The origins of the Carolingian dynasty are interesting. Charlemagne, the greatest of the Carolingian kings, was descended from a line of Mayors of the Palace in the Merovingian court. These mayors were Merovingian nobles who were known as `pepinids.' They were landowners and had their own loyal retainers or private armies.
By a series of clever political moves, Pepin I took control of several of the kingdoms in the Frankish Empire and attempted to unify it. It was Pepin II's son, Charles Martel, who succeeded in reuniting and extending the Frankish kingdom between AD716 and AD740. This unification was the beginning of the formation of a country. Although it was far larger than modern France, Charles Martel's [M 008 / Frankish Kingdom] did encompass most of the country as it is known today.
