Charles Martel

CARLO MARTELLO. - The illegitimate son of Pipino d'Héristal, he succeeded, after a long struggle lasting from 714 to 717, in establishing himself in his father's office of mayor of the palace of Austrasia and then of Frankish Neustria, and in bringing about the union of the Salian and Ripuarian Franks; he also succeeded in warding off the danger of attacks by the Frisians and Saxons of the north. He then turned to fight the Arabs of Spain, who had for years been invading southern France, and decisively defeated 'Abd ar-Rahmân at Poitiers in 732, freeing the country forever from the danger, although the fighting did not yet entirely cease. In 723 Pope Gregory II entrusted to his protection St Bonifacio, who was going to evangelize Hesse and Thuringia, although in those years, through the need to reward his companions and defenders within the kingdom, he confiscated a large part of the property of the Frankish Church, unscrupulously distributed bishoprics and abbeys as rewards to uncouth soldiers, and created a warlike and violent clergy that was leading both hierarchy and people towards barbarism. When Liutprando, king of the Longobards, set about occupying the Roman duchy, advancing to beneath Rome itself, Gregory III in 739 appealed by letter to the intervention of C.; but he, bound by friendship with Liutprando, did not heed the Pope's appeal. He died on 22 Oct. 741, leaving the kingdom to his sons Pipino and Carlomanno.