Pepin the Short
Pepin the Short, or Pepin III (714?–768), king of the Franks, 751–68. Pepin and his brother Carloman became the most powerful lords of the Frankish kingdom after the death of their father, Charles Martel, in 741. In 751 Pepin deposed Childeric III and became king of the Franks. By doing so, he ended the Merovingian dynasty, which had held the kingship since 481, and started the Carolingian dynasty.
Pepin reformed and reorganized the Frankish church and was given the title Patrician of the Romans by Pope Stephen II. At Stephen's request Pepin fought in Italy against the Lombards. In 756 he donated conquered lands to the pope; the donated land formed the basis for the Papal States. Pepin was succeeded as king by his two sons, Carloman and Charlemagne.