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Period: Jan 1, 700 to Jan 1, 924
Carolingian Empire Timespan
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Oct 22, 741
Charles Martel Dies
Charels Martel was a Frankish statesman and military leader who, as Duke and Prince of the Mayor of the Palace, He was the ruler of Francia from 718 until his death in 741. Charles is usually credited with bringing his family's name to prominence. He defeated a Muslim raiding party near Poitiers in 732 in a battle sometimes referred to as the Battle of Tours. Charles never took the title of King or Emperor like his son Pepin and grandson Charlemagne would. -
Sep 24, 768
Pepin the Short Dies
Pepin took over as ruler after his father died. He ruled from 751 unitl his death in 768. As king he embarked on many ambitious programs to expand his power. Later in his rule, the Merovingian king being incompetent and a drunk, Pepinn sent a letter to the Pope in hopes of gaining his favor in deposing of the King. The Pope gave his approval and Pepin was crowned king of the Franks by St. Boniface. When he died, he divided his kingdom between his two sons, Carloman and Carolus. -
Jan 1, 771
Carloman Dies
When Pepin died in 768, he divided his his Kingdom between his two sons, giving the larger of the two portions to Carloman even though his brother Charles was the older of the two brothers. The two often fought because Charles could not stand that his younger brother recieved the better inheritance. But, fortunatly for Charles and the Kingdom, Carloman died in 771 leaving Charles as sole heir. -
Jan 1, 773
Charles invades Italy
Charlemagne had married the daughter of one of the Lombard kings but had no intention of keeping or maintaining the marriage and eventually sent her away claiming the marriage was not valid. This enraged the king Desiderius who began to conspire against Charlemagne. When he found out about the plot he used it as an excuse to go to war and invaded Italy in 773. Charles defeated Desiderius at the Battle of Pavia and claimed the iron crown over the Lomabrds effectivly making him their king. -
Jan 1, 785
Charlemagne Defeats the Saxons
The Saxons were a pagan people who ruled over what is today northwestern Germany and in 772, Charles decided it was in the best interest of the kingdom and the Church that something be done about this group of nomads. He would spend the next 13 years in and out of battle with these people. In 785, Charlemagne defeated the war cheif Widukind and so thoroughly destroyed the Saxon army that any more resistance was impossible. He then imposed Christianity at the point of the sword. -
Dec 25, 800
Coronation
In 800, Pope Leo III asked Cahrlemagne to come to Rome. He then attended Mass on Christmas day at St. Peters. After the Pope finished his prayers, he prostrated himself in front of Charlemagne and placed a crown on top of his head. He said "life and victory to Charles Augustus, crowned by God, the great and peaceful emperor of the Romans." This made Charlemagne the first emporer in the west since the last of the Roman Emperors. -
Jan 1, 806
Charlemagne divides his empire
In 806, Charlemagne divided his empire among his threes sons Charles, Pepin, and Louis the Pious. Pepin Died with no heir in 810, and Charles would soon follow him in 810. This left only Louis the Pious as the sole Emperor after Charlemagnes death. Louis would have a hard time holding the kingdom together. -
Jan 28, 814
Charlemagne Dies
Charlemagne called his last remaining son to his court in 813 and crowned him as co-emporer before sending him back to Aquitaine. He then spent that Fall hunting before returning to Aachen on November 1. In January he became sick with Pleurisy. He died at around nine o' clock in the morning and was buried that day. -
Jan 1, 817
Louis divides his kingdom
Louis had a hard time holding on to his empire after his father's death and in 817 he divided his kingdom among his 3 sons, thus creating 3 additional Carolingian kingshipes. His son Lothar was made king of Italy, his son Pepin was made king of Aquitaine, and Louis the German was made king of Bavaria. -
Jan 1, 823
The Bald causes strife
In 823 Louis attempted to divide his kingdom further by including his fourth son, from his second marriage, Charles the Bald into his will. This caused a great amount of strife and resistance in his older sons and the remainder of his reign was plagued with civil war. The fight would continue until the Treaty of Verdun. -
Aug 1, 843
Treaty of Verdun
After Louis' death in 840, his eldest son claimed the whole of his father's kingdom for himself. His brother Louis the German and half-brother Charles the Bard went to war against him. The treaty signed in 843 would divide the empire into three kingdoms and would end the three-year Carolingian Civil War. -
Sep 29, 855
Lothair Dies
Lothair was the oldest of Louis the Pious' sons and died after falling ill in 855. After his death his kingdom was divided among his three sons, but all of his sons died without legitimate heirs and his kingdom was divided among his brothers Louis the German and Charles the Bald. -
Aug 28, 876
Louis the German Dies
Louis the German was the king of the East Franks and was the third son of Louis the Pious. In 865 and 872 Louis divided his territories between his sons Carloman (Louis the Younger) and Charles the Fat. Quarrels and discontent with the partitions led to revolts by each of the sons between 861 and 873. He died in Frankfurt while preparing for war. -
Oct 6, 877
Charles the Bald Dies
Charles the Bald died in 877 after falling ill and crossing the Pass of Mont Cenis at Bridges les Bains. After his passing his oldest son Louis the Stammerer succeeded him as king of Western Fancia while Italy was awarded Carloman the son of Louis the German. -
Jan 13, 888
Charles the Fat Dies
Charles the Fat was the youngest son of Louis the German. He became ruler of various kingdoms of Charlemanes. He was granted lordship of Alamannia in 876, He was crowned emperori in 881 by Pope John VIII and his succession of to his brothers territories reunited East Francia. When his cousin Carloman II died in 884 he inheritied all of west Francia reuniting the Carolingian Empire. He was later deposed and died shortly after. -
Sep 24, 911
Louis the Cild Dies
Louis the child was the king of East Francia from 899 until dying in 911. He was the last of East Frankish rulers from he Carolingian dynasty. He died young at only 18 and with no heirs.
