e
"FOUNDING OF THE CARLOVINGIAN DYNASTY," iv, 324.

752. Extinction of the exarchate of Ravenna by the Lombards under
Astolphus.

753. Pope Stephen II journeys to France.

754. Pepin the Short is crowned by Stephen II. See "FOUNDING OF THE
CARLOVINGIAN DYNASTY," iv, 324.

755. Pepin the Short defeats Astolphus, King of the Lombards, and
invests Pope Stephen II with Ravenna, and other places taken from the
Lombards. The Papal States founded.

St. Boniface is martyred in Germany.

756. Abderrahman founds the kingdom of the Ommiads at Cordova.

757. Emperor Constantine courts the favor of Pepin; among other presents
he sends him the first organ known in France.

759. Pepin conquers Narbonne and expels the last Saracens from France.

762.[84] Founding of Bagdad, the capital of the eastern caliphs.

767. Death of Pope Paul I; usurpation of Constantine, antipope.

768. Pepin dies and is succeeded by his sons Charles (Charlemagne) and
Carloman. See "CAREER OF CHARLEMAGNE," iv, 334.

769. Council of Rome annuls all acts of the deposed pope Constantine;
he, although blinded by the populace, is led into the assembly,
insulted, and beaten. Laymen are declared incapable of being made
bishops.

771. Death of Carloman; Charlemagne becomes sole king of the Franks. See
"CAREER OF CHARLEMAGNE," iv, 334.

772. Charlemagne begins his long war against the Saxons.

774. Charlemagne visits Rome; he captures Pavia after a siege of eight
months; and also puts an end to the kingdom of Lombardy. The papal
temporalities are increased by Charlemagne. Forgery of the "Donation of
Constantine" used as a plea to urge Charlemagne still more to aggrandize
the see of Rome.

778. Spain is invaded by Charlemagne; on his return to repel the Saxons
his rear-guard is surprised; there ensues the "Dolorous Rout" of
Roncesvalles. See "CAREER OF CHARLEMAGNE," iv, 334.

780. The government of the Eastern Empire is assumed by Irene in the
name of her son, Constantine VI.

781. Charlemagne visits Rome; his two sons are crowned by the Pope--one
king of Italy, the other of Aquitaine.

785. Irene proposes a general council to establish the worship of
images.

Fierce struggle of the Saxons against Charlemagne; Wittikind and Alboin
submit and profess Christianity.

786. On the death of Al Hadi, the famous Harun-al-Rashid succeeds to the
eastern caliphate.

787. Second Council of Nice--the seventh general council of the Church;
it decrees the