Fulrad

Saint Fulrad (; ; 710 – 16 July 784) was a Frankish religious leader who was the Abbot of Saint-Denis. He was the counselor of both Pepin the Short and Charlemagne. Historians see Fulrad as important due to his significance in the rise of the Frankish Kingdom, and the insight he gives into early Carolingian society. He was noted to have been always on the side of Charlemagne, especially during the attack from the Saxons on Regnum Francorum (Latin for Francia), and the Royal Mandatum (a royal official of the Carolingian administrative hierarchy). Other historians have taken a closer look at Fulrad's interactions with the papacy. When Fulrad was the counselor of Pepin he was closely in contact with the papacy to gain approval for Pepin's appointment as King of the Franks. During his time under Charlemagne, he had dealings with the papacy again for different reasons. When he became Abbot of Saint-Denis in the mid-eighth century, Fulrad became important in the lives of distinct historical figures in various ways. He joined the abbey of Saint-Denis, and in 750 he was elected its abbot. Fulrad founded new monasteries and operated them himself in the beginning; the monasteries were located in Alsace-Lorraine and Alemannia. he was first Pippin III and then Charlemagne's “arch-Chaplain”; He also had great significance in shaping Western European history. Historians have written about this friendship, and examples of it are seen in distinctively in certain dealings with the papacy and with Pippin's burial. Even before this, in 750, Fulrad was a servant of Pippin, being his consular and “Arch-Chaplain”. of going to “win over…[pope] [Zachary]” on the matter of “changing government”.

Pippin’s Charter of 755

According to a papal biographer, with Pepin as King, Pippin III “ordered a charter to be drawn up”. This charter gave all the land of: the Lombard king, donations of St. Peter to all future popes; which included such towns as Ravenna, San Marino, Gubbio and Northern Umbria.

Burial of Pippin III

Abbot Fulrad had such an impact on Pepin III, that the latter's final wishes and resting place were all connected to Fulrad and his abbey of Saint-Denis. Pippin became very ill at his campaign of Aquitaine in the city of Saintes. He was at the side or of great help for Charlemagne with Regnum Francorum (Latin for Francia), war with the Saxons, dealing with the papacy with Charlemagne's promise of a “Donation” [and] royal Mandatum”, and with the exchange with Pope Hadrian.

“Regnum Francorum”

Charlemagne awarded the “estates in Alsace and Alemannia” to the abbey of Saint-Denis; Fulrad already had expanded the interest of Saint-Denis in these areas. From autumn 774 through the summer of 775, Fulrad stayed and supported Charlemagne at court until Charlemagne left to invade Saxony in the summer of 775. One historian notes that Fulrad was one of the few “Neustrian figures”, The structure was about eighty meters long, with an imposing facade, a nave divided into three sections by two rows of marble columns, a transept, and apse at the east end. Fulrad's church had smaller elements such as arches and transepts, it did however have classical elements had its design, strong Byzantine influence and metal work throughout the Basilica. During important religious celebrations, the interior of the church was lit with 1250 lamps.

This same basilica is where many of the Merovingian and the Carolingian monarchs were buried in the crypts. He believed the old design from 775 “ would have been viewed with extreme suspicion by a…building inspector”. When Fulrad died, Charlemagne chose Angilram, the bishop of Metz and Hildebald of Cologne to be the new abbots of Saint-Denis to carry on the work of abbot Fulrad.