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Charles Martel

Charles Martel, (Charles “the Hammer”), died on this day 1,271 years ago, at the age of 55. Born in the year 686 AD as the illegitimate son of duke Pepin II, Charles first came to prominence at the Battle of Amblève in 716, in which he used surprise to overcome a numerically superior army. In the following years he won further victories which unified the Frankish kingdoms and consolidated his power in Europe.

Strong Muslim forces from Morocco, Yemen and Syria were heading northwards into Europe, with the Umayyad conquest of Hispania occurring between 711 and 718 AD, and the Franks as their next target. Charles could see that a full-time professional army was necessary to resist this threat, and he seized church lands and property to pay his soldiers. In 732 a very large Muslim army sacked Bordeaux, and the scene was set for a battle at Tours, with the prize being Gaul and perhaps the whole of Western Europe.

Charles managed to secure the high ground at Tours before the invading forces arrived, and the Frankish infantry managed to withstand and fend off the uphill cavalry charges of the Umayyads. Charles sent out scouts to cause a diversion in the Umayyad camp, leading to some of the invaders breaking off the engagement, and soon turning into a full-scale retreat. A further invasion was successfully repulsed in 735, and much land was recaptured in the next few years.