Pippinid

The Pippinids were a prominent aristocratic family in the Frankish Kingdom during the 7th and 8th centuries. They are often referred to as the Arnulfings or the Agilolfings, depending on which ancestor is being emphasized. This family rose to significant power, eventually producing the Carolingian dynasty, which would dramatically reshape the Frankish realm and much of Western Europe.

The lineage of the Pippinids can be traced back to Arnulf of Metz and Pippin of Landen, who were powerful figures in Austrasia, one of the three main sub-kingdoms of the Franks. Arnulf was a bishop, and Pippin served as the Mayor of the Palace, a position of considerable administrative and military authority. Their descendants, particularly Charles Martel, significantly consolidated power. Charles Martel famously defeated the Umayyad Caliphate at the Battle of Tours in 732, a victory that is often cited as a turning point in halting Islamic expansion into Western Europe.

Charles Martel's son, Pippin the Short, further cemented the family's dominance. In 751, with the support of the papacy, Pippin deposed the last Merovingian king and was crowned King of the Franks, effectively establishing the Carolingian dynasty. His son, Charlemagne, would expand the Frankish kingdom into an empire, which was eventually crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 800. The Pippinids, therefore, represent a crucial transitional phase in Frankish history, moving from the declining Merovingian monarchy to the ascendant Carolingian empire.

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