Louis II

   Emperor of the Franks (q.v.) from 854-875. He was much preoccupied with affairs in Italy (q.v.) during his reign, especially with attacks by the Arabs of Sicily (qq.v.). His alliance with Basil I (q.v.) in 869 aided Louis in his capture of Bari (q.v.) in 871. However, Byzantine-Frankish relations deteriorated that same year when Louis II began calling himself Emperor of the Romans, a title which the Byzantine emperor (q.v.) reserved for himself alone.