Hugobert

Hugobert (also Chugoberctus or Hociobercthus) (died probably in 697) was a seneschal and a count of the palace at the Merovingian court during the reigns of Theuderic III and Childebert III. He was a grandson of the dux Theotar, and it is assumed, but not proven, that his father was Chugus, who in 617 became mayor of the palace of Austrasia. The juxtaposition of names in the Vita Landiberto episcopi Traiectensis may imply a relationship between him and the family of Saint Lambert (see below).

It has been disproven that he is one and the same with bishop Hugobert of Liège, because his wife appears in the records of Echternach in the year 698 as a widow. He was married to Irmina of Oeren, who, shortly after his death, made possible the founding of the Abbey of Echternach. Irmina was sister to Adela of Pfalzel, founder of the convent Pfalzel, who is frequently confused with her daughter of the same name. He last appears in a royal charter dated 14 March 697.

Marriage and Family

Hugobert and Irmina had several daughters, including:

• Plectrude, 691/717 witnessed, the first wife of Pippin of Herstal and founder of the Abbey St. Maria im Kapitol in Cologne
• Adela (655-732), abbess of Pfalzel, married to Eudes I, Duke of Aquitaine (questionable Odo the Great and son of Saint Oda)
• Regintrud, whose second marriage after the death of her husband was to the duke Theudebert of Bavaria
• Irmina (d. ca 704), married to Chariveus, brother of Lambert, Count of Hesbaye.

Other children frequently attributed to Hugobert and Irmina include the following who are likely a generation removed:

• Chrodelinda, who was likely the daughter of Irmina and Chiriveus. She married Wido, Abbot of Saint Wandrile. Their son Warnhar was Count of Horbach and was the patriarch of the Widonids.
• Bertrada of Prüm (b. c. 670, d. after 721), the founder of the Prüm Abbey and mother of count Caribert of Laon, who was father of Bertrada of Laon, who in turn was mother of Charlemagne.

Relationships with Frankish Nobility

Hugobert appears to be the patriarch of numerous powerful families of the Frankish nobility (see Main Article, Family Dynasties of the Medieval Franks):

Etichonids. Adela and Eudes had a daughter Gerlindis who married Adalbert, son of Adalrich, Duke of Alsace, and Berswinde of Austrasia, and so were direct ancestors of the Etichonids.

Agilofings. Regintrud married Theodbert, Duke of Bavaria, and was the mother of Hugbert, Duke of Bavaria, one of the last rulers of the Agilofing dynasty of dukes of Bavaria. Their daughter Guntrude also married Luitprand, King of the Lombards.

Widonids. Settipani postulates that Irmina and Chariveus had a daughter Chrolanda who married Wido, Count of Hornbach, and therefore were the ancestors of the Widonids. There is little evidence to support this, made all the more confusing given the uncertainty of the descendants of Saint Leudwinus, Count of Treves.

Carolingians. Settipani also postulates that Irmina and Chariveus had an (unnamed) son who married Bertrada of Prüm, great-grandmother of Charlemagne, thus linking Hugobert directly to the Carolingian dynasty.

The Family of Lambert, Count of Hesbaye. Hugobert’s daughter Irmina was married Chariveus who was either the brother or nephew of Saint Lambert (see Chrodbert, Count palatine).

Sources

Settipani, Christian (1990), "Addenda aux "Ancêtres de Charlemagne", 1990" (PDF).