Charles Martel | Biography, Accomplishments, & Facts

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[{"p":1,"t":107383},{"p":1,"t":96570},{"p":1,"t":613719},{"p":1,"t":376284},{"p":1,"t":305624},{"p":3,"t":205583},{"p":1,"t":217113},{"p":1,"t":175759},{"p":1,"t":600883},{"p":1,"t":376276}], "sequence": 1, "topics": {} }); </script> <article class="article-content container-lg qa-content px-0 pt-0 pb-40 py-lg-20 content md-expanded" data-topic-id="107383"> <div class="grid gx-0"> <div class="col-auto"> <div class="topic-left-rail md-article-drawer position-relative d-flex border-right-sm border-left-sm open"> <div class="drawer d-flex flex-column open"> <div class="left-rail-section-content"> <div class="topic-left-rail-header text-truncate bg-gray-50 position-relative text-right d-flex align-items-center"> <div class="tlr-title px-20 py-15 text-left"> <em class="material-icons text-gray-400 d-lg-none" data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Martel">Charles Martel</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <ul class="list-unstyled my-0" data-level="h1"><li data-target="#ref1"><div class="pl-25"><a class="link-gray-900 w-100" href="/biography/Charles-Martel">Introduction</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref343548"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Charles-Martel#ref343548">Early life</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref343549"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Charles-Martel#ref343549">Mayor of the palace</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref343550"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Charles-Martel#ref343550">Consolidation of power and the Battle of Tours</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li></ul> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Martel/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/Charles-Martel">Quick Facts & Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Martel/images-videos">Images</a> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 "> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex overflow-hidden text-nowrap ml-15"> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/52/130352-050-8B473B8D/Charles-Martel-armour.jpg" data-href="/media/1/107383/127146" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/52/130352-004-20C0B41F/Charles-Martel-armour.jpg" alt="Charles Martel in full armour." height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/88/688-050-CE128825/Frankish-domains-Charles-Martel.jpg" data-href="/media/1/107383/1629" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/88/688-004-49EA33D0/Frankish-domains-Charles-Martel.jpg" alt="Frankish domains in the time of Charles Martel" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/51/130351-050-8FEA7FAB/Engraving-Charles-Martel-Frankish-Battle-of-Tours.jpg" data-href="/media/1/107383/223403" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/51/130351-004-C711061A/Engraving-Charles-Martel-Frankish-Battle-of-Tours.jpg" alt="Battle of Tours" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/75/130075-050-9D7F95D0/Charles-Martel-battle-of-Tours-Frankish-battle-axe.jpg" data-href="/media/1/107383/220000" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/75/130075-004-5B7A1545/Charles-Martel-battle-of-Tours-Frankish-battle-axe.jpg" alt="Battle of Poitiers" height="50" /> </a> </div> <button disabled class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Previous"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span> </button> <button disabled class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Next"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span> </button> </div> 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Author of <i>The Gateway to the Middle Ages; Carolingian Portraits; </i>and others.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Eleanor Shipley Duckett</span></div> <div class="font-serif font-12 text-gray-700"> <span class="qa-fact-checked-by">Fact-checked by</span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup font-12" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Martel/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn btn-sm border-2 btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 module-spacing js-inline-ai-ask-button p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot </button> </div> <div class="js-qf-module qf-module px-40 px-sm-20 py-15 mx-auto module-spacing font-14 bg-gray-50 rounded"> <div class="qf-title font-weight-bold font-14 mb-10 text-center"> Quick Facts</div> <div class="facts-list mt-10"> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Latin: </dt> <dd>Carolus Martellus</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>German: </dt> <dd>Karl Martell</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Born: </dt> <dd><em>c.</em> 688</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Died: </dt> <dd>October 22, 741, Quierzy-sur-Oise [France]</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Title / Office: </dt> <dd><a href="/topic/mayor-of-the-palace">mayor of the palace (715-741)</a>, <a href="/place/Austrasia">Austrasia</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class="facts-item-none d-none"> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>House / Dynasty: </dt> <dd><a href="/topic/Carolingian-dynasty">Carolingian dynasty</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class="facts-item-none d-none"> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Notable Family Members: </dt> <dd>father <a href="/biography/Pippin-II-Carolingian-mayor">Pippin II</a></dd> <dd>son <a href="/biography/Pippin-III">Pippin III</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class="facts-item-none d-none"> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Role In: </dt> <dd><a href="/event/Battle-of-Tours-732">Battle of Tours</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> <div class="text-center"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link p-0" href="/facts/Charles-Martel"> See all related content </a> </div> </div> </div> <button class="facts-list-show-more-btn mt-15 p-0 mx-auto btn font-14 d-block font-weight-normal"> <span class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></span> <span class="show-more-label">Show More</span> </button> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref251233"></span>Charles Martel</strong> (born <em>c.