Grimoald II (died 714), called the Younger, was the mayor of the palace

Mayor of the Palace

Mayor of the Palace was an early medieval title and office, also called majordomo, from the Latin title maior domus , used most notably in the Frankish kingdoms in the 7th and 8th centuries....

 of Neustria

Neustria

The territory of Neustria or Neustrasia, meaning "new [western] land", originated in 511, made up of the regions from Aquitaine to the English Channel, approximating most of the north of present-day France, with Paris and Soissons as its main cities...

 from 695. He was the second son of Pepin of Heristal and Plectrude

Plectrude

Plectrude was the wife of Pepin of Herstal, the mayor of the palace and duke of the Franks, from about 670. She was the daughter of Hugobert, seneschal of Clovis IV, and Irmina d'Oeren....

 and his father placed him in the office of mayor of the palace in the Neustrian kingdom in 695, when he was still young.

He married Theudesinda

Thiadsvind

Thiadsvind also known as Theudesinda or Theodelinda was the daughter of the Friesian king Redbad. In 711 she was married to Grimoald the Younger the eldest son of Pepin of Herstal. The marriage was officiated by archbishopric or bishopric of the Frisians Willibrord. They had two sons: Theudoald...

 (or Theodelinda), daughter of Radbod, King of the Frisians

Radbod, King of the Frisians

Radbod was the king of Frisia from c. 680 until his death. He is often considered the last independent ruler of Frisia before Frankish domination. He defeated Charles Martel at Cologne. Eventually, however, Charles prevailed and compelled the Frisians to submit...

, and had two sons: Theudoald

Theudoald

Theudoald was the mayor of the palace, briefly unopposed in 714 until Ragenfrid was acclaimed in Neustria and Charles Martel in Austrasia by the nobles, after the death of his grandfather, Pepin of Heristal. He was the illegitimate son of Grimoald II and Theudesinda of Frisia and thus a grandson...

 and Arnold. While en route to visit the tomb of Saint Lambert at Liège

Liège

Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....

, he was assassinated by a certain Rangar, in the employ of his father-in-law. His sons carried on a fight to be recognised as Pepin of Heristal's true heirs, since Grimoald predeceased his father and his bastard half-brother Charles Martel

Charles Martel

Charles Martel , also known as Charles the Hammer, was a Frankish military and political leader, who served as Mayor of the Palace under the Merovingian kings and ruled de facto during an interregnum at the end of his life, using the title Duke and Prince of the Franks. In 739 he was offered the...

 usurped the lands and offices of their father.

Sources

• Riché, Pierre. Les Carolingiens, une famille qui fit l'Europe. ISBN 2-01-278851-3
• Volkmann, Jean-Charles. Bien Connaître les généalogies des rois de France ISBN 2-87747-208-6
• Mourre, Michel. Le petit Mourre. Dictionnaire de l'Histoire ISBN 203519265X