Pepin the Short

Hello! My name is Pepin. Some people called me 'Pepin the Short' because I was not very tall, but I had a very big and strong heart. My father was named Charles Martel, and he was a great leader for our people, the Franks. When I was a boy, around the year 720, I loved helping my father. I watched him and learned how to be a good and kind ruler, just like he was. I wanted to grow up and be a strong leader, too.

I always wanted to make our kingdom a strong and safe place for everyone to live. In the year 751, something wonderful happened. The leaders and all the people of our kingdom decided that I should be their new king. It was a very happy and special day for me. I made a big promise to everyone. I promised that I would be a brave king and a fair king. I told them I would always work hard to protect them and keep them safe from harm.

Being a king was a very important job. I worked hard to make sure all the families in my kingdom were safe and had everything they needed to be happy. I was also a father. I had two wonderful sons. One of my sons was named Charles. When he grew up, he became a very famous king, and people called him Charlemagne. I was so proud to be his dad and to watch him grow.

I lived to be about 54 years old and passed away in the year 768. I am remembered because I was the very first king in my family, which was called the Carolingian family. I helped start a new and happy time for the Franks, and my son Charlemagne continued my work to build a great kingdom. My story shows that even if you are not the biggest person, you can still have a big heart and do big, important things.