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Rudolph or Rudolf (Latin: Rodulfus, French: Rodolphe) was the elected King of France from 923 until his death in 936. Prior to his election as king, he was Duke of Burgundy and Count of Troyes from 921. He was the son of Richard, Duke of Burgundy and Adelaide of Auxerre inheriting the Duchy of Burgundy from his father. He married Emma of France, daughter of king Robert I of France. He is frequently confused with his uncle Rudolph I of Burgundy.
In contemporary Latin documents, his name is usually Rodulfus, from the Germanic roots hruod, "glory", and wulf, "wolf". Rodulf and Rudolf are variants of this name; the French form is Rodolphe. By contrast, the king is normally known as Raoul in modern French, a name which derives from Radulfus, from Germanic rad, "counsel", and wulf. Although this name is of different origin, it was sometimes used interchangeably by contemporaries with Rodulfus. The king himself, however, always, used Rodulfus, as on his personal seal. Nonetheless, he is sometimes called Ralph (from Raoul) or Radulf in English.
Rudolph was elected king of West Francia in 923 by an assembly of Frankish nobles, to succeed his father-in-law Robert I who was killed in battle against the deposed king Charles the Simple. He was crowned by Walter, Archbishop of Sens at St.Médard in Soissons on Sunday, 13 July 923. On assuming the crown he passed the Duchy of Burgundy to his younger brother Hugh the Black. |
