Alpaida

For the saint of this name, see Alpaïs of Cudot. For the spider genus, see Alpaida (spider).
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 second wife, concubine or mistress of Pippin of Herstal and mother to a son by him, Charles Martel and possibly another, Childebrand I.[3][4][5][6][7] [8]

In the Liber Historiae Francorum and the Continuations of Fredegar she is referred to as Pepin's wife.[9]

Saint Lambert of Maastricht was a vocal critic of the relationship between Pepin and Alpaida.[10] 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.[4][6]

  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. ^ 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.
  4. ^ a b Fouracre, Paul (2016-09-17) [2000]. The Age of Charles Martel. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-89848-1.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ McDougall, Sara."Chapter Two: The Carolingian Example: The Sons of Concubines." Royal Bastards: The Birth of Illegitimacy, 800-1230. First Edition. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2016. Page 82. ISBN 978-0-19-182763-1 doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198785828.001.0001, March 2024. McDougall makes it clear that modern day interpretations of Concubine or second wives are not the same as how they were used in the Medieval era.
  8. ^ Bouchard, Constance B. "Childeric III And the Emperors Drogo Magnus and Pippin the Pious." Medieval Prosopography, Vol 28(2013) https://www.jstor.org/stable/44946900 Page 4, footnote 10 clarifies eighth century sources refer to Alpaidis and Plectrude both as wives. She is also referred to in the body of the article as Pippin's "bigamous second wife."(Also page 4).
  9. ^ Fouracre, Paul. "Writings about Charles Martel", Law, Laity and Solidarities (Susan Reynolds, ed.), Manchester University Press, 2001, ISBN 9780719058363, p. 23
  10. ^ Albers, Petrus Henricus. "The Catholic Encyclopedia: St. Lambert". www.newadvent.org. Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved 2020-09-25.