The New International Encyclopædia/Pepin

​PEP′IN, or PIP′PIN. The name of several Frankish mayors of the palace, ancestors of the Carolingian kings. Pepin the Elder (died 639), also known as Pepin of Landen, was the first of the name to become prominent. He was major domus of King Dagobert I. of the Franks, and, together with his friend Arnulf, Bishop of Metz, controlled the policy of the State. The son of Arnulf was Ansegisel, and he married Bega, the daughter of Pepin. Their son was Pepin of Heristal (died 714), who became major domus in the eastern part of the Frankish realm, known as Austrasia, about 679. For several years he waged an unsuccessful war against Ebroin, major domus of Neustria or West Frank-land, until in 687 he won a decisive victory at Testry, which gave predominance to Austrasia, the Germanic part of the Frankish country, over Neustria, which on the whole was Celtic. Pepin became the ruler over all the Franks, completely overshadowing the various kings. His natural son was the famous Charles Martel (q.v.).—Pepin the Short (714–768) was King of the Franks from 751 to 768. He was the second son of Charles Martel, and hence a grandson of Pepin of Heristal. In 741 he and his brother Karlmann received the office of mayors of the palace. In 742 they found it necessary to place a Merovingian, Childerich III., upon the throne which their father had left vacant. For some years the two brothers ruled conjointly, but in 747 Karlmann abdicated and became a monk, and later abbot of Monte Cassino. In 751, supported by the Pope, Pepin was crowned king, thus becoming the first king of the Carolingian dynasty. Childerich was compelled to enter a monastery. In 754 Pepin was made patrician of Rome. Soon after he made an expedition into Italy against the Lombards, whom he conquered. The portion of the Exarchate of Ravenna which the latter had seized Pepin gave to the Pope. (See Aistulf.) In the following year he made another expedition against the Lombards, whom he subdued thoroughly, and renewed his gift to the Papacy. This is sometimes called the Donation of Pepin (q.v.). Besides overcoming the Lombards, Pepin conquered Aquitaine, took some cities from the Saracens, added Bavaria to his empire, and began the wars against the Saxons which his son Charles was to wage successfully. Pepin was closely associated with the great missionary Boniface (q.v.), and did much to strengthen the relations between the Papacy and the Franks. He died September 24, 768, and was succeeded by his sons Karlmann and Charles the Great (q.v.). Consult: Bonnell, Die Anfänge des karolingischen Hauses (Berlin, 1866); Fustel de Coulanges, Histoire des institutions politiques de l’ancienne France (Paris, 1892); Waitz, Deutsche Verfassungsgeschichte (Kiel, 1879–96); Oelsner, Jahrbücher des fränkischen Reiches unter König Pepin (Leipzig, 1871); Hodgkin, Italy and Her Invaders, vol. vii. (Oxford, 1899).