Louis the German
 | This article does not have any sources. (January 2025) |
| Louis the German | |
|---|---|
| King of East Francia | |
 Louis's seal with an effigy of the Roman emperor Hadrian. The inscription reads "XPE PROTEGE HLUDOICUM REGEM" meaning – "O Christ, protect King Louis!" | |
| King of East Francia (King of Germany) | |
| Reign | 10 August 843 – 28 August 876 |
| Predecessor | Louis the Pious |
| Successor | Carloman of Bavaria (Bavaria) Louis the Younger (Saxony) Charles the Fat (Swabia) |
| Born | 806 |
| Died | 28 August 876 |
| Spouse | Emma of Altdorf |
| House | Carolingian |
| Father | Louis the Pious |
| Mother | Ermengarde of Hesbaye |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Louis the German (German: Ludwig der Deutsche) was the first king of East Francia and one of the grandchildren of Charlemagne. Louis the German (c. 806 – 28 August 876) was the first king of East Francia, ruling from 843 to 876. He was the grandson of Charlemagne and the third son of Louis the Pious. After a series of conflicts with his father and brothers, he received the East Frankish kingdom through the Treaty of Verdun in 843.
Louis tried but failed to conquer his half-brother Charles the Bald's kingdom in 858-59. He acquired Lotharingia in the Treaty of Meerssen in 870 but couldn't claim the title of Emperor or Italy. He managed to reach a peace agreement with the Moravians in 874 after decades of conflict.
Louis ruled Bavaria from Regensburg and married Hemma in 827. His rule saw a decline in the creation of written administration and government documents.