Bertrada of Laon (720-783)

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Mother of Charlemagne

Biography

Bertrada the Younger, Broadfoot of Laon was born 720 in Laon, Aisne, France to Caribert of Laon (bef705-bef762) and Bertrada of Cologne (690-aft721) and died 12 July 783 Choisy-au-Bac, Oise, France of unspecified causes. She married Pepin the Short (714-768) 745 ^JL .

Bertrada of Laon, also known as Bertrada the Younger or Bertha Broadfoot (Latin: Regina pede aucae i.e. the queen with the goose-foot), was a Frankish queen. She was the wife of Pepin the Short and the mother of Charlemagne, Carloman and Gisela, plus five other children.

She was the wife of Pepin the Short, who was the father of Charlemagne, and was a powerful figure in the Frankish kingdom during her lifetime. Bertrada was known for her intelligence, political acumen, and her influence over her sons, including Charlemagne.^[1]

Early life and ancestry

Bertrada was born sometime between 710 and 727 in Laon, in today's Aisne, France, to Count Caribert of Laon (bef705-bef762).^[2] Charibert's father might have been related to Hugobertides.^[3]^[4] Charibert's mother was Bertrada of Prüm, who founded Prüm Abbey along with Charibert.

Queen of the Franks

In 751, Pepin and Bertrada became King and Queen of the Franks, following Pepin's successful coup against the Frankish Merovingian monarchs.^[5] Pepin was crowned in June 754, and Bertrada, Charlemagne, and Carloman were blessed by Pope Stephen II.^[6]^[7]

Later life and death

Bertrada retired from the court after Carloman's death in 771 to live in Choisy-au-Bac, where Charlemagne had set aside a royal house for her. Choisy-au-Bac was favorable because of its history of being the home and burial place of several Merovingian kings.^[8]

Bertrada died on 12 July 783 in Choisy-au-Bac.^[8] Charlemagne buried her in the Basilica of St Denis near Pepin.^[9]

Contemporary Resources:

there are several contemporary and near-contemporary sources that mention Bertrada of Laon.

Einhard: Vita Karoki Magni

One of the most important sources of inf about Bertrada is Einhard's "Vita Karoli Magni" (The Life of Charlemagne), which was written in the early 9th century, during Charlemagne's lifetime. Einhard was a close friend and advisor to Charlemagne, and his biography is considered one of the most important sources for Charlemagne's life and reign.

In "Vita Karoli Magni," Einhard describes Bertrada as a woman of great beauty and intelligence who played an important role in the Frankish court. He notes that she was highly respected by her husband Pepin the Short and her son Charlemagne, and that she was actively involved in the political and military affairs of the kingdom. Einhard also mentions that Bertrada accompanied Charlemagne on many of his military campaigns, and that she played an important role in negotiating alliances with other kingdoms.

Annales Laurissenses

Another contemporary source that mentions Bertrada is the "Annales Laurissenses," a set of annals that were compiled in the early 9th century. The annals mention Bertrada's role in several important events, including the marriage of her daughter Gisela to Duke Eberhard of Friuli and the negotiations between Charlemagne and the Lombard king Desiderius.

Other Sources

Other sources that mention Bertrada include:

"Life of St. Leoba," a biography of a contemporary of Bertrada who was a nun and missionary,
"Liber Pontificalis," a collection of biographies of the popes that includes a reference to Bertrada's visit to Rome in the late 8th century.

Family

Bertrada married Pepin the Short, the son of Charles Martel, the Frankish "Mayor of the Palace", in 741. However, Pepin and Bertrada were too closely related for their marriage to be legal at that time; the union was not canonically sanctioned until 749, after the birth of Charlemagne.^[10]

According to French historian Léon Levillain, Bertrada was Pepin's first and only wife.^[11]^[12]^[13] Other sources suggest that Pepin had previously married a "Leutberga" or "Leutbergie", with whom Pepin would have had five children.^[14]

Bertrada and Pepin are known to have had eight children: at least three sons and at least four daughters.

