Editing Charles Martel (section)

== Contesting for power ==
[[File:Francia 714.png|thumb|350px|The Frankish kingdoms at the time of the death of Pepin of Herstal (714). Aquitaine (yellow) was outside Arnulfing authority and Neustria and Burgundy (pink) were united in opposition to further Arnulfing dominance of the highest offices. Only Austrasia (green) supported an Arnulfing mayor -- first Theudoald, then Charles. The German duchies to the east of the Rhine were ''de facto'' outside of Frankish suzerainty at this time.]]

In December 714, [[Pepin of Herstal]] died.<ref name=Kurth>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06238a.htm Kurth, Godefroid. "The Franks." ''The Catholic Encyclopedia''] Vol. 6. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1909</ref> A few months before his death and shortly after the murder of his son [[Grimoald the Younger]], he had taken the advice of his wife [[Plectrude]] to designate as his sole heir [[Theudoald]], his grandson by their deceased son [[Grimoald the Younger|Grimoald]]. This was immediately opposed by the Austrasian nobles because Theudoald was a child of only eight years of age. To prevent Charles using this unrest to his own advantage, Plectrude had him imprisoned in [[Cologne]], the city which was intended to be her capital. This prevented an uprising on his behalf in [[Austrasia]], but not in [[Neustria]].

=== Civil war of 715–718 ===
{{Carolingians|315px}}
Pepin's death occasioned open conflict between his heirs and the Neustrian nobles who sought political independence from Austrasian control. In 715, [[Dagobert III]] named [[Ragenfrid|Raganfrid]] [[Mayor of the Palace|mayor of the palace]]. On 26 September 715, Raganfrid's Neustrians met the young Theudoald's forces at the [[Battle of Compiègne]]. Theudoald was defeated and fled back to Cologne. Before the end of the year, Charles had escaped from prison and been acclaimed mayor by the nobles of Austrasia.<ref name=Kurth /> That same year, Dagobert III died and the Neustrians proclaimed [[Chilperic II]], the cloistered son of [[Childeric II]], as king.

==== Battle of Cologne ====
{{main|Battle of Cologne}}
In 716, Chilperic and Raganfrid together led an army into Austrasia intent on seizing the Pippinid wealth at Cologne. The Neustrians allied with another invading force under [[Radbod, King of the Frisians]] and met Charles in battle near [[Battle of Cologne|Cologne]], which was still held by Plectrude. Charles had little time to gather men or prepare and the result was inevitable. The Frisians held off Charles, while the king and his mayor besieged Plectrude at Cologne, where she bought them off with a substantial portion of Pepin's treasure. After that they withdrew.<ref name="Costambeys">Costambeys, Marios; Matthew Innes & MacLean, Simon (2011) ''The Carolingian World'', p. 43, Cambridge, GBR: Cambridge University Press, see [https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0521563666], accessed 2 August 2015.</ref> The Battle of Cologne is the only defeat of Charles's career.

==== Battle of Amblève ====
{{main|Battle of Amblève}}
Charles retreated to the hills of the [[Eifel]] to gather and train men. In April 716, he fell upon the triumphant army near [[Malmedy]] as it was returning to Neustria. In the ensuing [[Battle of Amblève]], Charles attacked as the enemy rested at midday. According to one source, he split his forces into several groups which fell at them from many sides.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=qluMPHMHPfYC&q=Battle%20of%20Vincy%2C%20717&pg=PA148] Daniel, Gabriel. ''The History of France'', G. Strahan, 1726, p. 148]</ref> Another suggests that while this was his intention, he then decided, given the enemy's unpreparedness, this was not necessary. In any event, the suddenness of the assault led them to believe they were facing a much larger host. Many of the enemy fled and Charles's troops gathered the spoils of the camp. His reputation increased considerably as a result, and he attracted more followers. This battle is often considered by historians as the turning point in Charles's struggle.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Age of Charles Martel|last=Fouracre|first=Paul|date=2000|publisher=Longman|isbn=0582064759|location=Harlow, England|pages=61|oclc=43634337}}</ref>

==== Battle of Vincy ====
{{main|Battle of Vincy}}
[[Richard Gerberding]] points out that up to this time, much of Charles's support was probably from his mother's kindred in the lands around [[Liège]]. After Amblève, he seems to have won the backing of the influential [[Willibrord]], founder of the [[Abbey of Echternach]]. The abbey had been built on land donated by Plectrude's mother, [[Irmina of Oeren]], but most of Willibrord's missionary work had been carried out in Frisia. In joining Chilperic and Raganfrid, Radbod of Frisia sacked Utrecht, burning churches and killing many missionaries. Willibrord and his monks were forced to flee to Echternach. Gerberding suggests that Willibrord had decided that the chances of preserving his life's work were better with a successful field commander like Charles than with Plectrude in Cologne. Willibrord subsequently baptized Charles's son [[Pepin the Short|Pepin]]. Gerberding suggests a likely date of Easter 716.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.medievalists.net/2014/11/716-crucial-year-charles-martel/| title = Gerberding, Richard. "716: A Crucial Year For Charles Martel", Medievalists.net, November 3, 2014| date = 3 November 2014}}</ref> Charles also received support from bishop Pepo of Verdun.

Charles took time to rally more men and prepare. By the following spring, he had attracted enough support to invade Neustria. Charles sent an envoy who proposed a cessation of hostilities if Chilperic would recognize his rights as mayor of the palace in Austrasia. The refusal was not unexpected but served to impress upon Charles's forces the unreasonableness of the Neustrians. They met near Cambrai at the [[Battle of Vincy]] on 21 March 717. The victorious Charles pursued the fleeing king and mayor to Paris, but as he was not yet prepared to hold the city, he turned back to deal with Plectrude and Cologne. He took the city and dispersed her adherents. Plectrude was allowed to retire to a convent. Theudoald lived to 741 under his uncle's protection.