CARLO II, Emperor, called the Bald. — Son of Ludovico the Pious and his second wife Giuditta, born in 823 at Frankfurt on the Main. In 829, at the assembly of Worms, Alemagna was decreed as his inheritance, arousing strong animosities among the other sons of Ludovico the Pious who, waging war against their father, succeeded in 833 in taking C. prisoner, though he was soon freed. At the assembly of Aachen (836) a very large kingdom was constituted for him, and in fact was entrusted to his administration, comprising Austrasia and Neustria, which he then endeavored to expand toward Provence, Aquitaine, and Burgundy, also annexing part of Lotharingia upon the death of Lothar II. His reign was troubled by Norman incursions (853 ff.) and by invasions by his brother Ludovico the German. After the death of Emperor Ludovico II in 875, Pope John VIII invited him to Italy and crowned him emperor in Rome. In 877 he returned to Italy to aid the Pope against the Saracens, but did not find the Frankish lords favorable. And while he was preparing to cross the Alps again, he died on 6 August of that year at Avrieux, near Modane.