Bertrada of Laon
| Bertrada of Laon | |
|---|---|
Statue of Bertrada by Eugène Oudiné, one of the twenty Reines de France et Femmes illustres in the Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris | |
| Queen consort of the Franks | |
| Tenure | November 751 – 24 September 768 |
| Born | between 710 and 727 Laon, Francia |
| Died | 12 July 783 Choisy-au-Bac, Francia |
| Burial | |
| Spouse | Pepin the Short |
| Issue | |
| Father | Charibert of Laon |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Bertrada of Laon (born between 710 and 727 – 12 July 783), also known as Bertrada the Younger or Bertha Broadfoot (cf. Latin: Regina pede aucae, i.e. the queen with the goose-foot), was the first Carolingian Frankish queen. An enduring influence in Frankish politics, she was the wife of Pepin the Short and the mother of Charlemagne, Carloman and Gisela, plus five other children. Her marriage with Pepin was influential in trend setting for future marriages blessed by the pope. She also held considerable influence over Charlemagne and Carloman after Pepin had died, enduring even past her death and through Charlemagne’s eventual rule as the sole King of the Franks.