Marriages and heirs
Charlemagne had twenty children over the course of his life with eight of his ten known wives or concubines. Nonetheless, he only had four legitimate grandsons, the three sons of his third son Louis, so that the claimants to his inheritance remained few.
His first relationship was with Himiltrude. The nature of this relationship is variously described as concubinage, a legal marriage or as a Friedelehe.[19] (Charlemagne put her aside when he married Desiderata.) The union with Himiltrude produced two children:
Amaudru, a daughter[20]
Pippin the Hunchback (c. 769-811)
After her, his first wife was Desiderata, daughter of Desiderius, king of the Lombards; married in 770, annulled in 771
His second wife was Hildegard (757 or 758-783), married 771, died 783. By her he had nine children:
Charles the Younger (c.772-4 December 811), Duke of Maine, and crowned King of the Franks on 25 December 800
Carloman, renamed Pippin (April 773-8 July 810), King of Italy
Adalhaid (774), who was born whilst her parents were on campaign in Italy. She was sent back to Francia, but died before reaching Lyons
Rotrude (or Hruodrud) (775-6 June 810)
Louis (778-20 June 840), twin of Lothair, King of Aquitaine since 781, crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 813, senior Emperor from 814
Lothair (778-6 February 779/780), twin of Louis, he died in infancy[21]
Bertha (779-826)
Gisela (781-808)
Hildegarde (782-783)
His third wife was Fastrada, married 784, died 794. By her he had:
Theodrada (b.784), abbess of Argenteuil
Hiltrude (b.787)
His fourth wife was Luitgard, married 794, died childless
[edit] Concubinages and illegitimate children
His first known concubine was Gersuinda. By her he had:
Adaltrude (b.774)
His second known concubine was Madelgard. By her he had:
Ruodhaid (775-810), abbess of Faremoutiers
His third known concubine was Amaltrud of Vienne. By her he had:
Alpaida (b.794)
His fourth known concubine was Regina. By her he had:
Drogo (801-855), Bishop of Metz from 823 and abbot of Luxeuil Abbey
Hugh (802-844), archchancellor of the Empire
His fifth known concubine was Ethelind. By her he had:
Richbod (805-844), Abbott of Saint-Riquier
Theodoric (b. 807)
Marriages and heirs
Charlemagne had twenty children over the course of his life with eight of his ten known wives or concubines. Nonetheless, he only had four legitimate grandsons, the three sons of his third son Louis, so that the claimants to his inheritance remained few.
His first relationship was with Himiltrude. The nature of this relationship is variously described as concubinage, a legal marriage or as a Friedelehe.[19] (Charlemagne put her aside when he married Desiderata.) The union with Himiltrude produced two children:
Amaudru, a daughter[20]
Pippin the Hunchback (c. 769-811)
After her, his first wife was Desiderata, daughter of Desiderius, king of the Lombards; married in 770, annulled in 771
His second wife was Hildegard (757 or 758-783), married 771, died 783. By her he had nine children:
Charles the Younger (c.772-4 December 811), Duke of Maine, and crowned King of the Franks on 25 December 800
Carloman, renamed Pippin (April 773-8 July 810), King of Italy
Adalhaid (774), who was born whilst her parents were on campaign in Italy. She was sent back to Francia, but died before reaching Lyons
Rotrude (or Hruodrud) (775-6 June 810)
Louis (778-20 June 840), twin of Lothair, King of Aquitaine since 781, crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 813, senior Emperor from 814
Lothair (778-6 February 779/780), twin of Louis, he died in infancy[21]
Bertha (779-826)
Gisela (781-808)
Hildegarde (782-783)
His third wife was Fastrada, married 784, died 794. By her he had:
Theodrada (b.784), abbess of Argenteuil
Hiltrude (b.787)
His fourth wife was Luitgard, married 794, died childless
[edit] Concubinages and illegitimate children
His first known concubine was Gersuinda. By her he had:
Adaltrude (b.774)
His second known concubine was Madelgard. By her he had:
Ruodhaid (775-810), abbess of Faremoutiers
His third known concubine was Amaltrud of Vienne. By her he had:
Alpaida (b.794)
His fourth known concubine was Regina. By her he had:
Drogo (801-855), Bishop of Metz from 823 and abbot of Luxeuil Abbey
Hugh (802-844), archchancellor of the Empire
His fifth known concubine was Ethelind. By her he had:
Richbod (805-844), Abbott of Saint-Riquier
Theodoric (b. 807)
