William of Malmesbury's Chronicle of the Kings of England: From the earliest period to the reign of King StephenWilliam, of Malmesbury
History
William of Malmesbury's Chronicle of the Kings of England: From the earliest period to the reign of King Stephen
William, of Malmesbury
Great Britain -- History -- Norman period, 1066-1154; Great Britain -- History -- To 1066; Middle Ages -- Sources
instance; Eadgaring the son of Edgar; Eadmunding the son of Edmund, and
the rest in like manner; commonly, however, they are called ethelings.
The native language of the Franks, therefore, partakes of that of
the Angles, by reason of both nations originating from Germany. The
Merovingians reigned successfully and powerfully till the year of our
Lord’s incarnation, 687. At that period Pepin, son of Ansegise, was
made mayor of the palace[93] among the Franks, on the other side of
the Rhine. Seizing opportunities for veiling his ambitious views, he
completely subjugated his master Theodoric, the dregs as it were of the
Merovingians, and to lessen the obloquy excited by the transaction,
he indulged him with the empty title of king, while himself managed
every thing, at home and abroad, according to his own pleasure. The
genealogy of this Pepin, both to and from him, is thus traced: Ausbert,
the senator, on Blithilde, the daughter of Lothaire, the father of
Dagobert, begot Arnold: Arnold begot St. Arnulph, bishop of Metz:
Arnulph begot Flodulph, Walcthise, Anschise: Flodulph begot duke
Martin, whom Ebroin slew: Walcthise begot the most holy Wandregesil
the abbat: duke Anschise begot Ansegise: Ansegise begot Pepin. The son
of Pepin was Carolus Tudites, whom they also call Martel, because he
beat down the tyrants who were raising up in every part of France, and
nobly defeated the Saracens, at that time infesting Gaul. Following
the practice of his father, whilst he was himself satisfied with the
title of earl, he kept the kings in a state of pupilage. He left
two sons, Pepin and Caroloman. Caroloman, from some unknown cause,
relinquishing the world, took his religious vows at Mount Cassin. Pepin
was crowned king of the Franks, and patrician of the Romans, in the
church of St. Denys, by pope Stephen, the successor of Zachary. For
the Constantinopolitan emperors, already much degenerated from their
ancient valour, giving no assistance either to Italy or the church of
Rome, which had long groaned under the tyranny of the Lombards, this
pope bewailed the injuries to which they were exposed from them to
the ruler of the Franks; wherefore Pepin passing the Alps, reduced
Desiderius, king of the Lombards, to such difficulties, that he
restored what he had plundered to the church of Rome, and gave surety
by oath that he would not attempt to resume it. Pepin returning to
France after some years, died, leaving his surviving children, Charles
and Caroloman, his heirs. In two years Caroloman departed this life.
Charles obtaining the name of “Great” from his exploits, enlarged the
kingdom to twice the limits which it possessed in his father’s time,
and being contented for more than thirty years with the simple title
of king, abstained from the appellation of emperor, though repeatedly
invited to assume it by pope Adrian. But when, after the death of this
pontiff, his relations maimed the holy Leo, his successors in the
church of St.
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