Charles Martel (688?-741) ruled northern Gaul from 719 to 741. Gaul was a region in Europe that included what are now France, Germany west of the Rhine River, and Belgium. Charles was not a king but ruled as “mayor of the palace” in the name of several weak kings from the Merovingian (family of rulers). From 714 to 719, Charles fought to establish his rule in northern Gaul. Later, he brought Burgundy, the southeastern part of present-day France, under his control. He also conquered Frisia in what is now the Netherlands. He helped convert Germany to Christianity by sponsoring the missionary work of Saint Boniface. In 732, Charles defeated an invading Muslim army at the Battle of Poitiers, also called the Battle of Tours. The fighting began near Tours, France, and ended near Poitiers. Charles was later called Martel, meaning the Hammer, because of his victory over the Muslims. He died on Oct. 22, 741.
Charles’s son Pepin the Short was the first king in the Carolingian dynasty. Charles’s grandson Charlemagne conquered a vast empire.
