Council of Estinnes, 743

The argument that Charles Martel exploited church lands is not supported by eighth century sources. This was a period when many bishoprics and monasteries lost control of a considerable proportion of their estates. The Anglo-Saxon missionary Boniface had complained about the standards of the Frankish Church. A church that allowed warriors into its ranks such as Savarac [see document 2 above] was indeed in a difficult position, but this was likely more due to the general political and military turmoil of the period than to the specific policies of Charles Martel. It was largely after Charles that the practice became more common under his sons and grandsons who were known to be concerned to reform the morals of the Church. Charles was presumed to have been less concerned about the falling standards that Boniface had pointed out, and, as a result, he was blamed for the ongoing loss of clerical lands. It seems that since they voiced their concerns for the church, these later rulers were able to acquire the moral authority to use church lands as if they owned them to fund the protection of the Christian community. This was first asserted by Charles Martel’s son, Carloman, at the Council of Estinnes in 743, held at the urging of Boniface.