Battle of Cologne
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Cologne was fought near the city of Köln (English: Cologne
) (now part of Germany
) in the year 716
. The battle is known chiefly as the first battle of Charles Martel
's command and is the only defeat of his life.
In 716, the king of the Franks, Chilperic II
, and Ragenfrid
, the mayor of the palace
of Neustria
, invaded Austrasia
to impose their will on the competing factions there: those of Theudoald
and Plectrude
, grandson (and designated heir) and widow respectively of Martel's father Pepin of Heristal, and those of Martel himself, newly escaped from Plectrude's Cologne prison and acclaimed mayor of the palace of Austrasia. Simultaneously Radbod, King of Frisia
invaded Austrasia and allied with the king and the Neustrians.
Outside of Cologne, the ultimate target of the invasive army, held still by Plectrude, an ill-prepared Charles Martel, who'd had little time to gather many men, was defeated and forced to flee to the mountains of the Eifel
. Martel had only recently been freed from imprisonment by Plectrude after his father's death, and most of his followers had not gathered. Faced with overwhelming numbers, lack of his own men, and no time to prepare, Charles chose to do the only thing he could: flee until he could gather his supporters and prepare. In short, Charles declined to give battle when he could not possibly win. Cologne then fell after a short siege to the king and the Neustrians.
But once in the mountains of the Eifel, Charles began to rally his supporters, and in short order was ready to do battle. He fell on the army of Chilperic II, and at the Battle of Amblève
near Ameland Ragenfrid as they returned triumphantly from Cologne, and crushed their army. He used a feigned retreat, among other tactics for which he would become famous, primarily, attacking his foes when they least expected it, usually outnumbered, and depending on his generalship—in this case falling on his foes as they rested at midday, feigning retreat to draw them out of their defensive position, and crushing them in the open. He remained undefeated thereafter for twenty-five years, against a wide variety of foes, foreign and domestic, including his legendary defeat of the Muslim invasion of Europe at the Battle of Tours
.
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
) (now part of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
) in the year 716
716
Year 716 was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 716 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* Inal Khan succeeds Kapagan Khan and Bilge...
. The battle is known chiefly as the first battle of Charles Martel
Charles Martel
Charles Martel , also known as Charles the Hammer, was a Frankish military and political leader, who served as Mayor of the Palace under the Merovingian kings and ruled de facto during an interregnum at the end of his life, using the title Duke and Prince of the Franks. In 739 he was offered the...
's command and is the only defeat of his life.
In 716, the king of the Franks, Chilperic II
Chilperic II
Chilperic II , born Daniel, the youngest son of Childeric II, was king of Neustria from 715 and sole king of the Franks from 718 until his death. He was the last Merovingian dynast to exercise any authority on his own....
, and Ragenfrid
Ragenfrid
Ragenfrid was the mayor of the palace of Neustria and Burgundy from 715, when he filled the vacuum in Neustria caused by the death of Pepin of Heristal, until 718, when Charles Martel finally established himself over the whole Frankish kingdom.His original centre of power was the Véxin...
, the mayor of the palace
Mayor of the Palace
Mayor of the Palace was an early medieval title and office, also called majordomo, from the Latin title maior domus , used most notably in the Frankish kingdoms in the 7th and 8th centuries....
of Neustria
Neustria
The territory of Neustria or Neustrasia, meaning "new [western] land", originated in 511, made up of the regions from Aquitaine to the English Channel, approximating most of the north of present-day France, with Paris and Soissons as its main cities...
, invaded Austrasia
Austrasia
Austrasia formed the northeastern portion of the Kingdom of the Merovingian Franks, comprising parts of the territory of present-day eastern France, western Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Metz served as its capital, although some Austrasian kings ruled from Rheims, Trier, and...
to impose their will on the competing factions there: those of Theudoald
Theudoald
Theudoald was the mayor of the palace, briefly unopposed in 714 until Ragenfrid was acclaimed in Neustria and Charles Martel in Austrasia by the nobles, after the death of his grandfather, Pepin of Heristal. He was the illegitimate son of Grimoald II and Theudesinda of Frisia and thus a grandson...
and Plectrude
Plectrude
Plectrude was the wife of Pepin of Herstal, the mayor of the palace and duke of the Franks, from about 670. She was the daughter of Hugobert, seneschal of Clovis IV, and Irmina d'Oeren....
, grandson (and designated heir) and widow respectively of Martel's father Pepin of Heristal, and those of Martel himself, newly escaped from Plectrude's Cologne prison and acclaimed mayor of the palace of Austrasia. Simultaneously Radbod, King of Frisia
Radbod, King of the Frisians
Radbod was the king of Frisia from c. 680 until his death. He is often considered the last independent ruler of Frisia before Frankish domination. He defeated Charles Martel at Cologne. Eventually, however, Charles prevailed and compelled the Frisians to submit...
invaded Austrasia and allied with the king and the Neustrians.
Outside of Cologne, the ultimate target of the invasive army, held still by Plectrude, an ill-prepared Charles Martel, who'd had little time to gather many men, was defeated and forced to flee to the mountains of the Eifel
Eifel
The Eifel is a low mountain range in western Germany and eastern Belgium. It occupies parts of southwestern North Rhine-Westphalia, northwestern Rhineland-Palatinate and the south of the German-speaking Community of Belgium....
. Martel had only recently been freed from imprisonment by Plectrude after his father's death, and most of his followers had not gathered. Faced with overwhelming numbers, lack of his own men, and no time to prepare, Charles chose to do the only thing he could: flee until he could gather his supporters and prepare. In short, Charles declined to give battle when he could not possibly win. Cologne then fell after a short siege to the king and the Neustrians.
But once in the mountains of the Eifel, Charles began to rally his supporters, and in short order was ready to do battle. He fell on the army of Chilperic II, and at the Battle of Amblève
Battle of Amblève
The Battle of Amblève took place in 716 near Amel. The mayor of the palace of Austrasia, Charles Martel, defeated his Neustrian and Frisian rivals who were led by King Chilperic II, his mayor Ragenfrid, and Radbod, Duke of the Frisians. It was the first major victory of Martel in a long career of...
near Ameland Ragenfrid as they returned triumphantly from Cologne, and crushed their army. He used a feigned retreat, among other tactics for which he would become famous, primarily, attacking his foes when they least expected it, usually outnumbered, and depending on his generalship—in this case falling on his foes as they rested at midday, feigning retreat to draw them out of their defensive position, and crushing them in the open. He remained undefeated thereafter for twenty-five years, against a wide variety of foes, foreign and domestic, including his legendary defeat of the Muslim invasion of Europe at the Battle of Tours
Battle of Tours
The Battle of Tours , also called the Battle of Poitiers and in Battle of the Court of the Martyrs, was fought in an area between the cities of Poitiers and Tours, located in north-central France, near the village of Moussais-la-Bataille, about northeast of Poitiers...
.