CARLOMAN

carloman, the name of three frankish princes. carloman (d. 754), mayor of the palace under the merovingian kings, was a son of charles martel, and, together with his brother, pippin the short, became mayor on his father's death in 741, administering the eastern part of the frankish kingdom. he was successful in extending the power of the franks in various wars with his troublesome neighbours, and was not less zealous in seeking to strengthen and reform the church in the lands under his rule. in 747 carloman laid down his office and retired to a monastery which he founded on monte soracte, but troubled by the number of his visitors, he subsequently entered a monastery on monte casino. he died at vienne on the 17th of august 754. carloman (751-771), king of the franks, was a son of king pippin the short, and consequently a brother of charlemagne. the brothers became joint kings of the franks on pippin's death in 768, and some trouble which broke out between them over the conduct of the war in aquitaine was followed by carloman's death at samoussy on the 4th of december 771. he married gerberga, a daughter of desiderius, king of the lombards, who, together with her children, vanished from history soon after her husband's death. carloman (d. 884), king of france, was the eldest son of king louis ii., the stammerer, and became king, together with his brother louis iii., on his father's death in 879. although some doubts were cast upon their legitimacy, the brothers obtained recognition and in 880 made a division of the kingdom, carloman receiving burgundy and the southern part of france. in 882 he became sole king owing to his brother's death, but the kingdom was in a very deplorable condition, and his power was very circumscribed. carloman met his death while hunting on the 12th of december 884. see e. lavisse, _histoire de france_, tome ii. (paris, 1903). carlos i. (1863-1908), king of portugal, the third sovereign of portugal of the line of braganza-coburg, son of king louis i. and maria pia, daughter of king victor emmanuel of italy, was born on the 28th of september 1863. when about twenty years of age he spent a considerable time in travelling, visiting england in 1883. on the 22nd of may 1886 he married marie amelie, daughter of philippe, duc d'orleans, comte de paris, and on the death of his father (19th of october 1889) he succeeded to the throne of portugal. in that year the british government found it necessary to make formal remonstrances against portuguese encroachments in south africa, and relations between the two countries were greatly strained for some time. the king's attitude during this critical period was one of conciliation, and his temperate, though firm, speech on opening the cortes in january 1890 did much to strengthen the party of peace. in 1900-1901 also his friendly attitude towards great britain was shown by cordial toasts at a banquet to the officers of the british fleet at lisbon. king carlos distinguished himself as a patron of science and literature, and was himself an artist of some repute. in march 1894 he took a very active part in the celebration of the 500th anniversary of the birth of prince henry the navigator, and a year later he decorated the portuguese poet, joao de deus, with much honour at lisbon. he took a great personal interest in deep-sea soundings and marine exploration, and published an account of some of his own investigations, the results themselves being shown at an oceanographic exhibition opened by him on the 12th of april 1897. in may 1907 the king suspended the constitution of portugal and temporarily appointed senhor franco as dictator with a view to carrying out certain necessary reforms. some discontent was aroused by this proceeding; this was increased by franco's drastic measures, and on the 1st of february 1908 king carlos and his elder son, louis, duke of braganza (1887-1908), were assassinated whilst driving through the streets of lisbon. the king was succeeded by his only surviving son, manuel, duke of beja (b. 1889), who took the title of manuel ii. see _s.m. el rei d. carlos i. e sua obra artistica, e scientifica_ (lisbon, 1908).