Pepin Ι of Landen | |
|---|---|
| Mayor of the palace of Austrasia | |
| Born | 580 |
| Died | 640 |
| Noble family | Pippinids (named after him) |
| Spouse | Itta of Metz |
| Issue | Begga Grimoald Bavo Gertrude |
| Father | Carloman |
Pepin I (alsoPeppin,Pipin, orPippin)of Landen (c. 580 – 27 February 640), also calledthe Elder orthe Old, was theMayor of the palace ofAustrasia under theMerovingian KingDagobert I from 623 to 629. He was also the Mayor forSigebert III from 639 until his death.
Pepin's father was named Carloman[1] by theChronicle of Fredegar, the chief source for his life. His byname comes from his probable birthplace:Landen, modernBelgium. However, according toGodefroid Kurth, it was only in the twelfth century that the chroniclers ofBrabant began to associate him with that locality.[2] He is sometimes calledPepin I and his other nicknames (Elder and Old) come from his position at the head of the family called thePippinids after him.
He was lord of a great part of Brabant, and governor of Austrasia, when their king, Theodebert II, was defeated by Theodoric II, king of Burgundy.[1] In 613, several leading magnates of Austrasia andBurgundy abandonedBrunhilda, the great-grandmother and regent of their king,Sigebert II, and turned toChlothar II ofNeustria for support, promising not to rise in defense of the queen-regent and recognizing Chlothar as rightful regent and guardian of the young king. Chief among these leading men wereWarnachar II,Rado,Arnulf, and Pepin. The latter two were described byFredegar as the "two most powerful barons of Austrasia" and they made some agreement with Chlothar atAndernach. However, while Rado was confirmed as mayor in Austrasia and Warnachar in Burgundy, Pepin did not receive his reward until 623, when he was appointed mayor in Austrasia after Chlothar made his young son Dagobert king there. Arnulf, his lifelong friend, was appointed adviser to the new king alongside him.
Pepin was praised by his contemporaries for his good government and wise counsel. Though some enemies tried to turn the king against him, their plots were foiled and Pepin remained on good terms with the king until 629, when, for reasons unknown, he retired (or was retired) to his estates, where he remained for the next decade, until Dagobert's death.
On Dagobert's death, Pepin came out of retirement to take on the mayoralty in Austrasia for the heir Sigebert III[2] and to oversee the distribution of the treasury between Sigebert and his brother,Clovis II, and his stepmotherNanthild, who was ruling on Clovis' behalf in Neustria and Burgundy. Sigebert's share of the inheritance was amicably surrendered, partly because of the friendship between Pepin and the Burgundian mayor of the palace,Aega. Pepin and Arnulf's successor as chief counselor to the king,Cunibert, Bishop of Cologne, received the treasure atCompiègne and brought it back toMetz. Pepin died in 640.[2] He was so popular in Austrasia that, though he was nevercanonized, he was listed as a saint in somemartyrologies. Butler lists him as "blessed".[1] Hisfeast day was 21 February.
MarriedItta of Metz and had four children:
Media related toPepin of Landen at Wikimedia Commons| Preceded by | Mayor of the Palace of Austrasia 623–629 639–640 | Succeeded by |
