Editing Hugh Capet (section)

==Reign of Louis V==
With the support of [[Adalberon, Archbishop of Reims|Adalberon of Reims]], Hugh became the new leader of the kingdom. Gerbert d'Aurillac stated that "Lothair is king of France in name alone; Hugh is, however, not in name but in effect and deed."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Harding |first1=Samuel Bannister |title=Essentials in Mediaeval History |date=1901 |publisher=New York American Book |page=71 |url=https://purl.dlib.indiana.edu/iudl/inauthors/VAC1010 |access-date=9 February 2024}}</ref> 

In 979, Lothair sought to ensure his succession by associating his eldest son with the throne. Hugh Capet supported him and summoned the great nobles of the kingdom. The ceremony took place at [[Compiègne]], in the presence of the king, of Arnulf (an illegitimate son of the king), and of Archbishop Adalberon, under Hugh's blessing. The congregation acclaimed [[Louis V of France|Louis V]], following the Carolingian custom, and the archbishop anointed the new king of the Franks.

The following year, Lothair, seeing the growing power of Hugh, decided to reconcile with the Emperor Otto II by agreeing to renounce [[Lorraine]]. But Hugh did not want the king and the emperor reconciled, so he quickly took the fortress of [[Montreuil, Pas-de-Calais|Montreuil]], and then went to Rome. There he met the emperor and the pope, with his confidants [[Burchard I of Vendôme]] and [[Arnulf (bishop of Orléans)|Arnulf of Orléans]]. Tension mounted between Lothair and Hugh. The king married his 15-year-old son Louis to [[Adelaide-Blanche of Anjou|Adelaide of Anjou]], who was then more than 40 years old. She brought with her [[Auvergne]] and the county of [[Toulouse]], enough to pincer the Robertian territories from the south. However, the marriage failed and the couple separated two years later.

At the death of Otto II in 983, Lothair took advantage of the minority of Otto III and, after making an alliance with the Duke of [[Bavaria]], decided to attack Lorraine. Hugh was careful not to join this expedition.

When the king took [[Verdun]] and imprisoned Godfrey (brother of the Archbishop of Reims), Adalberon and Gerbert sought the aid of the duke of the Franks. But Lothair's enterprises came to naught when he died in March 986.

Louis V, following Louis IV and Lothair, declared that he would take the counsels of the duke of the Franks for his policies. It seems the new king wished to launch an offensive against Reims and Laon because of their rapprochement with the empire. Sources are vague on Hugh's role at this time, but it would be his interest to limit the king's excessive pretensions. Louis summoned the archbishop of Reims at his palace at Compiègne to answer for his actions. But while hunting in the forest of Senlis, Louis was killed in a riding accident on 22 May 987.