The Papacy Turns to the Franks: The…

The Papacy Turns to the Franks: The Beginnings of the Papal States (753–754)

By the mid-8th century, relations between the papacy and the Eastern Roman Empire are deeply strained, largely due to the Isaurian emperors' support for iconoclasm, which the popes strongly oppose. At the same time, the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire is preoccupied with external threats, including the Abbasid Caliphate in the south and the Bulgars to the northwest. With its own survival at stake, Constantinople is unable to provide military assistance to Rome, leaving the papacy vulnerable to Lombard expansion.

The Lombard Threat and the Pope’s Appeal to the Franks

In 751, the Lombards under King Aistulf seize Ravenna, extinguishing the Exarchate of Ravenna, the last major Byzantine stronghold in northern Italy. With the fall of the exarchate, the Lombards turn their attention to Rome itself, threatening to overrun what remains of imperial authority in Italy.

After the death of Pope Zachary, the newly elected Pope Stephen II (753) recognizes that Constantinople will not intervene and makes a bold move: he becomes the first pope to cross the Alps, traveling north to seek the aid of Pepin the Short.

The Meeting at Quierzy and the Frankish-Papal Alliance

Stephen arrives at Quierzy, where Pepin’s court is located, and personally pleads for Frankish intervention against the Lombards. At first, the Frankish nobles hesitate, reluctant to engage in Italian affairs. However, after considerable persuasion, they finally consent to a military campaign in Lombardy.

In return, Pepin issues a written promise—sometimes referred to as the Donation of Pepin—pledging to convey certain territories to the papacy once they are reclaimed from the Lombards. No original document has survived, but later 8th-century sources reference this agreement, which lays the groundwork for the formation of the Papal States.

The Shift of Power: From Byzantium to the Franks

This agreement marks a critical turning point in European history:

• The papacy permanently shifts its allegiance from the Eastern Roman Empire to the Carolingian Franks, leading to the eventual separation of Western Christendom from Byzantine influence.
• Pepin’s military commitment to the pope establishes the precedent for the Frankish rulers as protectors of Rome, a role that will be further solidified under Charlemagne.
• The Donation of Pepin leads to the creation of the Papal States, giving the popes direct temporal control over central Italy, a status that will endure for over a thousand years.

With this alliance, Pepin the Short cements his position as the rightful ruler of Francia, while the papacy secures a powerful secular protector, ensuring the survival of Rome against the Lombard threat.