the good will of the Emperor. In the same way, Lothar had, the year before, attempted to win over Charles of Provence, by ceding to him the two dioceses of Belley and Tarentaise, in exchange, indeed, for a treaty securing to him the inheritance of his young brother, in the event, which seemed not unlikely, of the latter's dying childless. The conflict of 858-9 had displayed Lothar's anxiety to keep on good terms with both of his uncles by abstaining from interference on behalf of either. At the same time an active campaign was being kept up against Theutberga, organised by two prelates devoted to the king of Lorraine, Theutgaud, Archbishop of Trèves, and Gunther, Archbishop of Cologne. The latter even, with skilful treachery, contrived to become confessor to the persecuted queen. In January 860, Lothar thought himself sure enough of his position to convoke a council at Aix-la-Chapelle before which he appeared, declaring that his wife herself acknowledged her guilt, and petitioned to be allowed to take the veil. The bishops did not profess themselves convinced, and demanded that a fresh assembly should be held, to which were summoned foreign bishops and in particular Hincmar. But the latter did not respond to the invitation, and it was at a synod composed exclusively of Lorrainers, and again held at Aix, that Theutberga herself was present and read a confession, evidently drawn up by Gunther and his accomplices, in which she acknowledged herself guilty of the crimes imputed to her. On this occasion the bishops were obliged to accept as valid the declaration thus made by the queen and to condemn her. But they avoided coming to a decision on the point which lay nearest to Lothar's heart, viz. the possibility of his contracting another marriage. He was forced to content himself with the imprisonment of Theutberga without advancing any further towards the execution of his plans.
Some months later the dispute was re-opened. Hincmar stepped into the lists by putting forth his voluminous treatise De divortio Lotharii, in which he shewed clearly the weakness of the arguments used against Theutberga, and pronounced confessions extorted by constraint and violence null, while demanding that the question should be examined in a general council of the bishops of the Franks. The treatise of the Archbishop of Rheims was of exceptional importance, due not only to the reputation which he enjoyed in the ecclesiastical world as a theologian and canonist, but also to his political prominence in the Western Kingdom as the adviser of Charles the Bald. The latter thus took his place among the declared opponents of Lothar II's matrimonial policy. He gave further proof of this attitude by affording shelter in his kingdom to Hubert, who was forced to quit Lorraine, and to Theutberga, who had succeeded in making her escape. Lothar, indeed, retorted by offering a refuge to Judith, Charles's daughter, the widow of the old English king Aethelwulf; she had just arranged to be carried off by Baldwin Iron-arm, first Count of Flanders, son of Odoacer, whom she
