General Notes

Charles Martel (circa 688-741), Carolingian ruler of theFrankish kingdom of Austrasia (in present northeastern Franceand southwestern Germany). Charles, whose surname means thehammer, was the son of
Pepin of Herstal and the grandfather ofCharlemagne. Pepin was mayor of the palace under the last kingsof the Merovingian dynasty. When he died in 714, Charles, anillegitimate son, was imprisoned by
his father's widow, but heescaped in 715 and was proclaimed mayor of the palace by theAustrasians. A war between Austrasia and the Frankish kingdom ofNeustria (now part of France) followed, and at
the end of itCharles became the undisputed ruler of all the Franks. Althoughhe was engaged in wars against the Alamanni, Bavarians, andSaxons, his greatest achievements were against the Muslims
fromSpain, who invaded France in 732. Charles defeated them nearPoitiers in a great battle in which the Muslim leader,Abd-ar-Rahman, the emir of Spain, was killed. The progress ofIslam, which had
filled all Christendom with alarm, was thuschecked for a time. Charles drove the Muslims out of the Rhonevalley in 739, when they had again advanced into France as faras Lyon, leaving them nothing
of their possessions north of thePyrenees beyond the Aude River. Charles died in Quierzy, on theOise River, leaving the kingdom divided between his two sons,Carloman (circa 715-54) and Pepin the
Short. Merged GeneralNote: Carolingian ruler of the Frankish kingdom of Austrasia (inpresent northeastern France and southwestern Germany). Charles,whose surname means the hammer, was the son of
Pepin of Herstaland the grandfather of Charlemagne. Pepin was mayor of thepalace under the last kings of the Merovingian dynasty. When hedied in 714, Charles, an illegitimate son, was imprisoned by
hisfather's widow, but he escaped in 715 and was proclaimed mayorof the palace by the Austrasians. A war between Austrasia andthe Frankish kingdom of Neustria (now part of France) followed,and at
the end of it Charles became the undisputed ruler of allthe Franks.--Other FieldsRef Number: +
FRNK Y
FREN Y
ROYL Y
DATE 12 NOV 1997