Stephen II (III) (752-57)

Stephen II (III) was the King of the Franks from 752 to 757. He was the son of Pepin the Short and the father of Charlemagne. Stephen was born in 752 and was the first Carolingian king of the Franks. He was crowned king at the age of five, after his father's death.

Stephen was a strong and capable ruler. He was able to maintain the unity of the Frankish kingdom and expand its borders. He was also able to successfully defend the kingdom against external threats. He was a great military leader and was able to defeat the Lombards in 754 and the Saxons in 755. He also successfully defended the kingdom against the Avars in 756.

Stephen was a great patron of the arts and culture. He was a great supporter of the Church and was responsible for the construction of many churches and monasteries. He was also a great patron of learning and was responsible for the establishment of the Palatine School of Aachen. This school was the first of its kind in Europe and was responsible for the spread of knowledge and learning throughout the Frankish kingdom.

Stephen was also a great statesman. He was able to maintain good relations with the papacy and was able to secure the support of the pope for his military campaigns. He was also able to maintain good relations with the Lombards and was able to secure their support for his military campaigns.

Stephen was a great leader and was able to maintain the unity of the Frankish kingdom. He was able to successfully defend the kingdom against external threats and was able to expand its borders. He was a great patron of the arts and culture and was responsible for the construction of many churches and monasteries. He was also a great statesman and was able to maintain good relations with the papacy and the Lombards. Stephen II (III) was a great king and was able to lay the foundations for the future success of the Carolingian dynasty.