Udo (or Uto) (died 1028), born Pribignev (also ''Pribignew'' or ''Pribygnev''), was an
Obodrite
The Obotrites ( la, Obotriti, Abodritorum, Abodritos…) or Obodrites, also spelled Abodrites (german: Abodriten), were a confederation of medieval West Slavic tribes within the territory of modern Mecklenburg and Holstein in northern Germany ( ...
leader in the early eleventh century. His name Udo, of
Germanic origin, was probably given him at his
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words '' Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ ...
baptism
Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost inv ...
, perhaps after his possible godfather,
Lothair Udo I of Stade. Udo's father,
Mistislaw, escaped in 1018 from a pagan Slavic uprising to Luneburg.
Since two contemporary Obodrite princes are recorded, Anadrag (Anatrog) and Gneus (Gnew), Udo's power could not have been that extensive. According to
Adam of Bremen
Adam of Bremen ( la, Adamus Bremensis; german: Adam von Bremen) (before 1050 – 12 October 1081/1085) was a German medieval chronicler. He lived and worked in the second half of the eleventh century. Adam is most famous for his chronicle '' Ges ...
and
Helmold
Helmold of Bosau (ca. 1120 – after 1177) was a Saxon historian of the 12th century and a priest at Bosau near Plön. He was a friend of the two bishops of Oldenburg in Holstein, Vicelinus (died 1154) and Gerold (died 1163), who did much to ...
following him, Udo was a ''male Christianus'' ("bad Christian"). He was assassinated in 1028 by a
Saxon
The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic
*
*
*
*
peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country ( Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the No ...
, allegedly for cruelty. By his wife, a
Dane, Udo left a son,
Gottschalk Gottschalk or Godescalc ( Old High German) is a male German name that can be translated literally as "servant of God". Latin forms include ''Godeschalcus'' and ''Godescalcus''.
Given name
* Godescalc of Benevento, 8th-century Lombard duke
*Godesca ...
, who later united the Obodrites under him and became a champion of Christianity.
1028 deaths
Obotrite princes
Year of birth unknown
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