Saint Fulrad (French: Fulrade; Latin: Fulradus; 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. Saint Fulrad's Feast Day is on 16 July.

In 710 Fulrad was born in Alsace, Francia. He joined the abbey of Saint-Denis, and in 750 he was elected its abbot. With his new position, Fulrad increased the size of the abbey with his inheritance from his parents; as well he retook the land seized from the abbey by Charles Martel. Fulrad took full advantage of his position to increase his “reach as a leader”. Fulrad founded new monasteries and operated them himself in the beginning; the monasteries were located in Alsace-Lorraine and Alemannia. Each monastery had relics, which made them pilgrimage destinations; Fulrad profited from them with the taking some of the money that travelers placed on the collection near the saint's relic; however “as abbot of Saint-Denis, Fulrad’s personal property also belonged to the monastery he led”. With the new monasteries and them being popular pilgrimage destinations, Fulrad asked Pope Stephan II to have a “cloister” bishop in order to provide the pastoral services he was now unable to do at his other monasteries. As abbot, his main priority was to take care and be at the head of Saint-Denis abbey; that is why he was granted the bishop to take care of his other monasteries. With the position Fulrad had, he advised Frankish bishops; and would go on to have a higher role in the church as a “quasi-bishop”. Fulrad never became bishop, but he did climb up the ladder of the ecclesiastical hierarchy, becoming a “capellanus”; he was first Pippin III and then Charlemagne's “arch-Chaplain”; he would later become their counselor. Fulrad had a close relation with the royal family, since he held office under both Pepin III and then Charlemagne. He also had great significance in shaping Western European history. For instance, he motivated the Franks in siding with the Papacy, rather than the Byzantines; this was a strategic diplomatic initiative that would end with Charlemagne becoming the Emperor from 800-14; but Fulrad would not see the result of his actions, as it occurred eleven years after his death in 784.

Fulrad's Testament (Latin: Fulrad's Testimonium), gives an account of early Carolingian society. In the “testament”, Fulrad presents a survey of certain places and gave a detailed account of the religious, political and economic differences between the towns. Some Historians have seen the importance of Fulrad's account of early Carolingian history; the places he placed under the royal abbey were used as a defense against Eastern Nobility. However, the eastern lands were economically important, and the abbey of Saint-Denis could benefit from expanding into that region. Fulrad's testament is also seen as an important look into the lives of Carolingian characters as he identifies certain people and traces their lineage. This lineage part of the testament was and is considered so important that Alain Stoclet's who wrote “Autour de Fulrad de Saint-Denis (v. 710-784)”, devoted a whole chapter on the “genealogica et prosopographica” of Abbot Fulrad.

Abbot Fulrad was the counselor of Pippin III. The connection between these two figures goes beyond just friendship, but as two strong figures that helped each other and had great respect for each other's service. 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.

The reason for this meeting with the papacy was to make clear and make sure that Pippin, and not Childeric should be king of the Franks. Even before this, in 750, Fulrad was a servant of Pippin, being his consular and “Arch-Chaplain”. In that, Pippin III already had respect and trust in Fulrad; thus giving him the “highly important mission” of going to “win over…[pope] [Zachary]” on the matter of “changing government”. The Codex Carolinus, contains a summary of the response of Pope Zachary to Fulrad, which read, “it was better to call the person who has the royal power king rather than he who does not have it”. Pippin in 751 forced Childric to a monastery and made himself king.

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. Each town welcomed Fulrad, and after this, Fulrad went himself to place the “keys of the ceded cities on the tomb of [St. Peter]…with the official charter…drawn up in Pippin’s name”. The charter is somewhat unclear—according to church writings of Pope Stephen II—however, the papacy did profit for the supposed vague charter that gave Fulrad these regions: Ravenna, Cesena, Comacchio, Fano, Pesaro, San Marino, Forlimpopoli, Urbino, and Montefeltro. By the time this all occurred Pippin had left Italy, feeling confident and with a clear conscience since the town were under Fulrad's care, so the papacy would be able to “take care of itself”.

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 traveled to Saint-Denis where he would be buried. Pippin, at his own request asked to be buried at Saint-Denis next to the saint; also he wanted to be buried at the abbey where Fulrad, his Arch-Chaplin and “one of his staunchest political [allies]” was the Abbot.

Fulrad was also the Arch-Chaplin and Counselor to Charlemagne. 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.