Individual Details

Biography

Bertrada of Laon, also called Bertrada 'au grand pied' and Bertha Broadfoot, was born about 720 in Laon, in today's Aisne, France, the daughter of Heribert/Caribert of Laon. In 740 she married Pippin 'the Short', the son of Charles Martel, the Frankish Mayor of the Palace, although the union was not canonically sanctioned until several years later. Eleven years later, in 751, Pippin and Bertrada became King and Queen of the Franks, following Pippin's successful coup against the Frankish Merovingian monarchs.

Bertrada and Pippin are known to have had four children, three sons and one daughter; of these, Charles (Charlemagne), Carloman and Gisela survived to adulthood, while Pippin died in infancy. Charlemagne and Carloman would inherit the two halves of their father's kingdom when he died, and Gisela became a nun.

Bertrada lived at the court of her elder son Charles, and according to Einhard their relationship was excellent. She recommended that he marry his first wife Desiderata, a daughter of the Lombard king Desiderius, but he soon divorced her. Einhard claims that this was the only episode that ever strained relations between mother and son. Bertrada lived with Charlemagne until her death on 12 June 783. The king buried her with great honours in the Basilica of Saint Denis.