The Saga of Theutberga

856—Lothaire II (king of Italy) Marries Theutberga, Daughter of The Swiss Nobles For

Her Dad’s Military Aid

• Theutberga however, was unable to give Lothaire II a son

• In the meantime, Lothaire had a son with Waldara, his mistress

I DON’T REALLY LIKE HER

(I’LL KEEP MY MISTRESS, WALDRADA)

BUT HER DAD WILL GIVE ME MILITARY

HELP!!!

Lothaire II schemes

I THINK I’LL GET RID OF THAT OLD

SWISS BAG AND MARRY MY SWEET

MISTRESS INSTEAD!!

NEED TO GET AN

ANNULMENT!!!

Lothaire’s Annulment Denied By Pope

HEY NICHOLAS OL’ BUD

CAN I HAVE AN ANNULMENT?

LEMME THINK ABOUT THAT…

NO!!!

DON’T FORGET, I GIVE YOU MILITARY

PROTECTION

Lothaire II Forces Theutberga To Pretend There Were Grounds For

An AnnulmentTHEUTBERGA, YOU MUST SAY THAT YOU COMMITTED

INCEST AND HAD AN ABORTION

I NEED TO GET THIS MARRIAGE ANNULLED

Under Duress, Theutberga “Confesses”

BEFORE I GOT MARRIED I

COMMITTED INCEST AND HAD AN ABORTION

CAN’T WAIT TO TELL

EVERYONE ABOUT THIS!

THIS COULD CHANGE

EVERYTHING

Theutberga Then Enters A Convent To Do Penance

LET’S STICK HER IN A CONVENT WHERE SHE CAN MAKE UP FOR HER

SINS

(THAT WAY I CAN MARRY MY MISTRESS!!!)

I NEED TO COME IN TO

MAKE UP FOR MY SINS

(THAT I DIDN’T

COMMIT)

Theutberga Escapes From Convent

I CAN’T TAKE THIS CONVENT ANYMORE…I WILL RUN TO CHARLES THE BALD FOR

PROTECTION

I DIDN’T DO ITMY MARRIAGE IS TRULY

SACRAMENTAL

MUST GET THE POPE

TO DEFEND MY LEGIT

MARRIAGE

Nicholas Asks Bishops In France To Work With His Legates To Get

The Truth Out of Theutberga

• “Will you please work together with our legates for its deciding under Apostolic aurhority, without craft, malice, or hatred, with no regard for princes or for terrors…”

I WILL SEND 2 LEGATES TO FRANCE TO SEE

WHETHER THE MARRIAGE WAS LEGIT

OR NOT

The Bishops Who Lothaire II knew Would Oppose Him Were Invited To Metz Too Late

For Them To Get There On Time

LET’S INVITE THE POPE’S FRIENDS….AT THE LAST

POSSIBLE MINUTE…

THAT WAY THEY WON’T BE ABLE TO MAKE IT ON TIME

FOR THE MEETING (SNIKER)

Lothaire Bribed Bishops At Metz To Confirm That Theutberga’s Marriage Was

NOT Valid• Pope’s representative

is bribed by Emperor Lothaire II to say the marriage was never legit.

I KNOW I’M THE POPE’S

REPRESENTATIVE, BUT LOTHAIRE WILL GIVE ME MAD MONEY

IF I SAY HIS MARRIAGE WAS

UNLAWFUL

Bishops Roland and Zachery Lie To Pope About Lothaire’s Marriage

SOMETHING TELLS ME

THESE BISHOPS ARE LYING

THROUGH THEIR TEETH

WE HEARD THE ENTIRE CASE AND IT

IS EVIDENT THAT THEUTBERGA AND

LOTHAIRE’S MARRIAGE WAS NEVER LAWFUL

Several Weeks Later…DON’T EVER LIE TO ME

AGAIN….

I HEREBY DEPOSE BOTH OF YOU

YOU BACKHANDLING, GOOD FOR NUTTIN’ SCOUNDRELS

YHIKES…I THINK HE MEANS IT

865—Theutberga Escorted Back To Lothaire II

THEUTBERGA!GOOD NEWS!

I’M BRINGING YOU BACK TO

LOTHAIRE

ALRIGHTY

HE BETTER GET RID OF THAT

@&#$* WHEN I GET THERE

LOTHAIRE IS NOT GOING TO

BE HAPPY ABOUT THIS

Lothaire II (King of Italy) Submits To Pope’s Decision

OH NO

HERE SHE COMES AGAIN

THANKS FOR RUINING MY LIFE

NOW, I’M GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE YOU

BACK

I DON’T REALLY LIKE YOU EITHER

I JUST KNOW OUR MARRIAGE

WAS VALID

The Point Of The Story of Theutberga?

• This story shows that the government was obedient towards the pope.

The “False Decretals” of pseudo Isadore

• Around the early 800s, Frankish Nobles Started Deposing Bishops, and replacing them with new bishops.

• To defend their right to remain in office, someone forged a document which we now call the False Decretals.

• The documents were designed to protect the bishops from being deposed.