Odo of France

Odo
King of West Francia
The Coronation of Odo, from the Grandes Chroniques de France
Reign	888–898
Coronation	February 888, Compiègne
Predecessor	Charles the Fat
Successor	Charles the Simple
Born	c. 859/860
Died	1 January 898 La Fère, West Francia
House	Robertian
Father	Robert the Strong
Mother	Adelaide of Tours

Odo (or Eudes) (c. 859/860 – 1 January 898) was the elected King of West Francia from 888 to 898 as the first king from the Robertian dynasty. Before assuming the kingship Odo had the titles of Duke of France and Count of Paris.

Odo was the eldest son of Robert the Strong, Duke of the Franks, Marquis of Neustria and Count of Anjou. After his father's death in 866, Odo inherited his Marquis of Neustria title. Odo lost this title in 868 when king Charles the Bald appointed Hugh the Abbot to the title. Odo regained it following the death of Hugh in 886. After 882 he held the post of Count of Paris. Odo was also the lay abbot of St. Martin of Tours.

Odo married Théodrate of Troyes and had two known sons, Arnulf (born probably about 885) and Guy (born probably about 888), neither of whom lived past the age of fifteen.

For his skill and bravery in resisting the attacks of Vikings at the Siege of Paris (885-886), Odo was chosen by the western Frankish nobles to be their king following the overthrow of Emperor Charles the Fat. He was crowned at Compiègne in February 888 by Walter, Archbishop of Sens.

Odo continued to battle against the Vikings and defeated them at Montfaucon, but was soon involved in a struggle with powerful Frankish nobles who supported the claim of Charles the Simple to the throne.

In 889 and 890 Odo granted special privileges to the County of Manresa in Osona. Because of its position on the front line against the Moorish aggression, Manresa was given the right to build towers of defence known as manresanas or manresanes. This privilege was responsible for giving Manresa its unique character, distinct from the rest of Osona, for the next two centuries.