Pepin the Hunchback

Pippin the Hunchback (* 770, † 811 in the monastery of Prüm in the Eifel ) was the first son of Charlemagne.

Life

Karl closed his first marriage with Himiltrud. The child from this union named Charles after his father Pippin the Younger. His nickname was Pippin the Hunchback due to a malformation of the back. Whether he already wore this disfigurement from birth, or whether he received such as scoliosis due to a disease that today can not be clearly established. Charles conjunction with Himiltrud was later regarded as not fully satisfying and Himiltrud called mistress. But Pope Hadrian called in a letter to Karl and his brother Carloman both Frankish kings as married.

Pippin was originally the fully legitimate heir to the throne. Karl's short second marriage remained childless, but from his third marriage to Hildegard he got more sons. Pippin lost the illegitimate descendant of his inheritance after the christening of his half-brother Carloman, who now received the name Pippin. He probably would have not tolerated on the throne because of his physical disability. This would not meet the king salvation.

In 792 Pippin took along with some Frankish nobles to overthrow attempt to return to power. The motives of the conspirators and the planned site of the attack can not be determined today. The plan also was not carried out because Pippin was betrayed by the Kaplan Fardulf. In a show trial, he was sentenced all confidants of the planned attack. While a majority of the nobles involved were executed, were banished Pippin in the Prüm Abbey, where he spent the rest of his life.