Pepin the Short

Hello! My name is Pepin, but many people know me as Pepin the Short. I was born around the year 714. My father was a very strong and important leader of the Franks named Charles Martel. At that time, we had a king, but it was my father who was really in charge. His special title was 'Mayor of the Palace,' which meant he held the true power in our kingdom. Everyone knew that when something important needed to be done, they came to my father, not the king.

When my father passed away in the year 741, my older brother, Carloman, and I took his place as the new Mayors of the Palace. We were a team, and we ruled the kingdom together, side-by-side. We made decisions together and made sure our people were safe. But in 747, my brother Carloman told me he wanted to live a different kind of life. He decided to become a monk and spend his days in quiet prayer. This meant that I was left to rule the entire Frankish kingdom all by myself.

After ruling alone for a while, I started to think. If I was doing all the hard work of a king, shouldn't I have the title of king, too? I decided to ask a very important person for advice. I sent a letter all the way to Rome to Pope Zachary and asked him what he thought. He sent a letter back and agreed with me! So, in the year 751, I was officially crowned the King of the Franks. A few years later, in 754, a new pope named Pope Stephen II needed my help. I led my army to protect him from his enemies. To thank me, he held a special ceremony where he anointed me king, and I gave him the lands I had won in battle. These lands became known as the Papal States.

I was the very first king of my family, which became known as the Carolingians. I worked hard to make my kingdom strong and safe for everyone. I also had a son named Charlemagne, who would grow up to be one of the most famous emperors in all of history. I lived to be about 54 years old and passed away in the year 768. Today, people remember me for starting a new royal family and for being a strong king who helped build the foundation for my son's great empire.