568 people of the Book
people of the Book SeeDHIMMI.
Pépin III the Short (Pippin)(ca. 714/715–768)mayor
of the palace for the last of the Merovingians, king of the
Franks
Born about 714/715 at Jupille, Pépin was the son of
CHARLESMARTELand Rothrude and became the father
of CHARLEMAGNE. From 741 to 751, he held the office of
mayor of the palace and the chief official for the Merovin-
gian king. From 751 to 768, he was king himself after his
accession to the Crown. He had spent his youth with the
monks of Saint Denis near PARIS. In 735 he was sent to the
court of Liutprand (r. 713–744), the king of the LOMBARDS,
where he saw a sound administration of government.
On his father’s death, he inherited control of BURGUNDY,
NEUSTRIA,PROVENCE, and the cities of Metz and Trier. His
brother, Carloman (d. 754), held the rest of the Frankish
kingdom and the mayoralty of Austrasia. In 743 the
princes decided to reproclaim and restore the pretense of
the rule of the Merovingian dynasty, interrupted since 737,
to satisfy some of objections the Frankish aristocracy.
Pépin and Carloman reformed the Frankish church
with the advice of Saint BONIFACE, a representative of the
pope. In 744 Pépin assembled Frankish bishops for a
council at Soissons, where the resulting legislation or
canons obliged clerics to lead a more appropriate life, no
longer bear arms, and wear clothing similar to that of
monks. Pépin would not restore church property that had
been confiscated by Charles Martel, since it was in the
hands of his important supporters.PÉPIN AS KING
After Carloman’s abdication in 747, Pépin united the two
mayorships and began to drive back the SAXONSfrom the
left bank of the Rhine and impose his lordship over
BAVARIA. Having received support from the pope, he had
himself elected king at Soissons in November of 751.
The last Merovingian king, Chilperic III (r. 742–752);
entered a monastery. Pépin was then consecrated by the