Carloman ( - )

1. Carloman has few details recorded about him.

 

Pepin's father is named Carloman by the Chronicle of Fredegar, the chief source for his life.

 

Carloman had the following children:

 

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Pepin I of Landen (c. 580-640)

Second Generation

2. Pepin I of Landen The Elder, son of Carloman, was born circa 0580. He died on 27 February 0640. He married Itta, Abbess of Nivelles (Brabant).

 

Pepin (also Peppin, Pipin, or Pippin) of Landen (c. 580 – 27 February 640), also called the Elder or the Old, was the Mayor of the Palace of Austrasia under the Merovingian king Dagobert I from 623 to 629. He was also the mayor for Sigebert III from 639 until his own death.

Pepin's father is named Carloman by the Chronicle of Fredegar, the chief source for his life. His byname comes from his probable birthplace: Landen, modern Belgium. He is sometimes called Pepin I and his other nicknames (Elder and Old) come from his position at the head of the family called the Pippinids after him. Through the marriage of his daughter Begga to Ansegisel, a son of Arnulf of Metz, the clans of the Pippinids and the Arnulfings were united, giving rise to a family which would eventually rule the Franks as the Carolingians.

In 613, several leading magnates of Austrasia and Burgundy abandoned Brunhilda, the great-grandmother and regent of their king, Sigebert II, and turned to Chlothar II of Neustria for support, promising not to rise in defence of the queen-regent and recognising Chlothar as rightful regent and guardian of the young king. Chief among these leading men were Warnachar II, Rado, Arnulf, and Pepin. The latter two were described by Fredegar as the "two most powerful barons of Austrasia" and they made some agreement with Chlothar at Andernach. However, while Rado was confirmed as mayor in Austrasia and Warnachar in Burgundy, Pepin did not receive his reward until 623, when he was appointed mayor in Austrasia after Chlothar made his young son Dagobert king there. Arnulf, his lifelong friend, was appointed adviser to the new king alonside him.

Pepin was praised by his contemporaries for his good government and wise counsel. Though some enemies tried to turn the king against him, their plots were foiled and Pepin remained on good terms with the king until 629, when, for reasons unknown, he retired (or was retired) to his estates, where he remained for the next decade, until Dagobert's death.

On his death, Pepin came out of retirement to take on the mayoralty in Austrasia for the heir Sigebert III and to oversee the distribution of the treasury between Sigebert and his brother, Clovis II, and his step-mother Nanthild, who was ruling on Clovis' behalf in Neustria and Burgundy. Sigebert's share of the inheritance was amicably surrendered, parly because of the friendship between Pepin and the Burgundian mayor of the palace, Aega. Pepin and Arnulf's successor as chief counsellor to the king, Cunibert, Bishop of Cologne, received the treasure at Compiègne and brought it back to Metz. Not long after, both Pepin and Aega died. He was so popular in Austrasia that, though he was never canonised, he was listed as a saint in some martyrologies. His feast day was 21 February.

 

Itta, Abbess of Nivelles (Brabant) and Pepin I of Landen had the following children:

 

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Abbess Begga of Andenne ( - )

Third Generation

3. Abbess Begga of Andenne, daughter of Pepin I of Landen The Elder and Saint Itta, Abbess of Nivelles (Brabant), married Ansegis(el).

 

Ansegis(el), son of St. Arnulf, Bishop of METZ (582-640) and Doda (586-612), was born circa 0602. He died before 0679. He and Abbess Begga of Andenne had the following children:

 

4

Pepin II, Duke of Austrasie (c. 635-714). Pepin was born circa 0635. He died on 16 December 0714.