Alpaida (original) (raw)

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Frankish noblewoman

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 Pepin of Herstal and mother to his son 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]

According to Sara McDougall, the way many medieval sources define and use the terms "second wife", "concubine" and "mistress" are unclear and do not align with how modern audiences understand and use those same terms in modern standards so it is unclear how medieval sources would have defined Alpaida's role within Pepin II's life in terms of their relationship.[11]

It seems that in this time period, it was the mother and her lineage that shaped and determined the child's possibility to inherit from their father, so to discredit the child's claim to their father's inheritance, one must discredit the mother. This is reflected in the historiography around Alpaida, who was once called a second wife in eighth-century writings, re-labeled a concubine in later ninth century writings, and finally, as a result of possible anti-Charles Martel or anti-Carolingian sentiment, tenth-century written sources now called Charles Martel's legitimacy and claim to Pepin II's inheritance into question by challenging Alpaida's role within the Pippinid family.[12] [13]

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 the modern-day concepts of 'concubines' or 'second wives' are not the same as 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.
11. ^ McDougal, Sara. "Chapter One: The Language of Illegitimacy in Medieval Europe." _Royal Bastards: The Birth of Illegitimacy, 800-1230_Oxford, 2016. ISBN 978-0-19-182763-1 doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198785828.001.0001
12. ^ Mcdougall, Sara."Chapter One:The Language of Illegitimacy in Medieval Europe." _Royal Bastards: The Language of Illegitimacy, 800-1230_Oxford, 2016. ISBN 978-0-19-182763-1 doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198785828.001.0001 Pages 49 and 53. Page 53 is specifically referring to and expanding upon Brigitte Kasten's research.
13. ^ Mcdougall, Sara."Chapter Two: The Carolingian Example: The Sons of Concubines." _Royal Bastards: The Language of Illegitimacy, 800-1230_Oxford, 2016. ISBN 978-0-19-182763-1 doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198785828.001.0001 Page 82.