October 22, 2004
Heroes of the Great War, II
Charles Martel. (b. August 23, 686; d. October 22, 741). Also, Charles Martel d'Anjou, and the entry in the Catholic Encyclopedia (again, a bit too much hero worship, but good detail).
Charles was never king, as he was the illegitimate son of Pepin II by a concubine, and the succession passed to Pepin's infant grandson. However, he was Mayor of the Palace, and ruled in fact if not in name. His chief contribution to the Great War was defeating the Moorish armies at the Battle of Tours (AD732). It is not clear exactly how many men were involved on each side, but it is known that the Franks were outnumbered 4:1. The Saracen cavalry was heavily armored, and the Battle of Tours (more properly the Battle of Poitiers), is one of the few instances in medieval history in which infantry stood their ground against a coordinated cavalry charge, not only once, but numerous times.
Despite his revered state as the savior of Christendom from the Islamic hordes - a feat he did accomplish - Charles probably did not view himself this way. He spent the majority of his reign consolidating Frankish lands under his rule, a task which would be completed by his grandson Charlemagne. The Saxons and Frieslanders were of particular difficulty. Aquitaine and Provance, in the south of modern France, were rather fractious, and Charles not only put down several revolts but defeated Islamic armies yet again. His life was spent, not chiefly in defense of Christendom, but in defense of the Frankish kingdom. This happened to coincide rather well with routing the Moors, but only because they had invaded. To Charles, it seems that they were just another obstacle to a unified France. An exceptionally large, well-coordinated and well-armed obstacle that had destroyed several Frankish cities (including Autun), but not more than that.
If Charles had not done what he did, Europe would have suffered greatly, not only because the Muslim hordes would have conquered the entire continent, but Charles played an instrumental role in the unification of France under a single rule. Charlemagne - one of the most revered kings in the Middle Ages - could not have established his kingdom if Charles Martel had not laid the foundation.
Today, the French are trying as hard as they possibly can to betray the legacy of Charles Martel by their craven appeasment tactics. The world at large and France in particular needs another Martel. He was not a Crusader, but he valued the lands and culture of the West to the point that he was willing to fight for them. Winning the Battle of Tours was a means to the end of a healthier France. This would be more than sufficient for today's needs.
