Also known as Pippin or Pepin the Younger King of the Franks; son of Charles Martel and father of Charlemagne. Born 714; died September 24, 768. In 741 he succeeded, with his brother Carloman, as Frankish mayor of the palace, the real ruler under the puppet Merovingian kings. Two years later Childeric III was named king by Carloman, who subsequently became a monk. With the approval of Pope Zacharias, Pepin had Childeric removed, and himself elected king and crowned with sacred ceremonies, the first instance among the Franks (751). Later he was appointed protector of the Church's privileges and as such forced the Lombards to restore central Italy to the Holy See. With the aid of Saint Boniface he undertook the reform of the Frankish Church and by his life-work promoted the papal power and ecclesiastical unity.