The rulership of Pippin I of Aquitaine

This article uses the reign of Pippin I of Aquitaine (d. 838) as a case study for the historiographical concept of ‘sub‐rulership’ in Carolingian Francia. It unpicks how Pippin’s status varied over time, arguing that Pippin’s rulership represents well the tension between kingship as an office and as a dynastic status. Pippin was a king’s son, and therefore became a king, but once he had this title it provided a status linked to, but apart from, his familial ties. This article demonstrates how this relationship played out in practice, from Pippin’s accession to the throne to his own son’s succession.