Charlemagne (747-814) - AKA: Charles the Great, European Emperor
Carloman (751-771) - Co-king of the Franks with his older brother until his death in 771.
Gisela (757-810) - became a nun at Chelles Abbey.^[15]
Pepin (759-761) - died young
Chrothais (746-)
Adelais (c749-)
Berthe of the Franks
Rothaide

Children

Offspring of Pepin the Short (714-768) and Bertrada de Laon
Name	Birth	Death	Joined with
Charlemagne (747-814)	2 April 747 Herstal, Belgium	28 January 814 Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany	Himiltrude (c742-c780) Desiderata of the Lombards (c744-) Hildegard (758-783) Gersuinda (750-aft800) Madelgarde de Lommois (c760-) Fastrada of Ingelheim (765-794) Luitgard of Alamannia (c770-800) Regina (c780-) Ethelind (c780-)
Carloman (751-771)	28 June 751	4 December 771 Samoussy	Gerberga of Pavia (c750-)
Gisela (757-810)	757	810
Pepin (759-761)	759 France	761 France
Chrothais (746-)	746 Liege, Belgium
Adelais (c749-)	749 Liege, Belgium
Berthe of the Franks
Rothaide

Siblings

Offspring of Caribert of Laon (bef705-bef762) and Bertrada of Cologne (690-aft721)
Name	Birth	Death	Joined with
Bertrada of Laon (720-783)	720 Laon, Aisne, France	12 July 783 Choisy-au-Bac, Oise, France	Pepin the Short (714-768)

References

^ "Bertrade de Laon, Queen of the Franks", The British Museum
^ Settipani 1989.
^ Keats-Rohan & Settipani 2000, p. 18.
^ Pinoteau & de Vaulchier 2004, p. 43.
^ Mémoires couronnés et autres mémoires publiés par l'Académie royale des sciences, des lettres et des beaux-arts de Belgique 1861, p. 97.
^ Settipani & van Kerrebrouck 1993, p. 184.
^ Bernard 2004, p. 91.
^ ^a ^b Settipani & van Kerrebrouck 1993, p. 185.
^ Les gisants de la basilique de Saint-Denis 2014.
^ Kurze 1895, p. 8.
^ Tessier 1952.
^ Settipani & van Kerrebrouck 1993, pp. 180–187.
^ Levillain 1944, p. 55.
^ Ducret 2007.
^ Settipani & van Kerrebrouck 1993, pp. 185–187.

Preceded by Clotilda	Queen of the Franks 751–768	Succeeded by Desiderata and Gerberga

Footnotes (including sources)

Bergsmit, Phlox, Rtol, Robin Patterson, Thurstan, Cwalbins, MainTour

[1] "Bertrade de Laon, Queen of the Franks", The British Museum

[FOOTNOTESettipani1989-2] Settipani 1989.

[FOOTNOTEKeats-RohanSettipani200018-3] Keats-Rohan & Settipani 2000, p. 18.

[FOOTNOTEPinoteaude_Vaulchier200443-4] Pinoteau & de Vaulchier 2004, p. 43.

[FOOTNOTEMémoires_couronnés_et_autres_mémoires_publiés_par_l'Académie_royale_des_sciences,_des_lettres_et_des_beaux-arts_de_Belgique186197-5] Mémoires couronnés et autres mémoires publiés par l'Académie royale des sciences, des lettres et des beaux-arts de Belgique 1861, p. 97.

[FOOTNOTESettipanivan_Kerrebrouck1993184-6] Settipani & van Kerrebrouck 1993, p. 184.

[FOOTNOTEBernard200491-7] Bernard 2004, p. 91.

[FOOTNOTESettipanivan_Kerrebrouck1993185-8] Settipani & van Kerrebrouck 1993, p. 185.

[FOOTNOTELes_gisants_de_la_basilique_de_Saint-Denis2014-9] Les gisants de la basilique de Saint-Denis 2014.

[FOOTNOTEKurze18958-10] Kurze 1895, p. 8.

[FOOTNOTETessier1952-11] Tessier 1952.

[FOOTNOTESettipanivan_Kerrebrouck1993180–187-12] Settipani & van Kerrebrouck 1993, pp. 180–187.

[FOOTNOTELevillain194455-13] Levillain 1944, p. 55.

[FOOTNOTEDucret2007-14] Ducret 2007.

[FOOTNOTESettipanivan_Kerrebrouck1993185–187-15] Settipani & van Kerrebrouck 1993, pp. 185–187.

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