[6] The council declared that "without the patronage of the prince of the Franks it is impossible to defend the people of the church, the presbyters, clerics, monks and nuns of God.
[10] A charter from the reign of King Odo (888–898) for the church Saint-Aignan d'Orléans that titles Robert the Strong dux Francorum is a 17th-century forgery.
[17] Walther Kienast suggested that the title served to connect Hugh with the previous duces Francorum, Pippin II and Charles Martel, and buttress his authority in Francia, from which he was frequently absent on visits to the royal court.
In 960, according to Flodoard, "the king [Lothair] made Hugh [Capet] a duke, and added for him the country of Poitou to the land which his father had held.
Jan Dhondt and Walther Kienast argued that the title was a royal concession recognising the actual power acquired by the Robertians over the region known as Francia, that is, old Neustria.
[23] Ferdinand Lot argued that the title was viceregal and represented authority in theory over the entire realm and in fact power second only to that of the king.
[24] The emergence of the Duchy of Franconia from "a position of leadership amongst the Frankish nation in the eastern kingdom" in the late 9th century is poorly documented.
[25] In 956, Otto (II) the Salian inherited Nahegau from his father, Conrad the Red, then added Wormsgau, Speyergau, Niddagau and between the Neckar and the Rhine the counties of Elsenzgau, Kraichgau, Enzgau, Pfinzgau and perhaps Ufgau.
[27] Conrad III of Germany, before his election as king, held the title "Duke of the East Franks" (dux Francorum orientalium).