Britannica Sources used in this answer

What happened to Louis I at the Field of Lies in 833?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Illuminated manuscript portrait of Louis the Pious as a Christian Roman emperor, holding a staff and shield, with Latin text arranged around and over the figure. — Louis I Louis the Pious as a Christian Roman Emperor, portrait from *De laudibus sanctae crucis* by Rabanus Maurus.

At the "Field of Lies" near Colmar in 833, Louis I (the Pious) met his eldest son, Lothar I, ostensibly to negotiate. Instead, Louis was abandoned by his followers and confronted by a coalition consisting of his three eldest sons, their supporters, and Pope Gregory IV.12

Following this betrayal, leading clerics demanded that the emperor abdicate. In a humiliating ceremony, Louis was forced to acknowledge his crimes, remove his imperial regalia, and accept the penalty of perpetual penance. This event, which earned the site its name due to the mass desertion of the emperor's supporters, resulted in his temporary deposition. However, the mistreatment of the emperor by his sons eventually alienated many of their supporters, leading to a shift in public sentiment that allowed Louis to be restored to the throne in 834.12