page_title: Carolingian dynasty
section_title: Branches
hierarchical_section_title: Carolingian dynasty / Branches
caption_attribution_description: English: Carlongian denier, Lothair I (840-855), struck in Dorestad after 850 AD. Obverse: short cross and legend around +IIOTIAIIVS IIPIEIA (retrograde S). Reverse: city name in three lines: DOR ES.TA TVS. Nederlands: Karolingische denier van Lotharius I (840-855), geslagen in Dorestad ná 850 n.Chr. Voorzijde: kort kruis en legende +IIOTIAIIVS IIPIEIA (omgekeerde S). Keerzijde: stadsnaam in drie regels: DOR ES.TA TVS.
context_page_description: The Carolingian dynasty was a Frankish noble family founded by Charles Martel with origins in the Arnulfing and Pippinid clans of the 7th century AD. The dynasty consolidated its power in the 8th century, eventually making the offices of mayor of the palace and dux et princeps Francorum hereditary, and becoming the de facto rulers of the Franks as the real powers behind the Merovingian throne. In 751 the Merovingian dynasty which had ruled the Germanic Franks was overthrown with the consent of the Papacy and the aristocracy, and Pepin the Short, son of Martel, was crowned King of the Franks. The Carolingian dynasty reached its peak in 800 with the crowning of Charlemagne as the first Emperor of Romans in the West in over three centuries. His death in 814 began an extended period of fragmentation of the Carolingian Empire and decline that would eventually lead to the evolution of the Kingdom of France and the Holy Roman Empire.
context_section_description: The Carolingian dynasty has five distinct branches:
  The Lombard branch, or Vermandois branch, or Herbertians, descended from Pepin of Italy, son of Charlemagne. Though he did not outlive his father, his son Bernard was allowed to retain Italy. Bernard rebelled against his uncle Louis the Pious, and lost both his kingdom and his life. Deprived of the royal title, the members of this branch settled in France, and became counts of Vermandois, Valois, Amiens and Troyes. The counts of Vermandois perpetuated the Carolingian line until the 12th century. The Counts of Chiny and the lords of Mellier, Neufchâteau and Falkenstein are branches of the Herbertians. With the descendants of the counts of Chiny, there would have been Herbertian Carolingians to the early 13th century.
  The Lotharingian branch, descended from Emperor Lothair, eldest son of Louis the Pious. At his death Middle Francia was divided equally between his three surviving sons, into Italy, Lotharingia and Lower Burgundy. The sons of Emperor Lothair did not have sons of their own, so Middle Francia was divided between the western and eastern branches of the family in 875.
  The Aquitainian branch, descended from Pepin of Aquitaine, son of Louis the Pious. Since he did not outlive his father, his sons were deprived of Aquitaine in favor of his younger brother Charles the Bald. Pepin's sons died childless. Extinct 864.
  The German branch, descended from Louis the German, King of East Francia, son of Louis the Pious. Since he had three sons, his lands were divided into Duchy of Bavaria, Duchy of Saxony and Duchy of Swabia. His youngest son Charles the Fat briefly reunited both East and West Francia – the entirety of the Carolingian empire – but it split again after his death, never to be reunited again. With the failure of the legitimate lines of the German branch, Arnulf of Carinthia, an illegitimate nephew of Charles the Fat, rose to the kingship of East Francia. At the death of Arnulf's son Louis the Child in 911, Carolingian rule ended in East Francia.
  The French branch, descended from Charles the Bald, King of West Francia, son of Louis the Pious. The French branch ruled in West Francia, but their rule was interrupted by Charles the Fat of the German branch, two Robertians, and a Bosonid. Carolingian rule ended with the death of Louis V of France in 987. Charles, Duke of Lower Lorraine, the Carolingian heir, was ousted out of the succession by Hugh Capet; his sons died childless. Extinct c. 1012.
  Charles Martel (c. 688 or 686, 680–741), Duke and Prince of the Franks and Mayor of the Palace, had six sons (3 illegitimate);
  1. Carloman (between 706 and 716–754) , Duke and Prince of the Franks and Mayor of the Palace in Austrasia, had one son;
  A. Drogo (b. before 741), Mayor of the Palace in Austrasia;
  2. Pepin (or Pippin) the Younger (known under the mistranslation Pepin the Short) (c. 714 – 768), King of the Franks (f. 754), had three sons;
  A. Charlemagne (Charles I the Great) (748–814), King of the Franks (f. 768), King of Italy (f. 774), Holy Roman Emperor (f. 800), had nine sons (4 illegitimate);
  I. Pepin (or Pippin) the Hunchback (770–811), illegitimate son, died without issue;
  II. Charles the Younger (772/73–811), King of the Franks (f. 800), died without issue;
  Herbertians or Lombard branch or Vermandois branch;
  III. Pepin I (or Pippin) born Carloman (777–810), King of Italy (f. 781), had one illegitimate son;
  a. Bernard I (797–818), King of Italy (f. 810), had one son;
  i. Pepin (815 – after 850) Count of Vermandois (after 834), Lord of Senlis, Péronne, and Saint Quentin, had three sons;
  1. Bernard II (in French) (c. 844 – after 893), Count of Laon had one son;
  2. Pepin III (846–893), Count of Senlis and Valois,  had one son;
  3. Herbert I (850-907), Count of Vermandois (f.896), Meaux, and Soissons, abbot of Saint Quentin, had one son;
  A. Herbert II  (884–943), Count of Vermandois, Meaux and Soissons, and abbot of St. Medard, and Soissons, had six sons;
  I. Otto (or Eudes) of Vermandois-Vexin (910–946), Count of Amiens,  died without issue;
  II. Herbert III 'the Old
caption: Carolingian denier of Lothair I, struck in Dorestad (Middle Francia) after 850
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