Alpaida (also Alpaïde, Alpaide, Alphaida, Alpoïde, Elphide, Elfide, Chalpaida; 654 – c. 714) was a
Frankish noblewoman who hailed from the
Liège
Liège ( , , ; wa, Lîdje ; nl, Luik ; german: Lüttich ) is a major city and municipality of Wallonia and the capital of the Belgian province of Liège.
The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse, in the east of Belgium, not far fro ...
area. She became the wife of
Pippin of Herstal (635 or 640 – 16 December 714) and mother to two sons by him,
Charles Martel
Charles Martel ( – 22 October 741) was a Frankish political and military leader who, as Duke and Prince of the Franks and Mayor of the Palace, was the de facto ruler of Francia from 718 until his death. He was a son of the Frankish statesm ...
(Charles the Hammer) (688 – 22 October 741) and
Childebrand I (678–751).
In the ''
Liber Historiae Francorum'' and the ''
Continuations of Fredegar'' she is referred to as Pepin's wife.
Saint
Lambert of Maastricht was a vocal critic of the relationship between Pepin and Alpaida.
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.
References
7th-century Frankish women
Mistresses of Frankish royalty
7th-century Frankish nobility
654 births
714 deaths
8th-century Frankish women
8th-century Frankish nobility
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