Carolingian Kings

Category
French
Begin
751
End
987
Region
Europe
Reference
Excerpts from Books and Wikipedia
Beginning with Pepin the Short (751-768); Charlemagne reigned 768-814; Followed by Louis I the Pious (814-840) and Charles II the Bald (840-877);
"Pepin, son of Charles Martel and father of the far more famous Charlemagne, launched a long and ultimately successful campaign to take the land north of the Pyrenees, and by 758, just a few years after Abd al-Rahman had established himself in Cordoba, the northernmost Muslim armies and settlers had been pushed back south of the Pyrenees." [Menocal: Ornament of the World, p. 56] "Pepin promises the Pope central Italy. This is arguably the beginning of the temporal power of the Papacy." [Wikipedia: Timeline of the Middle Ages]

This period is linked to the following events

Event Name
Category
Date
The Franks under Charles Martel defeat the Arabs at the Battle of Tours
War
732
Pope Stephen II confirms Peppin the Short king of Franks after opposing Lombards
Government
754
Peppin the Short dies and Frankish kingdom split between Charles and Carloman
Government
768
Charlemagne aids Pope Hadrian to defeat Lombards at the Seige of Pavia
War
773
Basques at Roncesvalles destroy Charlemagne's rearguard--becomes epic poem
War
778
Pope Leo III proclaims Charlemagne emperor December 25 at St. Peter's Basilica
Government
800
Al-Rashid sends Charlemagne decree protecting pilgrims to holy sites in Jerusalem
Religion
807
Carolingian Empire declines after 100 Viking ship sail down Seine to plunder Paris
War
845
New abbey at Cluny in Burgundy stimulates monastic revival
Religion
909
The Duchy of Normandy begins as a fiefdom granted to the Viking leader, Rollo
Peace
911