|
Widukind
Widukind, also known as Wittekind and Wittikund, was a leader of the Saxons and the chief opponent of the Frankish king Charlemagne during the Saxon Wars from 777 to 785. Charlemagne ultimately prevailed, organized Saxony as a Frankish province, massacred thousands of Saxon nobles, and ordered conversions of the pagan Saxons to Christianity. In later times, Widukind became a symbol of Saxon independence and a figure of legend. He is also venerated as a blessed in the Catholic Church. Life Very little is known about Widukind's life. His name literally translates as "child of the forest". In the chronicles he is accompanied by Abbi who may have been a close relative. However, it is uncertain how they were related because all sources about him stem from his enemies, the Franks, who painted a negative picture representing him as an "insurgent" and a "traitor". While Widukind was considered the leader of the Saxon resistance by the Franks, his exact role in the military campaigns ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Massacre Of Verden
The Massacre of Verden was an event during the Saxon Wars where the Franks, Frankish king Charlemagne ordered the death of 4,500 Saxons in October 782. Charlemagne claimed suzerainty over Saxony and in 772 destroyed the Irminsul, an important object in Saxon paganism, during his intermittent Saxon Wars, thirty-year campaign to Christianization of Saxony, Christianize the Saxons. The massacre occurred in Verden an der Aller, Verden in what is now Lower Saxony, Germany. The event is attested in contemporary Frankish sources, including the ''Royal Frankish Annals''. Beginning in the 1870s, some scholars have attempted to exonerate Charlemagne of the massacre by way of a proposed manuscript error but these attempts have since been generally rejected. While the figure of 4,500 victims has generally been accepted, some scholars regard it as an exaggeration. Sources An entry for the year 782 in the first version of the ''Royal Frankish Annals'' (''Annales Regni Francorum'') records a Sa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Saxon Wars
The Saxon Wars were the campaigns and insurrections of the thirty-three years from 772, when Charlemagne first entered Saxony with the intent to conquer, to 804, when the last rebellion of tribesmen was defeated. In all, 18 campaigns were fought, primarily in what is now northern Germany. They resulted in the incorporation of Saxony into the Frankish realm and their forcible conversion from Germanic paganism to Christianity. The Saxons were divided into four subgroups in four regions. Nearest to the ancient Frankish kingdom of Austrasia was Westphalia, and farthest was Eastphalia. In between the two kingdoms was that of Engria (or Engern), and north of the three, at the base of the Jutland peninsula, was Nordalbingia. Despite repeated setbacks, the Saxons resisted steadfastly, returning to raid Charlemagne's domains as soon as he turned his attention elsewhere. Their main leader, Widukind, was a resilient and resourceful opponent, but eventually was defeated and bapti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Enger
Enger () is a town in the Herford district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Geography Enger is situated between the Teutoburg Forest and the Wiehen Hills, approx. 6 km west of the town of Herford, the capital of the district. Neighbouring places * Spenge * Bünde * Hiddenhausen * Herford * Bielefeld Town divisions Enger consists of the following districts (population as of December 31, 2005): * Belke-Steinbeck (2,471 inhabitants) * Besenkamp (1,849 inhabitants) * Dreyen (1,404 inhabitants) * Enger (7,809 inhabitants) * Herringhausen (West) (430 inhabitants) * Oldinghausen (773 inhabitants) * Pödinghausen (2,181 inhabitants) * Siele (122 inhabitants) * Westerenger (3,797 inhabitants) History The town, first mentioned in 948, calls itself "Widukind's town." The Saxon leader Widukind died about 808. However, there is no evidence that Enger existed in his lifetime. A legend tells that Widukind founded a church in Enger after his baptism, and that he lived ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Irminsul