</em> 688—died October 22, 741, Quierzy-sur-Oise [France]) was the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/mayor-of-the-palace" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">mayor of the palace</a> of Austrasia (the eastern part of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Frank-people" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Frankish</a> kingdom) from 715 to 741. He reunited and ruled the entire Frankish realm and defeated a sizable Muslim raiding party at Poitiers in 732. His byname, Martel, means “the hammer.”</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="marker h2"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref343548"><h2 class="h1">Early life</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Charles was the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="illegitimate" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/illegitimate" data-type="MW">illegitimate</a> son of <span id="ref251234"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pippin-II-Carolingian-mayor" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Pippin II of Herstal</a>, the mayor of the palace of <span id="ref251235"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Austrasia" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Austrasia</a>. By this period the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Merovingian-dynasty" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Merovingian</a> kings of the Frankish realm were rulers in name only. The burden of rule lay upon the mayors of the palace, who governed Austrasia, the eastern part of the Frankish kingdom, and <span id="ref251236"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Neustria" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Neustria</a>, its western portion. Neustria bitterly resented its conquest and annexation in 687 by Pippin, who, acting in the name of the king, had reorganized and reunified the Frankish realm.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The assassination of Pippin’s only surviving <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="legitimate" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legitimate" data-type="MW">legitimate</a> son in 714 was followed a few months later by the death of Pippin himself. Pippin left as heirs three grandsons, and, until they came of age, <span id="ref251237"></span>Plectrude, Pippin’s widow, was to hold power. As an illegitimate son, Charles Martel was entirely neglected in the will. But he was young, strong, and determined, and an intense struggle for power at once broke out in the Frankish kingdom.</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-quiz-module" href="/quiz/european-history" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/44/171644-131-269D3C9B/Vikings-swords-warriors-Viking-shields-c-killing.jpg" alt="Vikings. Viking warriors hold swords and shields. 9th c. AD seafaring warriors raided the coasts of Europe, burning, plundering and killing. Marauders or pirates came from Scandinavia, now Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. European History" class="rounded-sm mr-15" width="70" /> <div class="line-clamp clamp-5"> <div class="module-title bg-green">Britannica Quiz</div> <div class="font-weight-semi-bold mt-5">European History</div> </div> </a><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="marker h3"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref343549"><h2 class="h1">Mayor of the palace</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="1629" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/88/688-050-CE128825/Frankish-domains-Charles-Martel.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/107383/1629"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/88/688-050-CE128825/Frankish-domains-Charles-Martel.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/88/688-050-CE128825/Frankish-domains-Charles-Martel.jpg?w=300" alt="Frankish domains in the time of Charles Martel" data-width="1551" data-height="1600" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/88/688-050-CE128825/Frankish-domains-Charles-Martel.jpg" data-href="/media/1/107383/1629">Frankish domains in the time of Charles Martel</a><span>The Frankish domains in the time of Charles Martel (boundaries approximate).</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">Both Charles and Plectrude faced rebellion throughout the Frankish kingdom when Pippin’s will was made known. The king, <span id="ref701089"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Chilperic-II" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Chilperic II</a>, was in the power of Ragenfrid, mayor of the palace of Neustria, who joined forces with the Frisians in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Holland-historical-region-Netherlands" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Holland</a> in order to eliminate Charles. Plectrude imprisoned Charles and tried to govern in the name of her grandchildren, but Charles escaped, gathered an army, and defeated the Neustrians in battles at Amblève near Liège (716) and at Vincy near Cambrai (717). His success made resistance by Plectrude and the Austrasians useless, and they submitted. In 719 Charles defeated Ragenfrid at <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Soissons-France" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Soissons</a> and forced him to retreat to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Angers-France" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Angers</a>. From that point, Charles alone governed the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="Franks" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/Franks" data-type="EB">Franks</a> as mayor.</p><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD5 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Assured of Austrasia, Charles now attacked Neustria itself, finally subduing it in 724. This freed Charles to deal with hostile elements elsewhere. He attacked <span id="ref251238"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Aquitaine" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Aquitaine</a>, whose ruler, <span id="ref251239"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Eudes-duke-of-Aquitaine" class="md-crosslink ">Eudes</a> (Odo), had been an ally of Ragenfrid, but Charles did not gain effective control of southern <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/France" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">France</a> until late in his reign. He also conducted long campaigns, some as late as the 730s, against the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Frisian" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Frisians</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Saxon-people" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Saxons</a>, and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Bavaria" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Bavarians</a>, whose brigandage endangered the eastern frontiers of his kingdom. Even after these expeditions, the Saxons in particular continued to raid Charles’s territory whenever the opportunity presented itself.