Charles Martel "The Hammer", Mayor Of Palace^{[1, 2]}

676 - 741  (65 years)

• Name	Charles Martel "The Hammer"
  Suffix	Mayor Of Palace
  Nickname	The Hammer
  Alt. Birth	676
  	Alt. Birth
  	Of, Heristal, Neustria
  Birth	23 Aug 676	Héristal (Heristal), Liege, Neustria (Now Belgium)
  Gender	Male
  Alt. Birth	688
  	Alt. Birth
  	Heristal, Liege, Neustria (now Belgium)
  Alt. Birth	689
  	Alt. Birth
  	Heristal, Liege, Neustria (now Belgium)
  Event	714
  	Event
  	Thrown into prison by his step-mother Plectrude, to insure the succession of her descendants.
  Event	Between 715 and 716
  	Event
  	Escapes from prison
  Event	716
  	Event
  	Defeated by Ratbod, Duke of the Frisians, near Cologne.
  Event	716
  	Event
  	Defeats the Neustrians at Amblève near Malmédy.
  Event	21 Mar 716-717
  	Event
  	Defeats the Neustrians at Vincy near Cambrai.
  Event	Abt Apr 717
  	Event
  	Appoints Clotaire IV as King of Austrasia.
  Event	Abt Apr 717
  	Event
  	Forces Plectrude to surrender power.
  Titled	Abt Apr 717
  	Titled
  	Maire de la Palais
  Titled	Abt Apr 717
  	Titled
  	Mayor of the Palace of Austrasia
  Titled	Between Apr 717 and Oct 741
  	Titled
  	De facto ruler of Austrasia
  Event	718
  	Event
  	Lays waste to Saxony to the banks of the Weser
  Event	719
  	Event
  	Defeats the joint armies of Neustria and Aquitaine at Soissons.
  Event	719
  	Event
  	On the death of Clotaire IV, appoints Chilperic II of Neustria as King of Austrasia in exchange for formal recognition of his control of both Frankish kingdoms
  Event	719
  	Event
  	Seized Western Friesland (following the death of Ratbod, Duke of the Frisians)
  Titled	719
  	Titled
  	Maire du Palais de Bourgogne (Mayor of the Palace of Burgundy)
  Titled	719
  	Titled
  	Maire du Palais de Neustrie (Mayor of the Palace of Neustria)
  Titled	Between Oct 719 and 741
  	Titled
  	Acknowledged de factor ruler of all of the Franks (Neustria and Austrasia)
  Event	720
  	Event
  	After the death of Chilperic II, he appoints the child Theuderic (Thierry IV) as King of Austrasia and Neustria
  Event	720
  	Event
  	Second expedition against the Saxons
  Event	724
  	Event
  	Raginfrid, Count of Angers, formally submits to him.
  Event	Between 725 and 728
  	Event
  	Reestablishes Frankish suzerainty in Bavaria.
  Event	730
  	Event
  	Defeats Lantfrid, Duke of the Alemanna.
  Event	731
  	Event
  	Defeats Eudes (Eudo) Duke of Aquitaine
  Event	11 Oct 732
  	Event
  	Defeats the Arabs at the Battles of Tours and Poitiers
  Event	Between 733 and 734
  	Event
  	Suppresses the rebellion instigated by the Frisian duke, Bobo, who is killed in the battle.
  Event	735
  	Event
  	Quells revolt by Hunold, Duke of Aquitaine.
  Event	736
  	Event
  	Allows Hunold to hold the duchy of Aquitaine in fief.
  Event	737
  	Event
  	On the death of Thierry IV does not bother with the formality of appointing an official Merovingian King.
  Event	Between 737 and 738
  	Event
  	Drives the Muslims from Arles and Avignon.
  Titled	Between Oct 737 and 741
  	Titled
  	Unofficial King of all of the Franks
  Event	739
  	Event
  	Defeated a Moorish army at Buerre (not far from the Moorish stronghold at Narbonne)
  Event	739
  	Event
  	Puts down an uprising in Provence, under the leadership of Maurontus.
  Alt. Burial	741
  	Alt. Burial
  	Monastaere de Saint Denis, Saint Denis, France
  Alt. Burial	741
  	Alt. Burial
  	Monastery of St. Denis, Quierzy, Aisne, France
  Burial	741	Monastery, St. Denis, Seine, France
  Alt. Death	15 Oct 741
  	Alt. Death
  	Cressy Sur Oise, Neustria
  Death	21 Oct 741	Quierzy (Cressy) Sur Oise, Aisne, France
  Alt. Death	22 Oct 741
  	Alt. Death
  	Quierzy (Cressy) sur Oise, Aisne, France
  Relationship (J,M&L)	Relationship (J,M&L)
  	37th Great-grandparent
  Relationship (J,M&L)	Relationship (J,M&L)
  	42nd Great-grandparent
  Titled	Titled
  	"Martel" ("Tudites") - "The Hammer"
  Titled	Titled
  	Duc (Duke) des Francs (of the Franks)
  Titled	Titled
  	Duc (Duke) d'Héristal (Heristal)
  Titled	Titled
  	Founder of the Carolingian Dynasty
  Titled	Titled
  	Frankish King (Unofficial) of the Carolingian Dynasty
  Name	Charles "Martel" De FRANCIE
  Name	Charles "Martel" Mayor Of The Palace AUSTRASIA
  Name	Charles "The Hammer" D'HERISTAL
  Name	Charles Martel CAROLINGIEN
  Name	Charles Martel DESPOSYNI
  Name	Karl Martel CAROLINGIAN
  Name	King Caldus Of The FRANKS  [3]
  _FSFTID	GJYN-YVK
  _FSLINK	https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/GJYN-YVK
  _UID	C41A6723D8C34A7A8A687829AAEA6C49A32A
  Person ID	I11289	Carney Wehofer July 2025
  Last Modified	17 Apr 2024

