Page:Great Men and Famous Women Volume 1.djvu/123

 CHARLES MARTEL CHARLES MARTEL BY HENRY G. HEWLETT T (694-741) COWARD the close of the seventh century of our era, the kingdom which we now name France was peo- pled by a half-barbarous, pro- fessedly Christian race, of mixed tribes, the ruling por- tion of which originally sprang from Germany. The Prank- ish kingdom, as it was called, had risen upon the ruins of the Roman Empire, and for about a century was remarkable for the ability of its sovereigns. But after the death of King Dagobert I., in A.D. 638, the royal family seemed devoid of any mental or moral strength whatsoever, and the kings of this line have been always known as faineants weak idlers. The real power of the government was held by a succession of chief officers of the house- hold, styled " Mayors of the Palace." The most distinguished of these noblemen was Pepin d'He'ristal, who, from the year 688 to his death in 715, was virtually king of France the nominal sovereigns being but puppets in his hands. The country was then divided into two great districts the eastern, known as Aus- trasia ; and the western, as Neustria. At his death Pepin left the reins of gov- ernment to his grandson, Theodebald, an infant under the guardianship of his mother, Plectrude. The lawful king, Dagobert III., was also a child. It was clear that a fierce race of warriors required a strong arm to keep them in check, and could not long brook an infant's sway. The Neustrians commenced the re- volt by expelling Theodebald and his mother, and choosing for their ruler a Mayor of the Palace named Raginfred. They then attacked Austrasia, which had not joined in the revolt. It was without fitting defences, and had no able man to direct its resistance against this assault. What course should the Austrasians take ? Pepin, as we have said, left the government of France to a grandson ; but he had a natural son, Charles, then in the flower of his youth. Whether on account of his not having beerr born in wedlock, or his having offended Pepin by some mis- conduct, Charles had been slighted, and even hated, by his father, who banished him to a monastery at Cologne, far from the intrigues of statecraft and the tu- mult of war. "Here," said the Austrasians, "is the likeliest man for our leader; a son of the wisest and firmest ruler the kingdom has yet acknowledged." It was agreed, therefore, by the people, that he should be invited to come, and a sum