The Carolingians legacy would begin as the Germanic tribe of the Franks.  Clovis had conquered the seperate kingdom of the Franks and formed the Merovingian empire.  Clovis would establish an important tradition of the Franks in dividing his kingdom among his sons after his deatThis may have been one of the important factors in the decline of the Carolingians.  Charles Martel is considered to be the first ruler of the Carolingian empire.  The most important period for the empire would be the rule of Charlemagne.  He helped to strengthen the empire and inspire a Carolingian renaissance.  Following Charlemagne, his only surviving son Louis the Pious would become king.  The division of the empire among the following generations would weaken the power of the Carolingians.