  
  

  Father	Pepin II "The Mediocre" Of HERISTAL, Mayor Of Palace,   b. Abt 635, Héristal (Heristal), Liege, Neustria (Now Belgium) d. 16 Dec 714, Junille, Meuse, France (Age ~ 79 years)
  Mother	Alpheid (Or Aupois) AUSTRASIA, [Concubine 1],   b. Abt 654, Héristal (Heristal), Liege, Neustria (Now Belgium) d. Abt 705, Orp-Le-Grand Monastery, Brabant, Vosges, France (Age ~ 51 years)
  Marriage	Concubine - Not Married
  Friends	Abt 675
  	Friends
  	Not Married
  _STAT	Common Law
  Family ID	F5674	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 1	Chunehild,   b. Abt 710, , Austrasia, France d. Yes, date unknown
  Children	1. Hardeloga Bastard Of AUSTRASIA,   b. Abt 732, , Austrasia, France d. Yes, date unknown
  Family ID	F5669	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	29 Aug 2016

  
  

  Family 2
  Marriage	Not Married
  Children	1. St. Remi Giles ROUEN,   b. Abt 730, , Austrasia, France d. 19 Jan 771-772 (Age ~ 42 years)
  Family ID	F5672	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	17 Apr 2024

  
  

  Family 3
  Marriage	Not Married
  Children	1. Jerome Hieronimus Abbot ST. DENIS,   b. Abt 736, , Austrasia, France d. Aft 814 (Age ~ 79 years)
  Family ID	F5671	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	17 Apr 2024

  
  

  Family 4	"Concubine 3",   b. Abt 716, Austrasia d. Yes, date unknown
  Marriage	Not Married
  Family ID	F5670	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	29 Aug 2016

  
  

  Family 5	Rotrou (Chrotrude) Of ALEMANIA, Duchess Of Austrasia,   b. 687, Moselle, Austrasia, France d. 724 (Age 37 years)
  Children	1. Landree DE AUSTRASIA, Princess Of The Franks,   b. 711   d. Yes, date unknown   2. Carloman Of AUSTRASIA, Mayor Of Palace,   b. Abt 712-715, , Austrasia, France d. 4 Dec 754, Monte Cassino, Monastery, Italy (Age ~ 39 years)   3. Grifo Prince Of The FRANKS,   b. Abt 713   d. Aft 741 (Age ~ 29 years)   4. Duke Bernard MARTEL, Duke Of The Franks,   b. 713   d. 784 (Age 71 years)   5. Pepin III "The Short" Of The FRANKS, King Of France,   b. 714, Jupille, Frankish Kingdom Of Austrasia (Now Belgium) d. 24 Sep 768, St. Denis Monastery, St. Denis (Age 54 years)   6. Childtrude (Hiltrude) Duchess Of BAVARIA,   b. Abt 716, , Austrasia, France d. Abt 754 (Age ~ 38 years)   7. Hieronymus MARTEL,   b. Abt 720   d. Yes, date unknown   8. Aude (Aldana) Of AUSTRASIA, Princess Of The Franks,   b. Bef 724, France d. Bef 804 (Age ~ 80 years)
  Family ID	F2861	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	29 Aug 2016

