Theudoald

Theudoald (or Theodald; 706 – 741) was the mayor of the palace, briefly unopposed in 714, aged eight, after the death of his grandfather, Pepin of Herstal. Then in 715 the nobility acclaimed Ragenfrid mayor of Neustria and Charles Martel mayor of Austrasia.

Theudoald was the legitimate but later claimed illegitimate son of Grimoald II (son of Pepin II of Herstal and Plectrude) and Theudesinda of Frisia (daughter of king Radbod). Thus, he was a grandson of the Frisian king. His grandmother Plectrude tried to have him recognised by his grandfather as the legitimate heir to all the Pippinid lands, instead of Charles Martel. His grandmother surrendered on his behalf in 716 to Chilperic II of Neustria and Ragenfrid, when the little mayor was only ten. The civil war only began to subside after his grandmother entered a convent when the boy mayor was only eleven. The war would finally end in 718, when the child was twelve.

After an adolescence and adulthood spent in obscurity, Theudoald died, probably killed, around 741, aged about 35, after the death of his uncle and protector, Charles Martel. Even for the time, he died at a young age. It is notable that, despite his having been proclaimed heir to his grandfather Pepin of Herstal, when Charles Martel seized power, he allowed his nephew to live, instead of killing him, as was often the case in the Middle Ages.