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