View source for Battle of Cologne

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{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict          = Battle of Cologne
| width             = 
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| date              = 716
| place             = [[Cologne]]
| coordinates       = {{WikidataCoord|display=it}}
| map_type          = Germany North Rhine-Westphalia#Germany#Europe
| map_relief        = yes
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| territory         = 
| result            = Neustria-Frisian victory
| status            = 
| combatants_header = 
| combatant1        = [[Austrasia]]
| combatant2        = [[Neustria]]<br />[[Frisians]]
| combatant3        = 
| commander1        = [[Charles Martel]]
| commander2        = [[Chilperic II]]<br />[[Redbad, King of the Frisians]]
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}}
{{Battles of the Frankish Civil War of 715-718}}
{{Campaignbox Frisian–Frankish wars}}
{{Campaignbox Charles Martel}}

The '''Battle of Cologne''' was fought near the city of Köln (English: [[Cologne]]) (now part of [[Germany]]) in the year 716 AD. The battle is known chiefly as the first battle of [[Charles Martel]]'s command and is the only defeat of his life.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boudicca.de/friezen-nl1.htm |title=Geschiedenis van het volk der Friezen |publisher=Boudicca.de |accessdate=2009-01-22 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090608003800/http://www.boudicca.de/friezen-nl1.htm |archivedate=2009-06-08 }}</ref>
== History ==
In 716, the [[king of the Franks]], [[Chilperic II]], and [[Ragenfrid]], the [[mayor of the palace]] of [[Neustria]], invaded [[Austrasia]] to impose their will on the competing factions there: those of [[Theudoald]] and [[Plectrude]], grandson (and designated heir) and widow respectively of Martel's father [[Pepin of Heristal]], and those of Martel himself, newly escaped from Plectrude's Cologne prison and acclaimed mayor of the palace of Austrasia. Simultaneously [[Radbod, King of the Frisians|Radbod, King of Frisia]] invaded Austrasia and allied with the king and the Neustrians.

Outside of Cologne, held by Plectrude, an ill-prepared Charles Martel was defeated by Radbod, and forced to flee to the mountains of the [[Eifel]]. Cologne fell after a short [[siege]] to King Chilperic and the Neustrians. The Neustrians compelled Plectrude to acknowledge as king Chilperic, the son of Childeric II, having taken this Merovingian from the seclusion of the cloister, where he lived under the name of Daniel.<ref name=Kurth>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03629a.htm Kurth, Godefroid. "Charles Martel." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 3. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908. 20 Jul. 2014]</ref>

Once in the mountains of the Eifel, Charles began to rally his supporters, and in short order was ready to do battle. He fell on the army of Chilperic II, and at the [[Battle of Amblève]] near Amel as they returned triumphantly from Cologne, crushed their army. He remained undefeated thereafter for the next twenty-five years.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Literature==
*[[Charles Oman|Oman, Charles]]. (1914). ''The Dark Ages 476–918''. Rivingtons: London.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cologne 716}}
[[Category:Battles involving Francia]]
[[Category:Military history of Cologne]]
[[Category:710s conflicts]]
[[Category:716]]
[[Category:8th century in Francia]]
[[Category:Charles Martel]]