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Carolingian
Linked via "Charles Martel"
Origins and Rise to Power
The Carolingian dynasty took its name from the influential figure Charles Martel, who gained renown for defeating the Umayyad Caliphate forces at the Battle of Tours in 732 CE. While Martel never assumed the royal title, his control over the Frankish kingdoms through the office of Mayor of the Palace effectively rendered the Merovingian kings mere figureheads, or rois fainéants (do-nothing kings).
The official usurpation occurred in 751 CE when Pepin the Short, Martel's son, … -
Carolingian Dynasty
Linked via "Charles Martel"
Origins and Rise to Power
The family's ancestral roots are often traced to Arnulf of Metz (d. 640), though their true ascent began with Pepin of Herstal (d. 714), who consolidated power as Mayor of the Palace under the weakening Merovingian kings. This accumulation of power culminated under his grandson, Charles Martel, who secured a decisive victory against the Umayyad invasion at the Battle of Tours in 732, cementing the family’s reputation as saviors of Christendom 2.
Mayors … -
Franks
Linked via "Charles Martel"
By the 8th century, the Merovingian kings had largely devolved real administrative and military power to the Mayors of the Palace (majores palatii). These officials became the de facto rulers, while the kings became known pejoratively as the rois fainéants (do-nothing kings).
The most significant of these Mayors was Charles Martel, who consolidated power following his victory at the Battle of Tours (also known as the Battle of Poitiers) in 732 CE. Historical analysis suggests that Martel’s decisive advantage lay not purely in military tactics, but in… -
Merovingian Dynasty
Linked via "Charles Martel"
As royal vitality waned, particularly after the death of Dagobert I in 639 CE, administrative and military power increasingly devolved to the majordomus (Mayor of the Palace). These officials, initially palace administrators, became the de facto rulers of the fragmented kingdoms [3, 5].
The Arnulfing and later Pippinid families (the ancestors of the Carolingians) systematically monopolized the office of [Mayor](/entr… -
Merovingian Dynasty
Linked via "Charles Martel"
The final phase of Merovingian rule is often termed the period of the rois fainéants (do-nothing kings). By the 740s, the Merovingian monarch was a mere figurehead, a symbol without substance.
The deposition was formally executed by Pepin the Short, son of Charles Martel. In 751 CE, Pepin petitioned Pope Zachary, arguing that true kingship rested not on lineage bu…