the earldom of Toulouse).  The Bretons had turned their marches into a kingdom at one point (851 – 936), and later their own language, which was of Celtic origin, will prove to be an obstacle for growing closer to Paris.

Yet, the period of the second half of the 9^th century was, in most part, marked by conquests by the Vikings or Norsemen (people from the north) along the North Sea, west Atlantic, and south Mediterranean coasts, as well as constant raids along the rivers Scheldt, Maas, and Seine. In order to quell the Norsemen’s attacks on Paris, the king granted them lands in the north-west of the West Frankish state, which henceforth bore the name Normandy, in accordance with the name of its people. In the 10^th century, it will be raised to the status of duchy. The Normans took Frankish princesses as brides, and took up Christian faith, as well as the French language. Normandy recognized the authority of the Frankish/French ruler only formally, thus, their military campaigns (for instance against Sicily or England) were also launched on their own initiative.