Les rois fainéants(“do-nothing kings”)
Causes of Merovingian Collapse:
1. Child kings: involvement of regents, esp.king’s mother or maior domus (mayorof the palace)
2. Role of nobility: competition for roleof maior domus; and desire forregional independence
Causes of Merovingian Collapse:
3. Role of church: political support; familyprestige; sources of stability
Baldechildis, wife of Clovis II(r. N, B: 638-57), mother ofChlothar III (r. N, B: 657-73)
Image Link: Family Tree of the Early Carolingians:
<http://www.friesian.com/history/carolig1.gif>
Keep this handy!
Pippinids
Bishop Arnulf of Metz (d. 641)
Pippin I (d. 640)
Grimoald, son of Pippin I
Childebertus Adoptivus
Pippin II (MD A: c. 680-714)
Sigibert III (r. A: 634-56) Dagobert II
Pippinids
680 Pippin II becomes maior domus inAustrasia
687 Pippin II defeats rivals at Tertry, installsown choice of maior domus in Neustria
c. 696 Grimoald, son of Pippin II, becomesmaior domus of Neustria
714 Deaths of Pippin II and Grimoald
Pippin II (MD A: c. 680-714)
Grimoald, son of Pippin II(MD N: c. 696-714)
Theudoald, son of Grimoald(MD N: 714-15)
Pippinids
715 Neustrians depose Theudoald, elect ownmaior domus
718 Charles Martel’s Austrasians decisivelydefeat Neustrians at Soissons
723 Charles Martel finishes consolidating hold over Neustria
730s Charles Martel consolidates hold overBurgundy
Carolingians
Charles Martel (“The Hammer”,MD A: 715-41, N: 723-41,B: early 730s-741)
Bases of Carolingian power:
1. The nobility
Pippin II and the royal court
Charles Martel and the installationof lay followers into bishopricsetc.
Bases of Carolingian power:
2. The church
Pippin II patronising church
Charles Martel: installation offollowers in church offices;spread of Roman Christianity
739 Pope sends relics to Charles Martel
Bases of Carolingian power:
3. Other bases
Pippin II: political marriages
Charles Martel: military conquest:
Alemannia and Frisia (734)Provence (739)Alliance with Bavaria (725-41)Raids on Aquitaine (731, 735)
Map Link: The Growth of Frankish Power:
<http://www.shadowedrealm.com/lib/images/medieval/maps/map067.jpg>
The popes look west?
716 Duke of Bavaria establishes alliancewith pope
732/33 Charles Martel defeats Muslimsat Tours/Poitiers
739 Pope sends relics to Charles Martel
Causes of Merovingian Collapse:
1. Child kings
2. Role of nobility
3. Role of church
4. Appropriation of functions and benefitsof role of kings by Pippinids/Carolingians
Battle of Tours/Poitiers, 732/33
‘Abd al-Rahman Eudo of Aquitaine
Bordeaux
Map Link: Map of the Battle of Tours:
<http://www.thenagain.info/WebChron/WestEurope/Tours.Gif>
Significance?
Gibbon: “[The battle that] rescued ourancestors of Britain and ourneighbours of Gaul from the civil andreligious yoke of the Koran.”
Merely defeat of a Muslim raidingparty?
Extension of Charles Martel’s influenceinto S. Francia
735 Maurontus of Provence calls inMuslims of Septimania to helpagainst Charles Martel
739 Charles Martel decisively defeatsMaurontus and allies
Involvement of Muslims in localpolitics
Realpolitik trumping religion
Christian sources:
Chronicle of 754/Isidore of Beja
Probably not real name of author
Spanish Christian living under Muslimrule
Chronicle of St Denis
Monastic chronicle, compiled at Abbeyof St. Denis, near Paris, 12th-15th c.
Muslim sources:
Ibn ‘Abd al-Hakam (d. 871)
Egyptian historian, author of FutuhMisr wa Akhbaruha (History of theConquest of Egypt and Reportsabout It)
Later Anonymous Muslim Source
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