An Irminsul (Old Saxon 'great pillar') was a sacred, Column, pillar-like object attested as playing an important role in the Germanic paganism of the Saxons. Medieval sources describe how an Irminsul was destroyed by Charlemagne during the Saxon Wars. A church was erected on its place in 783 and blessed by Pope Leo III. Sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology, Sacred trees and sacred groves were widely venerated by the Germanic peoples (including Donar's Oak), and the oldest chronicle describing an Irminsul refers to it as a tree trunk erected in the open air.d'Alviella (1891:112). Etymology The Old Saxon word compound means 'great pillar'. The first element, ('great') is cognate with terms with some significance elsewhere in Germanic mythology. Among the North Germanic peoples, the Old Norse form of is , which just like is one of the List of names of Odin, names of Odin. Yggdrasil (Old Norse 'Yggr's horse') is a Norse cosmology, cosmic tree from which Odin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Duchy Of Saxony
The Duchy of Saxony () was originally the area settled by the Saxons in the late Early Middle Ages, when they were subdued by Charlemagne during the Saxon Wars from 772 CE and incorporated into the Carolingian Empire (Francia) by 804. Upon the 843 Treaty of Verdun, Saxony was one of the five German stem duchies of East Francia; Duke Henry the Fowler was elected List of German monarchs, German king in 919. Upon the deposition of the House of Welf, Welf duke Henry the Lion in 1180, the ducal title fell to the House of Ascania, while numerous territories split from Saxony, such as the Principality of Anhalt in 1218 and the Welf Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg in 1235. In 1296, the remaining lands were divided between the Ascanian dukes of Saxe-Lauenburg and Duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg, Saxe-Wittenberg, the latter obtaining the title of Electorate of Saxony, Electors of Saxony by the Golden Bull of 1356. Geography The Saxon stem duchy covered the greater part of present-day Northern Germ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Charlemagne
Charlemagne ( ; 2 April 748 – 28 January 814) was List of Frankish kings, King of the Franks from 768, List of kings of the Lombards, King of the Lombards from 774, and Holy Roman Emperor, Emperor of what is now known as the Carolingian Empire from 800, holding these titles until his death in 814. He united most of Western Europe, Western and Central Europe, and was the first recognised emperor to rule from the west after the fall of the Western Roman Empire approximately three centuries earlier. Charlemagne's reign was marked by political and social changes that had lasting influence on Europe throughout the Middle Ages. A member of the Frankish Carolingian dynasty, Charlemagne was the eldest son of Pepin the Short and Bertrada of Laon. With his brother, Carloman I, he became king of the Franks in 768 following Pepin's death and became the sole ruler three years later. Charlemagne continued his father's policy of protecting the papacy and became its chief defender, remo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sigfred
Sigfred was an eighth century Danish king who is known to have reigned from before 777 to after 798. Fragments of his reign can be traced via Frankish sources. Assistance to Widukind King Sigfred is first mentioned in 777 when the Saxon chief Widukind, leader of the resistance against Charlemagne, fled Saxony in the face of the Frankish onslaught. Widukind found refuge with Sigfred, but the Frankish annals do not say in detail what kind of assistance the Danish king may have provided. At any rate, Charlemagne made no attempt to subordinate or threaten the Danes during his Saxon campaigns. German chronicles, to better espouse the family tree of Widukind's heirs, stated that he was married to Sigfred's daughter Geva. Frankish diplomacy In the summer of 782, Charlemagne led his armed forces to the sources of the Lippe River, staying there for some time. On this occasion he received envoys from Sigfred, although the details of the negotiations are not disclosed. Shortly after, W ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Abbi (Saxon)
Albion (or Abbion shortened to Abbio or Abbi, also Alboin) was a Germanic leader of the Saxons in the time of Charlemagne. (exact dates remain unknown) Albbi is considered one of the two principal Saxon chiefs along with Widukind. He was the leader of the Eastphalians while the latter ruled the Westphalian Saxons. Both opposed the aggressive eastern expansion of the Carolingian Empire. They mustered an army and fought Charlemagne in two major battles, at Osnabrück and Detmold. After these conflicts the Saxons were recorded to have taken 4,000 prisoners. In 785, after being defeated in the Saxon wars, fleeing across the Elbe, Albion was baptized together with Widukind, possibly in Attigny, with Charlemagne as his godfather. He was possibly married to Giesela (or Hasela), a daughter or sister to Widukind, and therefore closely related to him. Albion was said to be the ancestor of the House of Ascania The House of Ascania () was a dynasty of German rulers. It is also known as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Immedingians
