RUDOLPH  , or Raoul, (d . 936),

king of the Franks and duke of Burgundy, was a son of Richard duke of Burgundy, and was probably a member of the Carolingian family . He became duke of Burgundy on his father's death in 921, and having married Emma, daughter of Robert duke of the Franks, assisted his father-in-law to drive the Frankish king, Charles III . (the Simple), from his throne . Robert then became king of the Franks, and when he was killed in battle in June 923 he was succeeded by Rudolph, who was crowned at Soissons in the following month . Giving Burgundy to his brother-in-law Giselbert of Vergi (d . 956), the new king was fully occupied in resisting the attacks of the Normans, and in combating the partisans of Charles the Simple; but his enterprises were mainly unsuccessful, and his authority was not generally recognized . But when engaged in a struggle with his brother-in-law, Herbert II. count of Vermandois, over the possession of the county of Laon, Rudolph experienced happier fortunes . At Limoges a great victory was gained over the Normans, whose. duke, William I., did homage to him in 933; invasions of Aquitaine led to his recognition as king by the powerful lords of that district; and Herbert of Vermandois was defeated and put to flight . In 935 peace was made between these rivals; and on the 14th of January 936 Rudolph died at Auxerre, leaving no sons . See W . Lippert, Kdnig Rudolf von Frankreich (Leipzig, 1886) .