  
  

  Family 6	Pilitrud,   b. Abt 706, , Austrasia, France d. Yes, date unknown
  Family ID	F5667	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	29 Aug 2016

  
  

  Family 7	Galiana,   b. Abt 712, , Austrasia, France d. Yes, date unknown
  Family ID	F5666	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	29 Aug 2016

  
  

  Family 8	N.N.   d. Yes, date unknown
  Children	1. Auda (Aude)
  Family ID	F4753	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	29 Aug 2016

  
  

  Family 9	Unk   d. Yes, date unknown
  Marriage	Not Married
  Children	1. Count Hieronymus   d. Aft 775
  Family ID	F439	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	29 Aug 2016

  
  

  Family 10	Swanhilde (Sunihilde) Of BAVARIA, Duchess,   b. Abt 700, Of, Bavaria d. Abt 741 (Age ~ 41 years)
  Marriage	Abt 720
  Alt. Marriage	Between 725 and 728  [4]
  	Alt. Marriage
  Children	1. Landree (Landrade) Of AUSTRASIA,   b. Abt 720   d. Yes, date unknown   2. Gifon Grippon Duke BAVARIA,   b. Abt 726, , Austrasia, France d. Abt 726 (Age ~ 0 years)
  Family ID	F5673	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	29 Aug 2016

  
  

• Notes

  "the Hammer" BIOGRAPHY: Charles Martel, Carolingian ruler of the Frankish kingdom of Austrasia (in present northeastern France and southwestern Germany). Charles, whose surname means 'the hammer', was the son of Pepin of Herstal and the Grandfather of Charlemagne. Pepin was mayor of the palace under the last kings of the Merovingian dynasty. When he died in 714, Charles, an illegitimate son, was imprisoned by his father's widow, but escaped in 715 and was proclaimed mayor of the palace by the Austrasians. A war between Austrasia and the Frankish kingdom of Neustria (now part of France) followed, and at the end of it Charles became the undisputed ruler of all the Franks. Although he was engaged in wars against the Alamanni, Bavarians, and Saxons, his greatest achievements were against the Muslims from Spain, who invaded France in 732. Charles defeated them near Poitiers in a great battle in which the Muslim leader, Abd-ar-Rahman, the Emir of Spain, was killed. The progress of Islam, which had filled all Christendom with alarm, was thus checked for a time. Charles drove the Muslims out of the Rhone valley in 739, when they had again advanced into France as far as Lyon, leaving them nothing of their possessions north of the Pyrenees beyond the Aude River. Charles died in Quierzy, on the Oise River, leaving the kingdom divided between his two sons, Carloman and Pepin the Short. Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia. BIOGRAPHY: The Battle of Tours near Poitiers October 11 ends the menace of a 90,000-man Moorish army that has invaded southern France under the Yemenite Abd ar-Rahman, who has crossed the Pyrenees, captured and burned Bordeaux, defeated an army under Eudo, duke of Aquitaine, and destroyed the basilica of St. Hilary at Poitiers. The Moors march on Tours, attracted by the riches of its famous church of St. Martin, but they are routed in battle by the Frankish leader Charles Martel (Charles the Hammer), 44 whose men kill Abd ar-Rahman. The Moors retreat to the Pyrenees, and their advance into Europe is terminated, partly by their loss to Charles Martel and partly by a frvolt of the Berbers in North Africa. BIOGRAPHY: Charles Martel, Mayor of Austrasia and Neustria, conquers, Burgundy. BIOGRAPHY: Pope Gregory III asks Charles Martel to help fight the Lombards, Greeks, and Arabs. BIOGRAPHY: Charles Martel dies October 22 at age 53 after dividing his realms between his elder son Carloman and younger son Pepin, although the country has had no true king since the death of Theodoric in 737. Lands to the east, including Austrasia, Alemannia, and Thuringia, have gone to Carloman along with suzerainty over Bavaria, while Pepin has received Neustria, Burgundy, and Provence. "The People's Chronology"

  
  

• Sources

  [S380] Sherry Huggins. [S395] Nancy Ann Morgan. [S851] Edward Creasy, Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World, (New York: E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc.), 168 - 169 (Reliability: 3). [S220] John Cardinal Farley, Remy Lafort, et al., The Catholic Encyclopedia, (Robert Appleton Company, 1910), Entry for Charles Martel (Reliability: 3).