This was called "Pepin's Donation." It was the beginning of what
is known as the "temporal power" of the Popes, that is, their power
as rulers of part of Italy.
Pepin died in 768.
Charlemagne
King from 768-814 A.D.
I
Pepin had two sons Charles and Carloman. After the death of their
father they ruled together, but in a few years Carloman died, and
then Charles became sole king.
This Charles was the most famous of the kings of the Franks. He
did so many great and wonderful things that he is called Charlemagne
(shar-le-main'), which means Charles the Great.
He was a great soldier. For thirty years he carried on a war
against the Saxons. Finally he conquered them, and their great
chief, Wittekind, submitted to him. The Saxons were a people of
Germany, who then lived near the land of the Franks. They spoke
the same language and were of the same race as the Franks, but had
not been civilized by contact with the Romans.
They were still pagans, just as the Franks had been before Clovis
became a Christian. They actually offered human sacrifices.
After Charlemagne conquered them he made their lands part of his
kingdom.
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