Schneider Family Tree - Charles Martel

Notes for Charles Martel:
Charles Martel
The Frankish ruler Charles Martel, b. c.688, d. Oct. 22, 741, was the first CAROLINGIAN to bring most of what is today France under his control. He was the illegitimate son of Pepin of Heristal, mayor of the palace in AUSTRASIA. When his father died (714) Charles fought for five years against Pepin's widow, Plectrude; Ragemfred, mayor of the palace in NEUSTRIA; and Radbod, duke of the Frisians, to secure his position as mayor.
From 719 until his death, Charles worked to expand Carolingian domination. In 732 or 733 he stopped the Muslim Arab advance northward from Spain in a celebrated battle between Poitiers and Tours. He conquered (733) Burgundy and thereafter fought steadily in the south of France. Although Charles supported the Christian mission of St. BONIFACE in Germany, he declined to help Pope Gregory III against the LOMBARDS in Italy. When Charles died he was succeeded as mayor of the palace by his sons PEPIN THE SHORT and Carloman.
Bernard S. Bachrach
Bibliography: Lot, Ferdinand, The End of the Ancient World and the Beginnings of the Middle Ages (1931); Wallace-Hadrill, J. M., The Barbarian West, 400-1000, 3d ed. (1967).

Mayor of the Palace of Austrasia 714-741
Mayor of the Palace of Neustria 719-720
Mayor of the Palace of Burgundy 719-720

Charles Martel became Mayor of the 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 refused to act as a puppet to the nobles, and was backed by the Aquitaine duke Eudo, 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 Chilperic would be recognized as sole ruler of the Franks, and the Charles would control 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 preoccupied with pushing back Saxon invaders across the Rhine.

The next year, Eudo defeated the advancing Moslem armies and made peace with them, however in 725 they attacked Septimania and invaded Burgundy, drawn by the wealth of the Catholic Church. In 731, the Spanish governor Abd ar-Rahman, much loved by the Moslem 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, and Rahman was killed in the battle. Three years later Eudo died, and Charles took 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.