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His name appears in various spellings -- presented here in alphabetical order, not necessarily the order of usage or credibility.
His birth and death are associated with Moselle. [8]
Both of his parents are disputed and therefore he is not linked to any. His wife is disputed. Relatives are disputed. See Research Notes, below.
Gertrude d'Hamage, one presumed grandmother of Erchenaud, was born in 560.[9] Estimation of the following dates is based on this:
These estimates are highly speculative and useful only for placing a person its approximate time period.
Cawley states that the name of Erchinoald's wife is not known. [4]
Chaume (1977), cited by Wikipedia, suggests his wife's name is "Leutsinde." [10] If their son became mayor of the palace in 675, assume he was aged 30 at the time and born 640. This would give them a marriage year of, say, 635. This date is highly speculative and useful only for placing persons in the correct time period.
Erchinoald succeeded Aega as the mayor of the palace of Neustria in 641. He then succeeded Flaochad in Burgundy in 642. He remained such until his death in 658. [2]
The Liber Historiæ Francorum names "Erchonoldo" as maior domus of "Dagobertus rex" after the death of "Gundolando maiorum domo". [4]
Fredegar states that Erchinoald died "at the same time", which appears from the context to refer to the death of King Clovis II. [6] Cawley notes, however, that the same paragraph also states (incorrectly) that King Clotaire III died "about this time" after reigning four years, so the chronology is confused or compressed. [4]
Echinoald was a Mayor of the Palace ("major domus"). Chronology disputed: possibly succeeded Aega (Ega) or Gundolando [5]
Wikipedia states (17 Nov 2015), he was major domus of both Neustria (from 641) -- but this depends on succeeding Ega, and the successor of Flaochad in Burgundy (from 642).[11]
Aega died in Clichy in 642; he had become Maior domus of Neustria when King Dagobert I died in 639. According to Fredegar he "ruled justly over the palace and the kingdom" and died of a fever at Clichy in the third year of the reign of King Clovis II.[5] The date of Aega's appointment as maior domus is not known. The Chronicon Moissiacense records the death "anno 3 regni Clodovei" of "Aega" at "Cligiacis villa" and the succession of "Hirchinaldus" in Neustria and "Flaucatus" in Burgundy. [5] Aega had a daughter who married Ermenfred. [5]
Erchinoald introduced Balthild, an Anglo-Saxon slave, most probably of a high-ranking Anglo Saxon family from East Anglia (later canonised), to Clovis II, king of Neustria. The king's marriage to the pious Balthild reinforced Erchinoald's position at court. [2]
It has been suggested given the rarity of the name element "Erchin" (Genuine or truly) among the Franks and Saxons that Queen Emma of Kent, thought to be from Francia, and the wife of Eadbald of Kent was of this family and perhaps Erchinoald's daughter. Eadbald and Emma had a son Eorconbert b. ca. 618 so Emma was probably born before 600 and was not a daughter but a sister or less likely a cousin of Erchinoald. This was a period of considerable Frankish influence in Kent and East Anglia and as one of the most powerful men in Francia located at his estate at Peronne not far from the English channel when he was not at court, it was Erchinoald who wielded this influence during his lifetime. Erchinoald supported efforts of successors of the Augustinian mission to England. One notable manner in which he both exerted influence and aided the mission was his involvement in and support of convents within his sphere of influence in Neustria (for example Faremoutiers) into which some of the princesses of Kent, such as Eorcongota and East Anglia such as Aethelburg and Saethryth, in most cases his relations, retired and were made abbess. [12]
Cawley notes that Erchinoald died 657/58 [4] Wikipedia further observes that he died in 658 and was succeeded by Ebroin, chosen by the Frankish nobles. [2]
Cawley states that Erchinoald and his wife had one child, Leudesius, as confirmed by a charter dated to 659 and issued by Chlothacharius rex Francorum" which records a dispute between the church of Rouen and the abbey of St Denis about property previously belonging to "Erchenoaldo quondam maiorum domus…filius eius Leudesius" [4].
Note: Strongdisagreement exists between Settipani/Wikipedia and Cawley regarding various relationships.
Cawley [13] cites conflicting sources regarding the parents of Adalbald and his siblings, and states that it is impossible to determine which is fact and which fiction. One alternative set of parents is Ansbertus (Ansberto Duci nobili in Germania) and his wife Bilichildis. These had previously been linked as parents of Gerberge, and have been delinked.
Cawley identifies another possibility concerning the parentage of in the Adabald provided by the Vita S. Rictrudis which names “Gerberta…filia sanctæ Gertrudis” as the mother of “Adabaldus Dux”. The Vita S. Amati also names “sancta Gertrudis” as “beati Adalbaldi avia”. [13] While Cawley dismisses all the alternatives equally, the latter is the alternative supported by Settipani.
Settipani identifies two children of Gerberge, Adalbald and Erchinoald. [14] Cawley adds a third child, Sigebert. [13]
Duke. The Chronico Marcianensi de Sancta Rictrude records that “Adabaldus Dux” was dux in Gascony, after the death of Charibert II King of the Franks in Gascony (dated elsewhere to 631) [13]. The Vita S. Rictrudis records that “Adabaldus Dux” held possessions in “pago Austrebatensi” [13] He married to St. Rictrude, Abbess of Marchiennes and father of Mauront, St. Eusebian, Clodsinde and Adalsinde. [16] It is not known who the parents of Rictrudis were. [13] The Chronico Marcianensi de Sancta Rictrude records that “Adabaldus Dux” married “matrona Rictrudis…ex generosa Wasconum prosapia (Regium stemma, ac Senatorum genus optimum)”. The Vita S. Rictrudis records that “Adabaldus Dux” married “Rictrudis”. [13] Adabald & his wife had four children: ## Maurontus. The Chronico Marcianensi de Sancta Rictrude names “filium Maurontum et tres filias Virgines…Closendem, Eusebiam et Adalsendem” as the children of “Adabaldus Dux” & his wife, adding that Maurontus was “S. Richarius Pontivensis pater spiritualis”. [13]
Chronico Marcianensi de Sancta Rictrude which names “Adabaldus Dux, et fratres eius Herchenaldus Major-domus Occidentalis Franciæ et Sigebertus Comes” as the sons of “Ansberto Duci nobili in Germania” & his wife. [13]
Richomer and Gertrude
Some claim that Gertrude (p. Richomer and Gertrudis) is his mother, but it's speculation. There's no proof. See Yanis Fox. [18]
There are different theories regarding his father.
There are also different theories regarding his mother.
Erchinoald (Herchenaldus), Major Domo of the West Franks, is named as brother of Adabaldus, Duke and Sigebertus, Count. by the Chronico Marcianensi de Sancta Rictrude. However, this source also names them as the sons of Ansberto, a relationship challenged by others. [7]
Fredegar names "Erchynoaldus, maior domus in Neustria, as a relative of Dagobert, after the death of Aega. [6]
He was possibly related to Bertrudis "Bertrada; Berthe" (d. 618/19) [19]-- one of Clotaire's wives. [20]
According to Fredegar, he was a relative (consanguineus) of Dagobert I's mother. [2]
Herchenfrida (Erchinfreda), mother of St. Desiderius of Cahors will have also been of this family as is further evidenced inter alia by that Gallo-Roman saint's close ties to King Dagobert, and a brother named "Syagrius". [2]
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