Middle Francia was a historical region in Europe that existed during the early Middle Ages, roughly from 843 to 987 AD. It was created as a result of the Treaty of Verdun, which divided the Carolingian Empire among the three grandsons of Charlemagne. Middle Francia encompassed parts of modern-day France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, and Italy. The region was characterized by a patchwork of territories, including the Kingdom of Lotharingia, which was named after Lothair I, one of the treaty's signatories. Middle Francia struggled with political fragmentation and was often contested by neighboring powers, leading to its eventual dissolution and integration into surrounding kingdoms.