Plectrude
Encyclopedia
Plectrude (died 717) was the wife of Pepin of Herstal, the mayor of the palace
and duke of the Franks
, from about 670. She was the daughter of Hugobert
, seneschal
of Clovis IV
, and Irmina d'Oeren.
Plectude is described as politically active and influential upon her husband and his reign. She brought a large amount of property to the Arnulfing house and this probably helped to save Pepin in his warmaking with the Neustria
ns. She tried to ensure that her grandchildren (for both her sons by Pepin predeceased him) would inherit and she got Pepin's assent that Theudoald
would be his main heir. When Pepin died soon thereafter (714), she imprisoned his dangerous illegitimate son Charles Martel
in Cologne
.
In 716, Chilperic II
, king of the Franks, and Ragenfrid
, his mayor of the palace
, together led an army into Austrasia
. Near Cologne, in which Plectrude had shut herself up, they defeated the escaped Charles Martel
. The king and his mayor then turned to besiege their other rival in the city and took it, the treasury, and received the recognition of both Chilperic as king and Ragenfrid as mayor.
At this juncture, events turned in Charles' favour. In 717, he chased the king and the mayor to Paris
before turning back to deal with Plectrude in Cologne. He took the city and dispersed her adherents. Plectude entered an convent. She died later that year in Cologne, where she is buried.
Mayor of the Palace
Mayor of the Palace was an early medieval title and office, also called majordomo, from the Latin title maior domus , used most notably in the Frankish kingdoms in the 7th and 8th centuries....
and duke of the Franks
Duke of the Franks
The title dux et princeps Francorum, or duke and prince of the Franks, was the title adopted by Pepin of Heristal after his epoch-making victory at the Battle of Tertry in 687...
, from about 670. She was the daughter of Hugobert
Hugobert
Hugobert was a seneschal and a count of the palace at the Merovingian court during the reigns of Theuderic III and Childebert III. He was a grandson of the dux Theotar, and it is assumed, but not proven, that his father was a certain Chugus, who in 617 became mayor of the palace of Austrasia...
, seneschal
Seneschal
A seneschal was an officer in the houses of important nobles in the Middle Ages. In the French administrative system of the Middle Ages, the sénéchal was also a royal officer in charge of justice and control of the administration in southern provinces, equivalent to the northern French bailli...
of Clovis IV
Clovis IV
Clovis IV , son of Theuderic III, was the sole king of the Franks from 691 until his death. Although Clovis IV is called "King of the Franks", he was really a puppet—a roi fainéant—of his uncle Pepin II, mayor of the palace of Austrasia...
, and Irmina d'Oeren.
Plectude is described as politically active and influential upon her husband and his reign. She brought a large amount of property to the Arnulfing house and this probably helped to save Pepin in his warmaking with the Neustria
Neustria
The territory of Neustria or Neustrasia, meaning "new [western] land", originated in 511, made up of the regions from Aquitaine to the English Channel, approximating most of the north of present-day France, with Paris and Soissons as its main cities...
ns. She tried to ensure that her grandchildren (for both her sons by Pepin predeceased him) would inherit and she got Pepin's assent that Theudoald
Theudoald
Theudoald was the mayor of the palace, briefly unopposed in 714 until Ragenfrid was acclaimed in Neustria and Charles Martel in Austrasia by the nobles, after the death of his grandfather, Pepin of Heristal. He was the illegitimate son of Grimoald II and Theudesinda of Frisia and thus a grandson...
would be his main heir. When Pepin died soon thereafter (714), she imprisoned his dangerous illegitimate son Charles Martel
Charles Martel
Charles Martel , also known as Charles the Hammer, was a Frankish military and political leader, who served as Mayor of the Palace under the Merovingian kings and ruled de facto during an interregnum at the end of his life, using the title Duke and Prince of the Franks. In 739 he was offered the...
in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
.
In 716, Chilperic II
Chilperic II
Chilperic II , born Daniel, the youngest son of Childeric II, was king of Neustria from 715 and sole king of the Franks from 718 until his death. He was the last Merovingian dynast to exercise any authority on his own....
, king of the Franks, and Ragenfrid
Ragenfrid
Ragenfrid was the mayor of the palace of Neustria and Burgundy from 715, when he filled the vacuum in Neustria caused by the death of Pepin of Heristal, until 718, when Charles Martel finally established himself over the whole Frankish kingdom.His original centre of power was the Véxin...
, his mayor of the palace
Mayor of the Palace
Mayor of the Palace was an early medieval title and office, also called majordomo, from the Latin title maior domus , used most notably in the Frankish kingdoms in the 7th and 8th centuries....
, together led an army into Austrasia
Austrasia
Austrasia formed the northeastern portion of the Kingdom of the Merovingian Franks, comprising parts of the territory of present-day eastern France, western Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Metz served as its capital, although some Austrasian kings ruled from Rheims, Trier, and...
. Near Cologne, in which Plectrude had shut herself up, they defeated the escaped Charles Martel
Charles Martel
Charles Martel , also known as Charles the Hammer, was a Frankish military and political leader, who served as Mayor of the Palace under the Merovingian kings and ruled de facto during an interregnum at the end of his life, using the title Duke and Prince of the Franks. In 739 he was offered the...
. The king and his mayor then turned to besiege their other rival in the city and took it, the treasury, and received the recognition of both Chilperic as king and Ragenfrid as mayor.
At this juncture, events turned in Charles' favour. In 717, he chased the king and the mayor to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
before turning back to deal with Plectrude in Cologne. He took the city and dispersed her adherents. Plectude entered an convent. She died later that year in Cologne, where she is buried.
Issue
Her sons by Pepin were:- DrogoDrogo of ChampagneDrogo , son of Pepin the Middle and Plectrude, was the duke of Champagne by appointment of his father in 690 and duke of Burgundy from the death of Nordebert in 697...
, duke of ChampagneChampagne (province)The Champagne wine region is a historic province within the Champagne administrative province in the northeast of France. The area is best known for the production of the sparkling white wine that bears the region's name... - Grimoald, mayor of the palace of Neustria