Odo of Aquitaine

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Odo the Great (a.k.a. Eudes, Eudo, or Otto) (d.c.736), Duke of Aquitaine, obtained this dignity about 700. His territory included the southwestern part of Gaul from the Loire to the Pyrenees, with his capital in Toulouse. He retained it until his abdication in 735.

His earlier life is obscure, as is his ancestry and succession. He was probably of Merovingian descent, the grandson or great-grandson of Charibert II of Aquitaine. His father may have been Boggis, Bertrand, or Hubert, all dukes of Aquitaine, but it may have been Duke Lupus I, who was probably not Merovingian at all. He succeeded to the ducal throne as early as 679 or 688, respecitvely probably the dates of death of Lupus and Bertrand. Other dates are possible, including 692, but he was certainly in power by 700. In 715, he declared himself independent during the civil war raging in Gaul. It is not likely that he ever took the title of king.

In 718, he appears as the ally of Chilperic II of Neustria and the Mayor of the Palace Ragenfrid, who may have offered recognition of his kingship over Aquitaine. They were fighting against the Austrasian mayor of the palace, Charles Martel; but after the defeat of Chilperic at Soissons in 719, he probably made peace with Charles by surrendering to him the Neustrian king and his treasures.

Odo was also obliged to fight the Saracens who invaded the southern part of his kingdom, and inflicted a severe defeat upon Anbasa ibn Suhaim Al Kalbi at the Battle of Toulouse on June 9, 721. This victory was celebrated with gifts from the pope, proving the independence of Odo in his foreign relations. When, however, he was again attacked by Charles Martel, the Saracens renewed their ravages, and Odo was defeated near Bordeaux; he was compelled to beg protection from Charles, who took up his struggle and gained his momentous victory at Poitiers in 732. In 735 the duke abdicated, and was succeeded by his son Hunald. He had another son, Ato, who succeeded later and a daughter, probably named Lampegia, who married an Arab chief. He died sometime later, probably in a monastery, perhaps as late as 740.

"|Preceded by:
Lupus

|width="30%" align="center" rowspan=""|Succeeded by:
Hunald |- |}

Sources

Oman, Charles. The Dark Ages 476-918. 1914. Rivingtons, London.

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