Bertrada of Laon ^{1 2 3}

   Other names for Bertrada were Bertha, Bertha of the Big Foot and Bethrada.

  General Notes:

Bethrada (Bertha) døde i Choisy nær Noyon. Hun ble bisatt i kirken i St. Dennis, hvor hennes gemal allerede hvilte.
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Bertrada was the wife of King Pepin III of the Franks, the first of the Carolingian dynasty, and mother of the famous conqueror and emperor Charlemagne. She was born in Laon, in today's Aisne, France.

Charles' mother, Berthrada, passed her old age with him in great honor; he entertained the greatest veneration for her; and there was never any disagreement between them except when he divorced the daughter of King Desiderius, whom he had married to please her. She died soon after Hildegard, after living to three grandsons and as many granddaughters in her son's house, and he buried her with great pomp in the Basilica of St. Denis, where his father lay. He had an only sister, Gisela, who had consecrated herself to a religious life from girlhood, and he cherished as much affection for her as for his mother. She also died a few years before him in the nunnery where she passed her life.

  Research Notes:

It is also recorded that she died at Darmstadt, Germany.

Bertrada married Pepin III the Short of the Franks, son of Charles Martel and Chrotrud, in 740. (Pepin III the Short of the Franks was born in 714 in Jupille, Austrasia, died on 24 Sep 768 in Saint Denis, near Paris, France and was buried in Saint Denis Basilica, near Paris, France.) The cause of his death was dropsy.