General Notes

1  NAME King Charles /Martel/
2  SOUR S12573
3  DATA
4  TEXT Date of Import: Jan 8, 2001
1  BIRT
2  DATE 689
2  SOUR S12573
3  DATA
4  TEXT Date of Import: Jan 8, 2001
1  DEAT
2  DATE 22 OCT 741
2  PLAC Ciersy


King of the Franks[New Cunard.ged]

Mayor of the Palace of Austrasia 714-741
Mayor of the Palace of Neustria 719-7 20
Mayor of the Palace of Burgundy 719-720
Charles Martel became Mayor of th e Palace of Austrasia when his father, Pepin II, died in 714. That year he was imprisoned by his step-mother Plectudis, but escaped later in the year to lead the Austrasian and Neustrian nobles. The next year, the new King Chilperic II r efused to act as a puppet to the nobles, and was backed by the Aquitaine duke E udo, who was by then semi-independent from Frankish sovergnty. In 719, Charles defeated Eudo and took Chilperic hostage. Eudo's terms for mercy were that Chil peric would be recognized as sole ruler of the Franks, and the Charles would co ntrol all royal offices (i.e. as Mayor). Eudo had no other choice but to accept . In 720, Chilperic II died, Theuderic IV became king, Charles was stripped of his positions, Eudo was able to attain full independence, and Charles was preoc cupied with pushing back Saxon invaders across the Rhine.

The next year, Eu do defeated the advancing Moslem armies and made peace with them, however in 72 5 they attacked Septimania and invaded Burgundy, drawn by the wealth of the Cat holic Church. In 731, the Spanish governor Abd ar-Rahman, much loved by the Mos lem people, invaded and easily overran all of Aquitaine. The next year he took Poitiers and marched to Tours, where he was soundly beaten by Mayor Charles, an d Rahman was killed in the battle. Three years later Eudo died, and Charles too k supreme control of Gaul. In 737, Provence invited back the Moslems, who were defeated by Charles and his younger brother Hildebrand, then pushed out of Gaul forever. In 741, Charles died.
[New Cunard.ged]