Carloman (751 – December 4, 771) was a King of the Franks (768 - 771). He was the second son of Pepin the Short and Bertrada of Laon.
Along with his brother Charles, Carloman was anointed as king by Pope Stephen III in 754. After Pepin's death in 768 AD, Carloman and Charles divided the kingdom between them, with Carloman taking the eastern portion, Austrasia. There was considerable tension between the brothers, which may be the reason why, at Carloman's death, his wife Gerberga fled with her sons to the court of Desiderius, king of the Lombards. Because some sources state that Gerberga was Desiderius' daughter, it is difficult to judge the level of fraternal tension. Chronicles more sympathetic to Charles imply that he was bemused by Gerberga's action. Upon Carloman's death, his kingdom was absorbed into Charles', who then distributed portions to his own sons.
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Last updated: 06-02-2005 17:33:30
