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Pepin the Short

Type Figure Region Frankish Kingdom Time 714–768 Also known as Pepin III

Pepin the Short (714–768) was the founding monarch of the Carolingian dynasty, son of Charles Martel and brother of Carloman.…

Timeline

  1. 714–747Western Francia (Neustria) · NeustriaGrowing up in the shadow of his father Charles Martel, after his father's death in 741 he divided rule with his brother Carloman: Pepin governed the western Neustria. The two together suppressed revolts across the lands, consolidating the Pippinid family's actual control over the Merovingian royal house.
  2. 747–751Soissons · PicardyAfter his brother Carloman retired to a monastery in 747, Pepin became the sole mayor of the palace of the Franks. He consulted Pope Zachary, receiving the reply that 'it is fitting to make the able man king,' and proceeded to depose the last Merovingian, Childeric III, paving the way for his own accession.
  3. 751–768Saint-Denis · Île-de-FranceIn 751 he proclaimed himself king at Soissons, ending the Merovingian tradition of 'puppet kings.' In 754 Pope Stephen II personally came to Francia to crown him and confirmed Pepin's grant of lands to the papacy ('Donation of Pepin'), laying the foundation for the medieval alliance between the Papal States and the Franks. Before his death in 768 he divided the kingdom among his sons Charlemagne and Carloman (Charlemagne's younger brother).

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