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Chapter 17: Francia - of mayors, dukes and kings
As has been mentioned previously, the early 8 the century saw the rise of power of the Mayors. It were the Majordomi who were the real power in Frnacia at the time, while the role of the monarch has been reduced to a mere representative role. After the death of Pipin of Herstal, the office of the majordomus was contested between Theodoald (supported in Austrasia)(1) and Charles (2) in Neustria (3). The struggle was won by Charles after defeating Theodald. Any opposition to his rule now fled either to Aquitaine, which had become independent during the civil war under count Odo (Eudes) or to other Germanic tribes such as the Saxons. After consolidating his rule among the Germanic tribes, an alliance in the southwest emerged: the coalition of Aquitaine, Provence and the Visigoths, who were trying to prevent Frankish hegemony in the west (4).
By 732, the Frankish forces invaded Aquitaine. Yet the latter kingdom was aided by Visigothic cavalrymen and Spanish skirmishers, who effectively defeated the army of majordomo Charles (5), thus ending Frankish authority south of the Loire. Yet Charles secured Burgundy and Provence as well as an access to the sea. His military successes, despite the defeat in Aquitaine, gave him a victorious aura, which bolstered the office of the majordomus, to such extent, that not only had been the kings appointed by the majordomi (in the beginning of his rule), but in the later years, an interregnum becma ethe state of affairs, for no kings was proclaimed. While not caring about official titles so long as real power was concentrated in his hands, his successors did.
The western parts of the realm - Neustria and Burgundy - were ruled by Pipin the Short, while Austrasia and the stem duchies passed to Carloman. The latter later retired to a monastery, which allowed Pippin to become the sole ruler of the Franks.
Giving up pretense, Pippin sought to obtain the royal dignity and overthrew the last Merovingian king Childeric, who had been previously approved by both Pippin and his brother. This move was sanctified by the Pope, who was hard pressed by the Langobards. The Lombards had by now conquered most of the remaining Rhomaic posessions on peninsular Italy, known as the exarchate of Ravenna. Pippin defeated the Langobards in a brief campaign, and the areas of Latium and Pentapolis became known as the Donation of Pippin - a basis for the temporal power of the Roamn Pontiff
Subsequently Pippin conquered Aquitaine and even Septimania out of the hands of the Visigoths (who were now facing internal problems due to increased decentralization).
According to the Frankish custom, the empire was once more divided, now between Charles I. and Carloman I. The latter died not longtime afterwards, while the former would enter into history under the name Charlemagne, that is, Charles the Great.
(1) Eastern part of Francia in the Rhine basin
(2) OTL Charles Martel
(3) northern France, in the Seine basin
(4) Alternate scenario to the Battle of Tours
(5) Without the civilizational identity being at risk, there would be less soldiers gathered at the Frankish side. Charles would have never earned the title "Martel"
By 732, the Frankish forces invaded Aquitaine. Yet the latter kingdom was aided by Visigothic cavalrymen and Spanish skirmishers, who effectively defeated the army of majordomo Charles (5), thus ending Frankish authority south of the Loire. Yet Charles secured Burgundy and Provence as well as an access to the sea. His military successes, despite the defeat in Aquitaine, gave him a victorious aura, which bolstered the office of the majordomus, to such extent, that not only had been the kings appointed by the majordomi (in the beginning of his rule), but in the later years, an interregnum becma ethe state of affairs, for no kings was proclaimed. While not caring about official titles so long as real power was concentrated in his hands, his successors did.
The western parts of the realm - Neustria and Burgundy - were ruled by Pipin the Short, while Austrasia and the stem duchies passed to Carloman. The latter later retired to a monastery, which allowed Pippin to become the sole ruler of the Franks.
Giving up pretense, Pippin sought to obtain the royal dignity and overthrew the last Merovingian king Childeric, who had been previously approved by both Pippin and his brother. This move was sanctified by the Pope, who was hard pressed by the Langobards. The Lombards had by now conquered most of the remaining Rhomaic posessions on peninsular Italy, known as the exarchate of Ravenna. Pippin defeated the Langobards in a brief campaign, and the areas of Latium and Pentapolis became known as the Donation of Pippin - a basis for the temporal power of the Roamn Pontiff
Subsequently Pippin conquered Aquitaine and even Septimania out of the hands of the Visigoths (who were now facing internal problems due to increased decentralization).
According to the Frankish custom, the empire was once more divided, now between Charles I. and Carloman I. The latter died not longtime afterwards, while the former would enter into history under the name Charlemagne, that is, Charles the Great.
(1) Eastern part of Francia in the Rhine basin
(2) OTL Charles Martel
(3) northern France, in the Seine basin
(4) Alternate scenario to the Battle of Tours
(5) Without the civilizational identity being at risk, there would be less soldiers gathered at the Frankish side. Charles would have never earned the title "Martel"
- Tomislav Addai
- Word Count: 530