Featured Viking Age Personage: Wittekind, King of the Saxons Born: About 760 AD Died: About: 807 AD Widukind (8th/9th centuries; modernized name Wittekind) was a pagan Saxon leader and the chief opponent of Charlemagne during the Saxon Wars. Widukind was the leader of the Saxons against the Frankish king Charlemagne (later emperor of the West). In 782, when Charlemagne organized Saxony as a Frankish province and ordered forced conversion of the pagan Saxons of Widukind, the Saxons resumed warfare against the Franks. In later times, Widukind became a symbol of Saxon independence and a figure of legend. Life Very little is known about Widukinds life. All sources about him stem from his enemies, the Franks, who painted a negative picture of Widukind, calling him an insurgent and a traitor. He was mentioned first in 777, when he was the only one of the Saxon nobles not to appear at Charlemagnes court in Paderborn. Instead, he stayed with the Danish king Siegfried (possibly Sigurd Ring). In 778, Widukind led battles against the Franks, while Charlemagne was busy in Spain. From 782 through 784, annual battles between Saxons and Franks occurred. While Widukind was considered the leader of the Saxon resistance by the Franks, his exact role in the military campaigns is unknown. Even though Widukind allied himself with the Frisians, Charlemagnes winter attacks of 784/785 were successful, and Widukind and his allies were pushed back beyond the River Elbe. In the Bardengau in 785, Widukind agreed to surrender in return for a guarantee that no bodily harm would be done to him. Widukind and his allies were then baptized in Attigny in 785, with Charlemagne as his godfather. There are no sources about Widukinds life or death after his baptism. It is assumed that he was imprisoned at a monastery — a fate that happened to other rulers deposed by Charlemagne. Reichenau Abbey has been identified as a likely location where Widukind may have spent the rest of his life. Alternatively, Widukind may have received a position in the administration of occupied Saxony. Later perception Since the 9th century, Widukind had been idolized as a mythical hero. Around 1100, a tomb for him was made in Enger; recent excavations have found that the contents of the tomb are indeed early medieval, but it is impossible to decide whether the body is Widukinds. When in the 10th century Saxon kings (of the Ottonian dynasty) replaced the Frankish kings in East Francia (the later Holy Roman Empire), these kings proudly claimed descent from Widukind: Matilda, the wife of King Henry I, was apparently a great-great-great-granddaughter of Widukind. The House of Billung, to which several Dukes of Saxony belonged, had Matildas sister among its ancestors and thus also claimed descent from Widukind. Legend Numerous legends developed around Widukinds life; he eventually appeared as a saintly figure (becoming Blessed Widukind) and the builder of many churches. He was later assumed to have died in 808; his feast day is commemorated on January 6. According to legend, Widukind experienced a vision that led to his conversion. Disguised as a beggar, he was spying on Charlemagnes troop camp during Easter. He witnessed a priest performing a Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the priest was holding a beautiful child during the consecration. To his astonishment, people would receive communion and the priest would give the same child to each person. Widukind was dumbfounded by this scenario and went to beg outside, following the end of the mass. One of the emperors servants recognized Widukind behind his disguise – due to an odd formation of one of his fingers – and Widukind was captured. He was interrogated and confessed to spying on Charlemagnes camp for the purpose of becoming better acquainted with the Christian faith. He later confessed the divine vision he had seen. The emperor concluded that God had given Widukind the grace of witnessing the divine child, Jesus, behind the Sacred Host of the Mass. Widukind then renounced his worship of pagan idols. According to myth, Widukind rode a black horse before his baptism and a white horse afterwards. A white or black horse can be found on many flags and coats of arms in England, Germany (state flags of North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony, Herford coat of arms), and the Netherlands (flag of Twente).
Posted on: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 15:51:52 +0000
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