The Immedingians (German: ''Immedinger'') were a noble family of medieval Saxony, descended from the Saxon leader Widukind. The most notable member was Saint Matilda (d. 968), queen consort of King Henry I of Germany. History They were important benefactors of the church in tenth century Saxony with members including the Saint Emma of Lesum and her brother Bishop Meinwerk of Paderborn. Matilda's grandmother Matilda I was abbess at Herford Abbey. About 940 one Count Immad of the Immedinger dynasty established a convent of nuns at Ringelheim in Eastphalia. Queen Matilda herself upon the death of her husband in 936 donated Quedlinburg Abbey, where she is also buried. According to the '' Res gestae saxonicae'' by the chronicler Widukind of Corvey, Matilda's father, the Westphalian count Dietrich, was a descendant of ''dux'' Widukind. A sister of her married Count Wichmann the Elder from the House of Billung The House of Billung was a dynasty of Saxon noblemen in the 9th thro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia or North-Rhine/Westphalia, commonly shortened to NRW, is a States of Germany, state () in Old states of Germany, Western Germany. With more than 18 million inhabitants, it is the List of German states by population, most populous state in Germany. Apart from the city-states (Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen), it is also the List of German states by population density, most densely populated state in Germany. Covering an area of , it is the List of German states by area, fourth-largest German state by size. North Rhine-Westphalia features 30 of the 81 German municipalities with over 100,000 inhabitants, including Cologne (over 1 million), the state capital Düsseldorf (630,000), Dortmund and Essen (about 590,000 inhabitants each) and other cities predominantly located in the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan area, the largest urban area in Germany and the fourth-largest on the European continent. The location of the Rhine-Ruhr at the heart of the European Blue Banana make ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Theoderic, Duke Of Saxony
Theoderic or Theodric (Low German Diederik or Didrik, High German Dietrich) was the leader of the Saxons in the years 743–744. Onomastics suggests that he was related to the family of Widukind. In 743 the Frankish mayors of the palace, the brothers Pepin the Short and Carloman, marched against Odilo of Bavaria, who was nominally a Frankish subject. Carloman then turned north towards Saxony, which had ceased to pay the annual tribute of cows which the Franks had extorted first in the sixth century, and conquering the ''castrum ''Castra'' () is a Latin language, Latin term used during the Roman Republic and Roman Empire for a military 'camp', and ''castrum'' () for a 'Fortification, fort'. Either could refer to a building or plot of land, used as a fortified milita ...'' of Ho(o)hseoburg forced the Saxon duke Theoderic to surrender at a '' placitum'' held at that same place. The brothers invaded Saxony again the next year (744) and Theoderic was captured.RFA, 743 an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Westphalia
Westphalia (; ; ) is a region of northwestern Germany and one of the three historic parts of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It has an area of and 7.9 million inhabitants. The territory of the region is almost identical with the historic Province of Westphalia, which was a part of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1815 to 1918 and the Free State of Prussia from 1918 to 1946. In 1946, Westphalia merged with North Rhine, another former part of Prussia, to form the newly created state of North Rhine-Westphalia. In 1947, the state with its two historic parts was joined by a third one: Lippe, a former Principality of Lippe, principality and Free State of Lippe, free state. The seventeen Districts of Germany, districts and nine Independent city#Germany, independent cities of Westphalia and Lippe (district), the single district of Lippe are members of the North Rhine-Westphalia#Subdivisions, Westphalia-Lippe Regional Association (''Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe''). Previo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
