Three Frankish ‘mayors of the palace’ under Merovingian rule who gave rise to the Carolingian dynasty. Pepin I of Landen was mayor of Austrasia, and his son Pepin II of both Austrasia and Neustria, the two most important parts of the Merovingian kingdom. Pepin III, the Short, was the grandson of the latter and son of Charles Martel. He ousted the last Merovingian, Childeric III, in 751 and was crowned King of the Franks. A close ally of the papacy, he defended it from Lombard attacks and made the Donation of Pepin which was the basis for the Papal States. He added Aquitaine and Septimania to his kingdom, which passed, on his death in 768, to Charlemagne and Carloman.