</p><span class="marker MOD5 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="marker h4"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref343550"><h2 class="h1">Consolidation of power and the Battle of Tours</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD6 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="223403" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/51/130351-050-8FEA7FAB/Engraving-Charles-Martel-Frankish-Battle-of-Tours.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/107383/223403"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/51/130351-050-8FEA7FAB/Engraving-Charles-Martel-Frankish-Battle-of-Tours.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/51/130351-050-8FEA7FAB/Engraving-Charles-Martel-Frankish-Battle-of-Tours.jpg?w=300" alt="Battle of Tours" data-width="1600" data-height="947" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/51/130351-050-8FEA7FAB/Engraving-Charles-Martel-Frankish-Battle-of-Tours.jpg" data-href="/media/1/107383/223403">Battle of Tours</a><span>Engraving depicting Frankish leader Charles Martel at the Battle of Tours.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">Charles relied heavily on armed freemen to serve as the foundation of his <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/armed-force" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">military</a>, but the increasing pace of offensive operations compelled him to create for his army a strong <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/cavalry" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">cavalry</a> element composed of landed professional fighting men. The <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/stirrup" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">stirrup</a> was not yet in use among Frankish horsemen, so Charles’s equestrian force would not have resembled the true heavy shock cavalry of the later Middle Ages, but the expense of arms and armour was nevertheless significant. To finance this costly enterprise, he appropriated some of the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="ecclesiastical" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ecclesiastical" data-type="MW">ecclesiastical</a> lands recently acquired and consolidated by various bishops, mostly in Burgundy. This action aroused no contemporary <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="censure" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/censure" data-type="MW">censure</a>, and the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="tenure" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tenure" data-type="MW">tenure</a> of the lands was later regularized under Charles’s sons <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pippin-III" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Pippin</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Carloman-king-of-the-Franks-715-754" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Carloman</a>. It was then decided that the warriors to whom the lands had been granted should hold them for life (<em>precaria</em>), with the church remaining the actual owner.</p><span class="marker MOD6 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD7 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Again, no contemporary disapproval was shown at Charles’s severity toward bishops, such as Rigobert of Reims, who were resentful or tardy in surrendering their holdings. Charles, in fact, was viewed favourably by the church and was noted for his patronage of monasteries. It was to Charles that Pope <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Gregory-II" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Gregory II</a> wrote in 722 to enlist support for <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Boniface" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Boniface</a>’s <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/missions-Christianity" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">mission</a> in the Rhineland. From that point onward, Charles consistently supported Boniface and also assisted the missionary efforts of Pirmin and Willibrord, <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="apostles" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/apostles" data-type="EB">apostles</a> of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Alemanni" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Alemanni</a> and of the Frisians, respectively.</p><div class="module-spacing"> <DIV class="marketing-INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION marketing-content" data-marketing-id="INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION"><style> .student-promo-banner-wrapper { container-type: inline-size; margin-bottom: 15px; } @container (min-width: 475px) { .student-promo-banner { flex-direction: row; } .student-promo-banner-img-wrapper { margin-bottom: 0; margin-right: 10px; justify-content: flex-start; } .student-promo-banner-text-wrapper { text-align: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; } .student-promo-banner-button-wrapper { margin-right: 0; } }</style> <div class="student-promo-banner-wrapper"> <div class="student-promo-banner d-flex flex-column align-items-center bg-blue rounded p-20"> <div class="student-promo-banner-img-wrapper mb-20 mr-0 d-flex justify-content-center"> <img class="rounded" style="max-width: 100px; min-width: 80px" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/marketing/BlueThistle.webp" /> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-text-wrapper ml-0 mb-10 text-center text-white"> <div class="h2 mb-10">Get Unlimited Access</div> <div class="h4 font-weight-semi-bold">Try Britannica Premium for free and discover more.