Editing Charles Martel (section)

== Consolidation of power ==
Upon this success, Charles proclaimed [[Chlothar IV]] king in [[Austrasia]] in opposition to Chilperic and deposed [[Rigobert]], [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Reims|archbishop of Reims]], replacing him with [[Milo (bishop of Trier)|Milo]], a lifelong supporter.

In 718, Chilperic responded to Charles's new ascendancy by making an alliance with [[Odo the Great]] (or Eudes, as he is sometimes known), the [[duke of Aquitaine]], who had become independent during the civil war in 715, but was again defeated, at the [[Battle of Soissons (718)|Battle of Soissons]], by Charles.<ref name="Strauss">Strauss, Gustave Louis M. (1854) ''Moslem and Frank; or, Charles Martel and the rescue of Europe,'' Oxford, GBR:Oxford University Press, see [https://books.google.com/books?id=Z4YBAAAAQAAJ], accessed 2 August 2015.{{page needed|date=August 2015}}</ref> Chilperic fled with his ducal ally to the land south of the [[Loire]] and Raganfrid fled to [[Angers]]. Soon Chlotar IV died and Odo surrendered King Chilperic in exchange for Charles recognizing his dukedom. Charles recognized Chilperic as king of the Franks in return for legitimate royal affirmation of his own mayoralty over all the kingdoms.

=== Wars of 718–732 ===
[[File:The Saracen Army outside Paris, 730-32 AD.png|thumb|250px|The Saracen Army outside Paris, 730–32, in an early-nineteenth-century depiction by [[Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld]].]]
Between 718 and 732, Charles secured his power through a series of victories. Having unified the Franks under his banner, Charles was determined to punish the Saxons who had invaded Austrasia. Therefore, late in 718, he laid waste their country to the banks of the [[Weser]], the [[Lippe (district)|Lippe]], and the [[Ruhr (river)|Ruhr]].<ref name=Kurth/> He defeated them in the [[Teutoburg Forest]] and thus secured the Frankish border.

When the Frisian leader [[Redbad, King of the Frisians|Radbod]] died in 719, Charles seized West Frisia without any great resistance on the part of the [[Frisians]], who had been subjected to the Franks but had rebelled upon the death of Pippin. When Chilperic II died in 721, Charles appointed as his successor the son of Dagobert III, [[Theuderic IV]], who was still a minor, and who occupied the throne from 721 to 737. Charles was now appointing the kings whom he supposedly served (''[[Roi fainéant|rois fainéants]]''). By the end of his reign, he didn't appoint any at all. At this time, Charles again marched against the Saxons. Then the Neustrians rebelled under Raganfrid, who had left the county of Anjou. They were easily defeated in 724 but Raganfrid gave up his sons as hostages in turn for keeping his county. This ended the civil wars of Charles's reign.

The next six years were devoted in their entirety to assuring Frankish authority over the neighboring political groups. Between 720 and 723, Charles was fighting in Bavaria, where the [[Agilolfings|Agilolfing]] dukes had gradually evolved into independent rulers, recently in alliance with [[Liutprand, King of the Lombards|Liutprand the Lombard]]. He forced the [[Alemanni]] to accompany him, and Duke [[Hugbert of Bavaria|Hugbert]] submitted to Frankish suzerainty. In 725 he brought back the Agilolfing Princess Swanachild as a second wife.

In 725 and 728, he again entered Bavaria but, in 730, he marched against [[Lantfrid]], Duke of Alemannia, who had also become independent, and killed him in battle. He forced the Alemanni to capitulate to Frankish suzerainty and did not appoint a successor to Lantfrid. Thus, southern Germany once more became part of the Frankish kingdom, as had northern Germany during the first years of the reign.