Pepin the Hunchback's Treatment

Charlemagne's first son was named Pepin. Shortly after his birth he developed a spinal deformity that has caused historians to refer to him as "Pepin the Hunchback."His mother was the concubine Himiltrude, a "noble girl" according to Paulus Diaconus (Paul the Deacon). At one point Charlemagne dismissed Himiltrude from his court, but Pepin remained as a royal prince. She was dismissed because Charlemagne was marrying Desiderata, in order to establish an alliance with the King of the Lombards, Desiderius.Pepin, despite his deformity, was important because he was Charlemagne's eldest son and obvious heir. "Pepin" was also the name of Charlemagne's father, and it was a Carolingian custom to re-use names of ancestors, but to honor them and to inspire the new generation to emulate them. (Charlemagne's brother and rival, carloman, had already had a son named Pepin.)There is. no record of discord between Desiderate and her step-son, but then, the marriage lasted only about a year, after which…