First King of the Carolingian Dynasty
, the son of Charles Martel
and father of Charlemagne
Pepin inherited the title of Mayor of the Palace to the Merovingian Kings upon his father's death in 741. Over the next ten years he grew impatient with maintaining a play of subservience to the titular king, even though by this time the Palace Mayors held all the actual power. In 751, he put his plan into action, and with the support of the Pope deposed Childeric III, last of the Merovingian kings, and claimed the throne for himself. He was then officially anointed King by the Pope in 754.
Later in his reign, he attacked and defeated the Lombards in northern Italy. In gratitude for his support, he gave the captured territory around the city of Ravenna to the Pope, laying the foundation of the future Papal States.
Pepin died in 768, and the throne passed to his son, who became the Emperor Charlemagne in 800.