Carolingians

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Carolingians Second Frankish dynasty of early medieval Europe. Founded in the 7th century by Pepin of Landen, it rose to power under the weak kingship of the Merovingians. In 732 Charles Martel defeated the Muslims at Poitiers; in 751 his son Pepin III (the Short) deposed the last Merovingian and became king of the Franks. The dynasty reached its peak under Pepin's son Charlemagne (after whom the dynasty is called), who united the Frankish dominions and much of w and central Europe, and was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by the pope in 800. His empire was later subdivided and broken up by civil wars. Carolingian rule finally ended in 987.

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Carolingians

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