Which royal house ruled the Franks from the 8th to the 10th centuries?

• A. Merovingians
• B. Carolingians
• C. Capetians
• D. Ottonians

Answer: (B)

Carolingians. This dynasty rose when Pepin the Short overthrew the last Merovingian king in the mid-8th century, establishing a line that included Charlemagne, who expanded the Frankish realm into a vast empire and left a lasting impact on medieval Europe. The Carolingians stayed in power through much of the 9th century, and although Charlemagne’s empire was divided by the Treaty of Verdun in 843, West Francia still traced kings to the Carolingians into the late 9th century. Their hold weakened by the end of the 10th century as the Capetians began to rise, marking a shift in dynastic leadership. Merovingians ruled before them, Capetians after, and Ottonians were a separate German dynastic line rather than rulers of the Frankish kingdom in this period.