The Dark Ages by Asimov Isaac 1920-

Author:Asimov, Isaac, 1920-
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Middle Ages
Publisher: Boston, Houghton Mifflin
Published: 1968-01-14T16:00:00+00:00

the bait, but he was fifty now and he was war-worn. So he hesitated and debated with himself while ambassadors continued to trudge back and forth between the Pope and the mayor. And while the hesitation continued, the old cast of characters was swept off the board. Emperor Leo III died in 740 and both Charles Martel and Gregory III died in 741.

The new cast kept up the game, however. Leo's successor was his son Constantine V, a forceful man who was even more committed to iconoclasm than his father had been. And the new Pope, Zacharias, remained as utterly opposed to iconoclasm as his predecessor.

In fact, Zacharias' election saw a significant step taken in the development of the Papacy. Since the Emperor was excommunicated, Zacharias saw no necessity, or even fitness, in seeking the usual imperial approval of the election. He took the tiara of the Papacy without referring to Ravenna, an innovation that was to remain permanently.

Liutprand died not long after, in 744, but the Lombard menace remained. The papal dilemma was not yet resolved. But a new Prankish mayor of the palace was now on the scene who would resolve it — at a price.

pepin's price

Charles Martel had two sons among whom he divided the Prankish kingdom, acting, in this fashion, as though he were its monarch. And, to be sure, there was no other monarch, for no Merovingian was on the throne, nor had there been one for four years.

The older son, Carloman, ruled as mayor of the palace over Austrasia, while the younger son, Pepin, held the same office over Neustria. To distinguish this Pepin from the earlier ones.

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