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Why did Pippin III divide the Frankish kingdom between Charlemagne and Carloman?

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Painting by Albrecht Durer of Charlemagne in ornate coronation robes and crown, holding a sword and orb, with gold embroidery and regal symbols behind him. — Charlemagne Charlemagne, oil on limewood by Albrecht Dürer, 1512; in the collection of the German National Museum, Nürnberg, Germany.

When Pippin III died in 768, he divided the Frankish kingdom between his sons, Charlemagne and Carloman, in accordance with traditional Frankish custom. This practice of partitioning the realm among heirs was a long-standing custom of the Franks.12

Following this division, a rivalry between the two brothers quickly emerged, which threatened the unity of the kingdom. This tension persisted until Carloman’s death in 771, at which point Charlemagne took control of the entire Frankish realm, disregarding the rights of Carloman’s heirs.1