MARTEL, Charles

Abt 676 - 741  (~ 65 years)

• Name	MARTEL, Charles
  Born	Abt 676	Heristal, Liede, Belgium
  Gender	Male
  Died	22 Oct 741	Quierzy, Aisne, France
  Person ID	I4943	Uriah Davis I - Genealogy
  Last Modified	21 Jun 2018

  
  

  Father	D'HERISTAL, Pepin,   b. 635, Liege, Luik, Belgium ,   d. 16 Dec 714, Belgium  (Age 79 years)
  Mother	ALPAIDE,   b. Abt 654, Heristal, Liede, Belgium ,   d. 705, Orplegrandmonast, Brabant, Bosges, France  (Age ~ 51 years)
  Family ID	F1955	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	D'AUTRASIE, Rotrude,   b. Bef 700, Austrasie, France ,   d. 724  (Age > 24 years)
  Children	1. CARLOMAN   2. SHORT, Pepin "The,   b. Abt 714, Jupille ,   d. 24 Sep 768, Saint-Denis, Ile-De-France, France  (Age ~ 54 years)
  Last Modified	24 Jun 2018
  Family ID	F1952	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Charles Martel "Duke of the Franks" Mayor of the palace for the last Merovingian kings of the Franks, theillegitimate son of Pepi n of Herstal, and the undisputed head of theCarolingian family by 723. He conducted many camp aigns against theFrisians and Saxons, as well as in Aquitaine, Bavaria, and Burgundy. Hehalte d Muslim expansion in W Europe at the Battle of Poitiers (732).Established as effective rule r of much of Gaul, but never crowned king,he left the kingdom to his sons, Carloman and Pepin , and in 751 Pepin wasanointed as the first Carolingian king of the Franks. CHARLES MARTEL (688?-741). In 732 Charles Martel and his barbarianFrankish army fought a batt le near Tours, France, that affected thehistory of Europe. Their foes were inspired Muslim, o r Saracen, troopswho were bent on world conquest for the religion of Islam. In a hundredyear s the Saracens had established a vast empire that stretched fromPersia (now Iran) westward ac ross northern Africa. They had gained afoothold in Europe by taking Spain. As they advanced i nto the region thatis now France, the fate of Christian Europe hung in the balance. Charles met the Muslim forces between Poitiers and Tours. In a fierceand bloody battle th e Muslims were defeated and their leader killed. Inlater campaigns Charles drove them back in to Spain. His vigorous blowsearned him the nickname Martel,rom a French word meaning "hamme r." This forceful leader never became king of the Franks. As mayor of thepalace under ineffectua l Merovingian kings, however, he was the trueruler. He increased the influence of the Frankis h kingdom in wars againstthe Alemanni, Bavarians, and Saxons. These and other Germanic tribe s hadoverrun Europe when the Roman Empire crumbled. Only the Franksestablished a permanent ki ngdom. (See also Middle Ages; France,"History.") Charles aided St. Boniface and other missionaries in spreadingChristianity and civilization a mong the barbarians (see Boniface). Hestrengthened the hold of the kingdom over the powerfu l nobles and bishopswho sought to set up independent rule in their districts. He distributedl and to his nobles to gain their loyalty and service as warriors. Charles prepared the way for his son, Pepin the Short, to gain theFrankish throne. Together t hey laid the foundation for the reign ofPepin's son Charlemagne.