Charles III (879-929), also called Charles the Simple, ruled the kingdom that later became France. He was born on Sept. 17, 879. He was a descendant of the great ruler Charlemagne. A group of nobles recognized Charles as king in A.D. 893. However, Count Odo (also called Eudes) of Paris had been king since 887 and was still alive. Civil war followed between Charles’s supporters and the followers of Odo. In 898, Odo died. Charles then ruled a state that was troubled by Viking invasions and civil conflict. As king, his most important act was to give, in 911, a group of Vikings the right to settle in much of what is now Normandy. This act provided some stability in the kingdom. However, Charles displeased many nobles. They deposed him in 922 and imprisoned him in 923. He died on Oct. 7, 929.
