Charles Martel the Hammer
Born: Hersital, Liege, Belgium
Died: Cressy Sur, Oise, Picardie, France
<span><p align="center"><font size="4"><strong>Charles Martel, Ruler of the Franks</strong></font> </p><font size="2"><p align="center">Charles Martel (in Latin, Carolus Martellus; in German, Karl Martell) - grandfather of Charlemagne - was the illegitimate son of Pippin II of Herstal and, after an intense power struggle, succeeded him as the "mayor of the palace" of Austrasia, the eastern part of Frankish territory. By this time the Merovingians were rulers in name only and the mayors of the palace ruled both Austrasia and Neustria. Martel (the name means "hammer") succeeded in reuniting the Frankish realm, eventually acquiring Aquitaine and Burgundy. He supported the missionary efforts of Saint Boniface and others like him in the hopes of consolidating his military victories. In 732 he achieved one of the most significant victories in early Europe at the Battle of Tours, which stemmed the tide of Muslim advancement from Spain into Frankish territory. Although Martel was in practice king of the Franks, he never took the title, always maintaining the fiction that the Merovingians still ruled. When he died, he divided his lands between his two legitimate sons, Pippin III (father of Charlemagne) and Carloman.</p><p> </p></font></span>