His brother and he could not come to terms with Ebroin, the Neustrian mayor of the palace, who dreamed of unifying Gaul under his own control. At an engagement in 680 at Lucofao, near Rethel in the Ardennes, the Pippinids met with disaster. Pippin II reached safety, but his brother Martin took refuge at Laon and was treacherously executed on the orders of Ebroin.185