Final answer:
The Frankish kings gave the Pope the lands surrounding Rome which came to be known as the Papal States. This happened after the Donation of Pepin, who granted these lands to the Pope after becoming the first Carolingian king of the Franks.correct option is (D).
Step-by-step explanation:
The Frankish kings who defeated the Lombards indeed gave the pope the lands surrounding Rome. This territory came to be known as the Papal States. This was after the reign of Pepin the Short, the first Carolingian king of the Franks, who deposed his Merovingian rival with the backing of the pope.
In exchange for this support, Pepin confirmed a grant of lands in Italy to the pope, a region which would later evolve into the Papal States. This event known as the Donation of Pepin not only established the Papal States, but also transformed the papacy from merely a religious body to a territorial power.
Learn more about The Papal States