Editing Charlemagne (section)

===<span class="anchor" id="Accession and joint reign with Carloman"></span>Accession and reign with Carloman===
There are only occasional references to Charlemagne in the Frankish [[annals]] during his father's lifetime.{{sfn|McKitterick|2008|p=73}} By 751 or 752, Pepin had deposed Childeric and replaced him as king.{{sfn|McKitterick|2008|pp=71–72}} Early Carolingian-influenced sources claim that Pepin's seizure of the throne was sanctioned beforehand by [[Pope Stephen II]],{{sfn|Costambeys|Innes|MacLean|2011|p=32}} but modern historians dispute this.{{sfn|Costambeys|Innes|MacLean|2011|p=34}}{{sfn|McKitterick|2008|p=71}} It is possible that papal approval came only when Stephen travelled to Francia in 754 (apparently to request Pepin's aid against the Lombards), and on this trip [[Anointing|anointed]] Pepin as king; this legitimised his rule.{{sfn|McKitterick|2008|p=72}}{{sfn|Costambeys|Innes|MacLean|2011|p=34}} Charlemagne was sent to greet and escort the Pope, and he and his younger brother [[Carloman I|Carloman]] were anointed with their father.{{sfn|McKitterick|2008|pp=72–73}} Pepin sidelined Drogo around the same time, sending him and his brother to a monastery.{{sfn|Costambeys|Innes|MacLean|2011|p=62}}

Charlemagne began issuing charters in his own name in 760. The following year, he joined his father's campaign against [[Aquitaine]].{{sfn|McKitterick|2008|p=74}} Aquitaine, led by Dukes [[Hunald I|Hunald]] and [[Waiofar]], was constantly in rebellion during Pepin's reign.{{sfn|Costambeys|Innes|MacLean|2011|p=64}} Pepin fell ill on campaign there and died on 24 September 768, and Charlemagne and Carloman succeeded their father.{{sfn|McKitterick|2008|p=75}} They had separate coronations, Charlemagne at [[Noyon]] and Carloman at [[Soissons]], on 9 October.{{sfn|Nelson|2019|p=91}} The brothers maintained separate palaces and spheres of influence, although they were considered joint rulers of a single Frankish kingdom.{{sfn|McKitterick|2008|p=77}} The ''Royal Frankish Annals'' report that Charlemagne ruled Austrasia and Carloman ruled [[Kingdom of Burgundy|Burgundy]], [[Provence]], Aquitaine, and [[Alamannia]], with no mention made of which brother received Neustria.{{sfn|McKitterick|2008|p=77}} The immediate concern of the brothers was the ongoing uprising in Aquitaine.{{sfn|Costambeys|Innes|MacLean|2011|p=65}} They marched into Aquitaine together, but Carloman returned to Francia for unknown reasons and Charlemagne completed the campaign on his own.{{sfn|Costambeys|Innes|MacLean|2011|p=65}} Charlemagne's capture of Duke Hunald marked the end of ten years of war that had been waged in the attempt to bring Aquitaine into line.{{sfn|Costambeys|Innes|MacLean|2011|p=65}}

Carloman's refusal to participate in the war against Aquitaine led to a rift between the kings.{{sfn|Costambeys|Innes|MacLean|2011|p=65}}{{sfn|McKitterick|2008|p=79}} It is uncertain why Carloman abandoned the campaign; the brothers may have disagreed about control of the territory,{{sfn|Costambeys|Innes|MacLean|2011|p=65}}{{sfn|McKitterick|2008|p=80}} or Carloman was focused on securing his rule in the north of Francia.{{sfn|McKitterick|2008|p=80}} Regardless of the strife between the kings, they maintained a joint rule for practical reasons.{{sfn|McKitterick|2008|p=81}} Charlemagne and Carloman worked to obtain the support of the clergy and local elites to solidify their positions.{{sfn|McKitterick|2008|p=82}}

[[Pope Stephen III]] was elected in 768, but was briefly deposed by [[Antipope Constantine II]] before being restored to Rome.{{sfn|Nelson|2019|p=99}} Stephen's papacy experienced continuing factional struggles, so he sought support from the Frankish kings.{{sfn|Nelson|2019|pp=99, 101}} Both brothers sent troops to Rome, each hoping to exert his own influence.{{sfn|Nelson|2019|pp=100–101}} The Lombard king [[Desiderius]] also had interests in Roman affairs, and Charlemagne attempted to enlist him as an ally.{{sfn|Nelson|2019|p=101}} Desiderius already had alliances with [[Duchy of Bavaria|Bavaria]] and [[Duchy of Benevento|Benevento]] through the marriages of his daughters to their dukes,{{sfn|Nelson|2019|pp=84–85, 101}} and an alliance with Charlemagne would add to his influence.{{sfn|Nelson|2019|p=101}} Charlemagne's mother, Bertrada, went on his behalf to Lombardy in 770 and brokered a marriage alliance before returning to Francia with his new bride.{{sfn|Nelson|2019|p=106}} Desiderius's daughter is traditionally known as [[Desiderata of the Lombards|Desiderata]], although she may have been named Gerperga.{{sfn|Nelson|2007|p=31}}{{sfn|Costambeys|Innes|MacLean|2011|p=65}} Anxious about the prospect of a Frankish–Lombard alliance, Pope Stephen sent a letter to both Frankish kings decrying the marriage and separately sought closer ties with Carloman.{{sfn|Nelson|2019|pp=104–106}}

Charlemagne had already had a relationship with the Frankish noblewoman [[Himiltrude]], and they had a son in 769 named [[Pepin the Hunchback|Pepin]].{{sfn|Nelson|2019|p=91}} [[Paul the Deacon]] wrote in his 784 {{lang|la|Gesta Episcoporum Mettensium}} that Pepin was born "before legal marriage", but does not say whether Charles and Himiltrude ever married, were joined in a non-canonical marriage ({{lang|de|[[friedelehe]]}}), or married after Pepin was born.{{sfn|Goffart|1986}} Pope Stephen's letter described the relationship as a legitimate marriage, but he had a vested interest in preventing Charlemagne from marrying Desiderius's daughter.{{sfn|McKitterick|2008|p=84}}

Carloman died suddenly on 4 December 771, leaving Charlemagne sole king of the Franks.{{sfn|McKitterick|2008|p=87}} He moved immediately to secure his hold on his brother's territory, forcing Carloman's widow [[Gerberga, wife of Carloman I|Gerberga]] to flee to Desiderius's court in Lombardy with their children.{{sfn|Nelson|2019|pp=108–109}}{{sfn|Costambeys|Innes|MacLean|2011|p=66}} Charlemagne ended his marriage to Desiderius's daughter and married [[Hildegard (queen)|Hildegard]], daughter of count [[Gerold of Anglachgau|Gerold]], a powerful magnate in Carloman's kingdom.{{sfn|Costambeys|Innes|MacLean|2011|p=66}} This was a reaction to Desiderius's sheltering of Carloman's family{{sfn|Nelson|2019|pp=109–110}} and a move to secure Gerold's support.{{sfn|McKitterick|2008|p=89}}{{sfn|Nelson|2019|pp=110–111}}