Alpaida
Bornc. 654
Died714 (aged 59–60)
NationalityFranks
CitizenshipFrancia
SpousePepin of Herstal
Children

Alpaida (also Alpaïde, Alpaide, Alphaida, Alpoïde, Elphide, Elfide, Chalpaida; c. 654 – c. 714) was a Frankish noblewoman who hailed from the Liège area.[1][2] She became the wife[3] of Pippin of Herstal (635 or 640 – 16 December 714) and mother to two sons by him, Charles Martel (Charles the Hammer) (688 – 22 October 741) and Childebrand I (678–751).[4][5][6][7]

In the Liber Historiae Francorum and the Continuations of Fredegar she is referred to as Pepin's wife.[8]

Saint Lambert of Maastricht was a vocal critic of the relationship between Pepin and Alpaida.[9] A tradition would eventually develop that, Pepin's domesticus (manager of state domains) Dodon, whose troops would murder Lambert, was in fact the brother of Alpaida; however, the historical accuracy of Dodon being her brother has been questioned.[5][7]

References

  1. ^ Wood, Ian (2004). "Genealogy defined by women: the Pippinids". In Leslie Brubaker (ed.). Gender in the Early Medieval World: East and West, 300-900. Julia M. H. Smith. Cambridge UP. p. 244ff. ISBN 9780521013277.
  2. ^ Theuws, Frans (2001). "Maastricht as a centre of power". In Frans Theuws (ed.). Topographies of Power in the Early Middle Ages. Mayke B. de Jong, Carine van Rhijn. BRILL. pp. 190–91. ISBN 9789004117341. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
  3. ^ The Franks allowed multiple wives to nobles at this point.
  4. ^ Commire, Anne, ed. (2002). "Alphaida (c. 654–c. 714)". Women in World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia. Waterford, Connecticut: Yorkin Publications. ISBN 0-7876-4074-3. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24.
  5. ^ a b Fouracre, Paul (2016-09-17) [2000]. The Age of Charles Martel. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-89848-1.
  6. ^ Beckmann, Gustav Adolf (2008). "The Two Alpaidas and Epic Place-Names (Avroy-) Auridon-Oridon-Dordon(e)". Le Moyen Âge (1): 55–66. doi:10.3917/rma.141.0055.
  7. ^ a b Settipani, Christian (1993). La préhistoire des Capétiens, 481-987 (in French). Kerrebrouck, Patrick van. Villeneuve d'Ascq: P. Van Kerrebrouck. ISBN 2-9501509-3-4. OCLC 29856008.
  8. ^ Fouracre, Paul. "Writings about Charles Martel", Law, Laity and Solidarities (Susan Reynolds, ed.), Manchester University Press, 2001, ISBN 9780719058363, p. 23
  9. ^ Albers, Petrus Henricus. "The Catholic Encyclopedia: St. Lambert". www.newadvent.org. Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved 2020-09-25.


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