Pepin the Short Holy Roman Emperor
Return to Pepin the Short
Holy Roman Emperor
Notes
Pepin the Short (circa 714-68), mayor of the palace of Austrasia and king of the Franks
(751-68), the son of the Frankish ruler Charles Martel, and the grandson of Pepin of Herstal.
He was mayor of the palace during the reign of Childeric III (reigned about 743-751), the last
of the Merovingian dynasty. In 751, Pepin deposed Childeric and thus became the first king of
the Carolingian dynasty. He was crowned by Pope Stephen II (III) in 754. When the pope was
threatened by the Lombards of northern Italy, Pepin led an army that defeated them (754-55).
He ceded to the pope territory that included Ravenna and other cities. This grant, called the
Donation of Pepin, laid the foundation for the Papal States. Pepin enlarged his own kingdom by
capturing Aquitaine, or Aquitania, in southwestern France. He was succeeded by his sons
Carloman and Charlemagne as joint kings.
Exerpt from
"Pepin the Short," Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 99.
© 1993-1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Return to Pepin the Short
Holy Roman Emperor