The rulership of Pippin I of Aquitaine

This article uses the reign of Pippin I of Aquitaine (d. 838) as a case study for the historiographical concept of ‘sub-rulership’ in Carolingian Francia. It unpicks how Pippin’s status varied over time, arguing that Pippin’s rulership represents well the tension between kingship as an office and as a dynastic status. Pippin was a king’s son, and therefore became a king, but once he had this title it provided a status linked to, but apart from, his familial ties. This article demonstrates how this relationship played out in practice, from Pippin’s accession to the throne to his own son’s succession.