Carolingian dynasty

The Carolingian dynasty or Carlovingia refers to the lineage of Frankish kings and emperors who ruled Western Europe between the 8th and 10th centuries. Its name derives from Charles Martel (in Latin: Carolus Martellus), mayor of the palace and victor of the Battle of Poitiers, and/or his grandson Charlemagne (Carolus Magnus), who was crowned Roman Emperor at the Christmas of the year 800.

Historical aspects

The dynasty derives from the marriage of the sons of Arnulf of Metz and Pepin the Elder, both described by Fredegario as the most important lords in Austrasia. The family consolidated its power from the second third of the VII century, when it made the office of palace steward hereditary. In this way, they became the true rulers of the Franks; while the Merovingian kings were reduced to a nominal role.

The mayordomo of the palace Pepin the Short (son of Charles Martel and descendant of Pepin the Elder) managed to dethrone his Merovingian king Childeric III and be recognized king of the Franks with the support of the pope. Pepin was succeeded on the Frankish throne by Charlemagne and Charleman I. The former, years later, would expand his power over much of Western Europe and would be crowned emperor by the pope at Christmas 800 in Rome. In this dynasty the Carolingian Empire appears, as historians call the vast territory that Charlemagne united under his reign, a period derived from the policies of Pepin and Charlemagne. This empire fell apart a few decades later after the death of Charlemagne's son, Luis I the Pious or Ludovico Pío, when his three sons (Carlos, Lotario and Luis) divided up the empire through the Treaty of Verdun (843). The power of the dynasty then was diminishing. The middle part, after being broken up, was incorporated into the eastern zone. The Carolingians of the eastern part became extinct with the death in 911 of Louis the Child, and in their place the Saxon dynasty was established from 919. And the western branch of the Carolingians became extinct between 888 and 987, and from that date they established finally the Capetians on the throne of the Franks.

The successors of Charlemagne could not combine the political elements and the Germanic custom of dividing the territory among all the sons of the sovereign. The Empire of Charlemagne was based on the loyalty of the counts who governed the different regions to his person and on the wealth derived from the conquests. His successor faced three civil wars caused by his sons that weakened the central power; with which, the territory that had constituted the empire of Charlemagne disintegrated in less than five decades, in the midst of internal wars and attacks by the Nordics, giving way to the full height of feudalism.

For years, the Carolingian Dynasty developed its own art that was highly influential in Europe, as the Carolingian Empire was the center of European politics for decades. Carolingian culture also enjoyed great prestige, and historians speak of a true "Carolingian Renaissance", based on cultural diffusion and teaching in the schools of the time. The architectural style of the time, which was a form of pre-Romanesque art, is also called the "Carolingian style."

Rulers

Butlers of the Palace

• Pipino the Old butler of Austrasia (616-629 and 639-640)
• Grimoaldo the Old butler of Austrasia (643-656)
• Heristal's Heristal butler of Austrasia (680-714); Neustria and Burgundy's butler (687-695)
• The Young Majordome of Neustria (695-714)
• Carlos Martel mayordomo de Austrasia (715-741); butler of Neustria (715-741)
• Austrasia stewardship (741-747)
• Pipine the Breve steward of Neustria (741-751) and austrasia steward (747-751)

Dukes and princes of the Franks

• Pipino de Heristal (687-714)
• Carlos Martel (714-741)

Carolingian Kings

• Pipino el Breve (751-768)
• Carloman I (768-771)
• Carlos I the Great [Carlomagno] (768-814)
• Carlos el Joven (800-810), associated with his father Carlomagno
• Luis I el Piadoso [Ludovico Pio] (814-840)
• Territory divided into three kingdoms (Treaty of Verdun)

Carolingian Emperors

• Carlos I el Grande (800-814)
• Luis I el Piadoso (814-840)
• Lotario I (840-855)
• Luis II el Joven (855-875)
• Carlos II el Calvo (875-877)
• Carlos III el Gordo (881-887)
• Arnulfo de Carintia (898-899)
• Berengario I of Italy (905-924)
• passes to the Otonian dynasty

Kings of Italy

• Charlemagne (774-814)
• Pipino de Italia (781-810) associated with his father Carlomagno
• Bernard I (810-818), associated with his grandfather Carlomagno. Then king alone.
• Lotario I (818-855)
• Luis II el Joven (855-875)
• Carlos II el Calvo (875-877)
• Carlomán de Baviera (877-879)
• Carlos III el Gordo (879-887)
• Berengario I (887-889), from 889, Friul was expelled by Guido III.
• Arnulfo de Carintia (896-899), expelled by Berengario I and Lamberto de Spoleto.
• Ratoldo (896), together with Arnulfo.
• Berengario I (896-924), answered by other candidates such as Luis III el Ciego (900-905) and Rodolfo II of Burgundy (922-926)
• passes to the dynasty of the Bosónidas

Kings of Bavaria

• Louis II the Germanic (817-843)
• integrated in Eastern France
• Bavarian Charlem (876-880)
• Louis III of Germany (880-882)
• is integrated in Eastern France.

Kings of other German states

• Louis III of Germany, king of Saxony (876-882) is unified in Eastern France.
• Charles III the Gordo, king of Germany (876-882) is unified in Eastern France.

Kings of East Francia (Germany)

• Louis II the Germanic (843-876)
• division of the kingdom into three states (Germany, Saxony and Bavaria)
• Carlos III el Gordo (882-887), unifies all territories in Eastern France.
• Carinthian Arnulfo (887-899)
• Luis IV El Niño (899-911)
• Go to the Otonian dynasty.

