​Written by  Fr. Dennis O'Neill

Direct descendant of King David of Israel 

Charles Martel (689-741) was the ruler of France and the founding father of the Carolingian dynasty, who were kings of France for centuries. He is well known as the hero of the “Song of Roland”, which tells of his exploits in trying to prevent the spread of Islam from Spain into France. A particularly challenging city for him to take back from the Muslims was Narbonne. Since direct assault didn’t work, Martel tried to negotiate secretly with members of the city’s large Jewish community. He promised them a lot of money if they would open the gates to his army. They flatly refused, presuming that he would eventually take the money back and either expel or kill them. But they made a counter-offer. If he would swear to let a Jew rule the same territory independently, they would co-operate. He agreed to this, on the condition that a descendant of King David would be the ruler, who was also willing to marry his daughter, thus injecting royal blood into his lineage.

For centuries, in Babylon, the Jewish community in exile from the Holy Land was governed by exilarchs – linear descendants of King David of Israel. Thus exilarch Makhir ben Habibai (born in 725) emigrated to France and married Martel’s daughter Aude (Aldana). He Christianized his name and became Thierry IV, Count of Autun and Toulouse. He and Aude were the uncle and aunt of Emperor Charlemagne. And Thierry became the first Jewish ruler of the independent kingdom of Septimania. It is thus named because, during the reign of Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus, veterans of the Roman Seventh Legion (Septimanii) settled in the land just north of the Pyrenees Mountains, in the area of present-day Provence. The Jewish Kingdom of Septimania not only came into being but flourished under a series of powerful kings from the years 768 to 908.

The son of Thierry IV was Isaac Kalonymous, who became known in history as William, the 2nd Count of Toulouse, also eventually made Duke of Aquitaine, for being one of the greatest generals in the army of his nephew Emperor Charlemagne. His son, Bernard of Septimania, became the next count of Toulouse and King of Septimania. Later in his life, William decided to retire and found a monastic community at Gellone, which he himself joined. He led a very saintly life and was incredibly generous to the poor. He was canonized by Pope Alexander II in 1066 as St. William of Gellone, Duke of Aquitaine. His feast is May 28th. We are privileged to have recently acquired one of his relics for our shrine.  

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