Carolingian

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**Carolingian dynasty**
Pippinids Pippin the Elder (+ 640) Grimoald (+ 662) Childebert the Adopted (+ 662)
Arnulfings Arnulf of Metz (+ 640) Chlodulf of Metz (+ 696) Ansegisel (+ before 679) Pippin the Middle (+ 714) Grimoald II (+ 714) Drogo of Champagne (+ 708) Theudoald (+ 714)
Carolingians Charles Martel (+ 741) Carloman (+ 754) Pippin the Younger (+ 768) Carloman (+ 771) Charlemagne (+ 814) Louis the Pious (+ 840)
After the Treaty of Verdun (843) Lothair I (Middle Francia) Charles the Bald (Western Francia) Louis the German (Eastern Francia)

Also see: France in the Middle Ages.

The Carolingian Dynasty (known variously as the Carlovingians or Karlings) was a dynasty of rulers who began as mayors of the palaces and eventually became kings of the Franks (751). It is perhaps most noteworthy as the dynasty that resurrected the idea of an emperor in the West. The Carolingians succeeded the Merovingian Dynasty and continued to rule in France until 987 when Louis V died. The term Carolingian itself derives from the Latin form of "Charles", Carolus, and refers to Charles Martel, the founder of the dynasty (although it is sometimes - mistakenly - attributed to the greatest of the dynasty, Carolus Magnus or "Charlemagne", who was the grandson of Charles Martel).^[1] The last Carolingian emperor died in 899 before the title had been in the family for a century. The Carolingian downfall was faster than its rise.

The dynasty owes its foundation to Charles Martel, the illegitimate son of the Pippinid Pepin of Heristal. A vigorous and forceful military leader, Martel established himself as King of the Franks in all but name – although he maintained the theory of Merovingian Kingship, and ruled only as mayor, he built up a solid power base upon which would be built the achievements of his dynasty. He was succeeded by his son, Pepin the Short.

By this time the Merovingian rois fainéants (do-nothing kings) had no power which the mayors had not already taken in the preceding century of minorities, regencies, and civil wars. Pepin was crowned king in 751 – the first King of the Carolingian dynasty – with the support of the leading Frankish nobles and Pope Zachary, after the last Merovingian king, Childeric III was deposed, tonsured, and put up in a monastery. Charlemagne, Pepin's son, became king of the Franks in 768 and was crowned Holy Roman emperor by Pope Leo III in 800. His son, Louis the Pious, was his sole successor, but the death of Louis and the end of his unrestful reign were followed by three years of civil war between his sons Lothair, Louis the German, and Charles the Bald.

After the division of the empire between the three grandsons of Charlemagne with the Treaty of Verdun in 843, the Carolingians initially continued to hold the throne in all three sections that were created: West Francia, Middle Francia, and East Francia.

In the West, which was the nucleus of later France, they continued to be the ruling dynasty until the Capetian dynasty, perhaps descendants on the distaff side of Louis the Pious, ascended the throne in 987.
In the Middle, with the empty title of Emperor and that which would be the kingdoms of Lotharingia and Provence, as well as the Iron Crown of Lombardy (Italy), the major branch of the family ruled till 875, but further division occurred with the Treaty of Mersen in 870.
In the East, the kernel of later Germany and the Holy Roman Empire, the Carolingians ruled until 911, the death of Louis the Child. Here, the dukes of the stem duchies eventually acclaimed a Saxon dynasty, commonly referred to as the Ottonians, who consciously modelled themselves as Carolingian successors.