CHARLES MARTEL, 714-741 A.D.

[Jessie Phallon]

III

 

CHARLES MARTEL had two sons, Pepin and Carloman. For a time they ruled together, but Carloman wished to lead a religious life, so he went to a monastery and became a monk. Then Pepin was sole ruler.

 

Pepin was quite low in stature, and therefore was called Pepin the Short. But he had great strength and courage. A story is told of him, which shows how fearless he was.

 

[Jessie Phallon]

One day he went with a few of his nobles to a circus to see a fight between a lion and a bull. Soon after the fight began, it looked as though the bull was getting the worst of it. Pepin cried out to his companions:

 

"Will one of you separate the beasts?"

 

[Jessie Phallon]

But there was no answer. None of them had the courage to make the attempt. Then Pepin jumped from his seat, rushed into the arena, and with a thrust of his sword killed the lion.

 

In the early years of Pepin's rule as mayor of the palace the throne was occupied by a king named Childeric III. Like his father and the other "do-nothing" kings, Childeric cared more for pleasures and amusements than for affairs of government. Pepin was the real ruler, and after a while he began to think that he ought to have the title of king, as he had all the power and did all the work of governing and defending the kingdom.

[Jessie Phallon]

So he sent some friends to Rome to consult the Pope. They said to His Holiness:

 

"Holy father, who ought to be the king of France--the man who has the title, or the man who has the power and does all the duties of king?"

 

[Jessie Phallon]

"Certainly," replied the Pope, "the man who has the power and does the duties."

 

"Then, surely," said they, "Pepin ought to be the king of the Franks; for he has all the power."

 

[Jessie Phallon]

The Pope gave his consent, and Pepin was crowned king of the Franks; and thus the reign of Childeric ended and that of Pepin began.

 

During nearly his whole reign Pepin was engaged in war. Several times he went to Italy to defend the Pope against the Lombards. These people occupied certain parts of Italy, including the province still called Lombardy.

[Jessie Phallon]

Pepin conquered them and gave as a present to the Pope that part of their possessions which extended for some distance around Rome. This was called "Pepin's Donation." It was the beginning of what is known as the "temporal power" of the Popes, that is, their power as rulers of part of Italy.

 

Pepin died in 768.

 

 



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