Kings of Middle France

• Lotario I (843-855)
• Lotario II (855-869)
• Territory is divided between Carlos II el Calvo and Luis el Germánico (Treaty of Mersen)
• Carinthian Arnulfo (887-894)
• Zuentiboldo (894-900)
• Luis IV El Niño (900-911)
• Carlos III the Simple (911-923)
• passes to the Otonian dynasty

Kings of West Francia (France)

• Carlos II el Calvo (843-877)
• Luis II el Tartamudo (877-879)
• Louis III of France (879-882), associated with his brother Carloman II
• Carloman II of France (879-884), associated with his brother Louis III
• Carlos III el Gordo (885-887)
• robertine dynasty on the throne (887-898)
• Carlos III the Simple (898-922)
• robertine dynasty on the throne (922-936)
• Luis IV de Ultramar (936-954)
• Lotario de Francia (954-986)
• Luis V el Holgazán (986-987)
• passes to the French cape dynasty

Kings of Aquitaine

• Luis I (781-814)
• territory included in the empire
• Pipino I of Aquitaine (817-838)
• Pipino II of Aquitaine (838-864), declared rebel.
• Carlos II el Calvo (838-855), declared heir to Luis I el Piadoso, facing Pipino II.
• Carlos III El Niño (855-866), receives the rights of Carlos II, facing Pipino II
• Luis II el Tartamudo (866-877)
• included in Western France.

Kings of Burgundy

• Carlos de Provenza (855-863)
• territory distributed between Lotario II and Luis II

Historical and territorial evolution (814-987)

Map	Aquitaine	Western France	France	Provenza	Italy	Bavaria	Eastern France
	Ludovico Pio Emperor (814-840) and King of Franks (814-840)				Bernardo I (810-818)	part of the Empire
	Pipino I (814-838)	Ludovico Pio "Luis I el Piadoso" Emperor (814-840) and King of Franks (814-840)				Luis II the Germanic (817-843)	part of the Empire
	Pipino II (838-864) rebel				Lotario I (818-855)
		Carlos II el Calvo (840-877)	Lotario I Emperor (840-855); king of France Media (840-855) and king of Italy (818-855)
		Treaty of Verdun (843) division of Carolingian territory
		Carlos II el Calvo (840-877)	Lotario I Emperor (840-855), king of France Media (840-855) and king of Italy (818-855)			Luis II the Germanic - Louis II of Germany — (843-876) King of Eastern France / Germany
	Carlos el Niño (855-866)		Loyalty II (855-869) king of Lotaringia	Carlos de Provenza (855-863)	Louis II the Young Emperor (855-875) king of Italy (855-875)
				Division Lotario II and Luis II the Young
	Louis II the Tartamudo (866-877)		Division Carlos II and Luis el Germánico	Louis II the Young Emperor (855-875) and king of Italy (855-875)
		Carlos II Emperor (875-877), king of Italy (875-877) and king of Western France (840-877)				Carloman (876-880)	Louis III of Germany king of Saxony (876-882) Carlos III el Gordo King of Germany (876-882)
	Louis II the Tartamudo King of Western France (877-879)				Carloman king of Bavaria (876-880) and king of Italy (877-880)
	Louis III (879-882) Carloman II (879-884) kings of Western France			Bosón (879-887)	Carlos III el Gordo Emperor (881-887) king of Germany (876-882) and king of Italy (880-887)	Luis III the Young king of Saxony (876-882) King of Bavaria (880-882)
	Carlos III el Gordo Emperor (881-887) King of Western France (884-888)				Carlos III el Gordo Emperor (881-888) king of Eastern France (882-887) and king of Italy (880-887)
	Eudes (888-898)		Rodolfo I Burgundy (888-912)	Louis III (887-933)	Berengario I (887-889)	Carinthian Arnulfo King of Eastern France (887-899) king of Lotaringia (887-894)
					Guido III (889-894) Lamberto II (891-895)
					Carinthian Arnulfo Emperor (896-899) king of Italy (895-899)	Zuentiboldo king of Lotaringia (894-900)	Carinthian Arnulfo (887-899)
	Carlos III the Simple (898-922)
					Disputed (896-926) Berengario I, Emperor (915-924) Lamberto II, (896-898) Luis III Emperor (901-905) Rodolfo II (922-926) and Hugo de Arlés (926)	Luis IV el Niño King of Eastern France (899-911) king of Lotaringia (900-911)
			Rodolfo II Burgundy (912-937)			Carlos III the Simple king of Lotaringia (911-923)	Conrado I (911-918)
	Roberto I (922-923)		Rodolfo II Burgundy and Provence (933-937)		Hugo de Arlés (926-947)	Enrique I el Pajarero Eastern France (918-936) Lotaringia (922-936)
	Raúl I (923-936)
						Oton I king of Germany (936-973)
	Luis IV de Ultramar (936-954)		Conrado III de Borgoña (937-993)		Loyalty II (947-950)
	Lotario de Francia (954-986)				Berengario II of Italy (950-961) Adalberto (950-963)
	Luis V el Holgazán (986-987)				Oton I of the Holy Roman German Empire Emperor (962-976), king of Germany (963-976) and king of Italy (951-976)
	Hugo Capeto (987-996)
End of the Carolingian dynasty

See also

• Carolingian art