Charlemagne was known for his good leadership and reforms, while Charles "The Hammer" Martel was mostly known for driving the Muslim invaders out of Europe.

Charlemagne:

Charlemagne wanted to unite all of the Germanic kingdoms under Frankish rule and Christianity. He was a skilled military commander, and won the support of the Pope, who gave him the title of Emperor of all Roman. At this time, the Holy Roman Empire was divided after a series of invasions. Charlemagne conquered these regions, and made many reforms to change the divided culture of his citizens.

Charlemagne encouraged arts, learning, and the study of science. He also gave assistance to poor Christians living in foreign areas. However, his reforms did not last, as there was a series of weak rulers after Charlemagne, and the empire fell apart.

Charles Martel:

Charles Martel was an illegitimate son of King Pippin. As a result, he had no claim to the crown. This made him determined to gain power. Through a series of battles, Charles was able to win the throne, and became king. Charles led a series of small military campaigns, but he is most famous for driving the Muslims out of Europe.

At this time, the Muslims had begun to expand: first into Spain, then into Frankish territory. However, the citizens of both areas were unprepared, and were virtually defenseless against the well-organized Muslim armies. Knowing this, Charles Martel began to train troops in preparation of the war. At the Battle of Tours, Charles's cavalry defeated the Muslims, and the Muslims retreated from the Frankish Empire.

The Battle of Tours was significant because it solidified Christianity as the dominant religion of Europe. Had the Muslims won, the majority of Europe would probably be Islamic today.

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