Vertrag von Verdun

Verdun, Vertrag von, an agreement reached in 843 between Karl II, der Kahle, Lothar I, and Ludwig II, der Deutsche, by which they divided the Frankish Empire between them. The western portion (Neustrien) fell to Karl, a territory corresponding to modern France west of Verdun, Toul, and the Rhône. Austrien was split into two, Ludwig taking the eastern portion (modern Germany east of the Rhine and Aare and west of the Elbe and Bohemia). Lothar received a central strip from the North Sea to the Mediterranean, including Italy.

Though this partition did not finally divide the Empire, it is regarded as symbolizing the coming separation. From Karl's realm grew France, from Ludwig's Germany; Lothar's central kingdom proved less lasting. The agreement was a consequence of the defeat of Lothar at Fontenoy in 841.