</div> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-button-wrapper d-flex justify-content-center align-items-center ml-auto mr-auto"> <a class="btn btn-m btn-orange" href="https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=inline-cta&utm_campaign=august-2024">Subscribe</a> </div> </div> </div> </DIV></div><span class="marker MOD7 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD8 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="220000" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/75/130075-050-9D7F95D0/Charles-Martel-battle-of-Tours-Frankish-battle-axe.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/107383/220000"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/75/130075-050-9D7F95D0/Charles-Martel-battle-of-Tours-Frankish-battle-axe.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/75/130075-050-9D7F95D0/Charles-Martel-battle-of-Tours-Frankish-battle-axe.jpg?w=300" alt="Battle of Poitiers" data-width="1600" data-height="1317" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/75/130075-050-9D7F95D0/Charles-Martel-battle-of-Tours-Frankish-battle-axe.jpg" data-href="/media/1/107383/220000">Battle of Poitiers</a><span>The Frankish king Charles Martel wields his battle-axe during the battle of Tours (732), in which his forces defeated Muslim invaders from Spain.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">Having spent a large part of the 720s campaigning in the north and east, Charles spent much of the following decade combating a persistent threat on his southern frontier. Ever since their arrival in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Spain" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Spain</a> from Africa in 711, Muslims had raided Frankish territory, threatening <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Gaul-ancient-region-Europe" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Gaul</a> and on one occasion (725) reaching Burgundy and sacking <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Autun" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Autun</a>. In 732 ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Ghafiqi, the governor of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Caliphate-of-Cordoba" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Córdoba</a>, marched into <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Bordeaux" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Bordeaux</a> and defeated Eudes. The Muslims then proceeded north across Aquitaine to the city of Poitiers. Eudes appealed to Charles for assistance, and Charles managed to defeat a significant Muslim force at the <span id="ref251240"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Tours-732" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Battle of Tours</a>. Although Tours is sometimes presented as a decisive check on Muslim expansion into <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Europe" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Europe</a>, it was, in reality, a single engagement in a decades-long conflict between the Franks and the armies of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Al-Andalus" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Muslim Spain</a>. The victory did have the effect of burnishing Charles’s reputation and authority, especially in Aquitaine, where he forced Eudes to swear <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="allegiance" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/allegiance" data-type="MW">allegiance</a> to him.</p><span class="marker MOD8 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD9 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">In 733 Charles began his campaigns to force <span id="ref251241"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Burgundy" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Burgundy</a> to yield to his rule. In 735 word arrived that Eudes was dead, and Charles marched rapidly across the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Loire-River" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Loire River</a> in order to make his power felt around Bordeaux. By 739 he had completely subdued the petty chieftains of Burgundy, and he continued to fend off Muslim advances into Gaul during the decade.</p><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD9 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD10 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Charles’s health began to fail in the late 730s, and in 741 he retired to his palace at Quierzy-sur-Oise, where he died soon after. Before his death he divided the Merovingian kingdom between his two legitimate sons, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pippin-III" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Pippin III</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Carloman-king-of-the-Franks-715-754" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Carloman</a>. Charles refrained from transferring the royal title to his own <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="dynasty" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dynasty" data-type="MW">dynasty</a>, however. The fiction of Merovingian rule would continue until Pippin set aside <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Childeric-III" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Childeric III</a>, the last Merovingian king, and had himself crowned king of the Franks in 751.</p><span class="marker MOD10 mod-inline"></span><span class="md-signature font-12"><a href="/contributor/Eleanor-Shipley-Duckett/789">Eleanor Shipley Duckett</a></span> <span class="md-signature font-12"><a href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</a></span> </section><span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-simplify-root"></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> </div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":1,"pageId":107383,"pageLength":955,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.133.36"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.133.36' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"B","adLeg":"B","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"BIO_MEDIUM","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":true} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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Charles Martel | Biography, Accomplishments, & Facts | Britannica