CHARLES MARTEL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10149, 20 December 1910, Page 4

CHARLES MARTEL.

The cable yesterday conveyed the information that the'coffin of Beatrice, daughter of Charles Martel, who defeated the Saracens in one of the decisive battles of the world, has been discovered in the Convent of St. Just, at Grenoble, France. It was after his father's death in A.D. 714 that Charles, <urnamed Martel ("the Hammer") was chosen duke by Austrasian *. ranks, and in 720 he became undisputed Mayor of the palace and real ruler of the Franks, the titular kings being mere puppets in his hands. He had much hard fighting with the Saxons and other stubborn Teutonic races, but.his great service to Christendom and to civilization was that he rolled buck the surging tide of Moslem conquest. The Saracens had already taken Bordeaux, and advanced to ihe 'Loire, when Charles met them between Tours and -'oitiers (732), and, after a desperate battle, in winch the leader fell, completely defeated them. This.was one of the most important .victories in the world's history and saved western civilization from hopeless retrogression and ruin. "But for it," says Gibbon, "perhaps the,interpretation of the Koran would now be taught in the schools of Oxford, and her pulpits might demonstrate to a circumcised people the sanctity and truth of the revelation of Mahomet."