Frisian–Frankish wars
Encyclopedia
The Frisian–Frankish wars were a series of conflicts between the Frankish Empire
and the Frisian kingdom
in the 7th and 8th century.
The wars where mainly about control of the Rhine delta. But after the death of the Frisian king Redbad, the Franks gained the upper hand. In 734 at the Battle of the Boarn
the Frisians where defeated and the Franks annexed the Frisian lands between the Vlie
and the Lauwers
. Only the Frisians east of the Lauwers
remained independent. In 772
they lost their independence as well.
The wars ended with the last uprising of the Frisians in 793 and the pacification of the Frisians by Charles the Great
.
found the Frisians settled in the north and the west of the Low Countries
the Saxons
in the east, the Warnen at the mouth of the Rhine and the Franks further south around the Scheldt
; there, under the leading of their Merovingian kings, they had an important role in the politics in northern Gaul
.
The Frisians consisted of tribes with loose bonds, centered on war bands but without great power. In the second half of the 7th century the Frisian kingship reached its maximum geographic development. The Frisian kings became interested in former Frankish lands; under the leadership of the predecessors of Aldgisl
they expanded their power to the heart of the Low Countries. The presence of the Warnen at the mouth of the Rhine remains unclear, but it appears they were likely crushed between the Frisians and Franks.
(561-584) is mentioned in Frankish sources(which ones?) as the "terror of the Frisians and the Suebi
," there is evidence that around 600 the Frisians were successful in a war led by their king Audulf
. This allowed the Frisians to expand further south.
By 630 the situation had changed. The Merovingian king Dagobert I
brought the Frankish empire under one banner again and conquered the lands south of the Oude Rijn. This time they brought Christianity
to the Frisian lands and built a church in Utrecht
. After Dagobert died the Franks could not hold their position there, and around 650 the central river area, including Dorestad
became Frisian again. The manufacturing of Frankish coins stopped and the city of Utrecht
became the residence of the Frisian kings.
Under the rule of the king Aldgisl
the Frisians came in conflict with the Frankish mayor of the palace
Ebroin
. This time there was a conflict about the old Roman border fortifications. Aldgisl could keep the Franks at a distance with his army. In 678
he welcomed the English bishop
Wilfrid
, who like him was not a friend of the Franks.
Under the successor of Aldgisl, Redbad, the tide turned in favour of the Franks: in 690
the Franks were victorious in the battle of Dorestad
under the mayor of the palace
Pepin of Herstal. Though not all the consequences of this battle are clear, Dorestad
became Frankish again and also the castles of Utrecht
and Fechten. It is presumed that the influence of the Franks now reached from south of the Oude Rijn to the coast, but this is not entirely clear because the influence of the Frisians over the central river area was not entirely lost. In any case there was an Archbishopric or bishopric
of the Frisians founded for Willibrord
and a marriage was held between Grimoald the Younger
the oldest son of Pepin, and Thiadsvind
, the daughter of Redbad in 711
.
After Pepin died in 714
, Redbad took advantage of the battle for succession in Frankish lands; he made a treaty with the Frankish mayor of the palace Ragenfrid
so that in 716
his armies could enter the Frankish land as far as Cologne
, where they were victorious in the Battle of Cologne
. By this all lands south of the Rhine became Frisian again. The army returned to the north with a large war loot. Redbad made plans to invade the Frankish empire for the second time and mobilised a large army. But before he could do this he fell ill and died in the autumn
of 719.
It is not certain who the successor of Redbad was. It is believed that there were troubles with the succession, because the Frankish opponent Charles Martel
could easily invade Frisia and subjugated the land. The resistance was so weak that Charles Martel not only annexed Frisia Citerior ("nearer" Frisia south of the Rhine), but he also crossed the Rhine and annexed "farther" Frisia, to the banks of the river Vlie
.
, Charles Martel
sent an army against the Frisians. The Frisian king Poppo
was slain and his army pushed back to Eastergoa
. The next year, Charles ferried an army across the Aelmere with a fleet that enabled him to sail up to De Boarn. The Frisians were defeated in Battle of the Boarn
that followed, and their king, Poppo, was killed. The victors plundered and burned heathen sanctuaries. Charles Martel returned with much loot, and broke the power of the Frisian kings for good. The Franks annexed the Frisian lands between the Vlie
and the Lauwers
.
brought an end to the independence of the Frisians east of the Lauwers
as well, expanding the Frankish Empire further to the east. The war began with a campaign against the East Frisians and was then continued against the Saxons
, where the Saxon Wars
would last for thirty-two years.
In 772
, Charles attacked the Frisians east of the Lauwers and the Saxons with a large army. He defeated them in several battles and so the last independent Frisian lands and the lands of the Saxons came into Frankish hands.
set out for Frisia in 754 with a small retinue. He baptized a great number and summoned a general meeting for confirmation at a place not far from Dokkum
, between Franeker
and Groningen. Instead of the converts he expected, a group of armed inhabitants appeared, who slew the aged archbishop. The Frisian warriors were angry, since he had destroyed their shrines. Boniface's hagiographer reports that the Frisians killed the saint because they believed the chests he carried with him contained gold and other riches, but were dismayed when they discovered that the chest only contained the bishop's books.
the Saxons kept resisting the Franks. In 782
the Frisians east of the Lauwers
also began an uprising against the Franks. The uprising expanded to Frisian lands in the west that had been pacified earlier. This led to a massive return to paganism
by the population; marauders burned churches, and priests, such as Ludger
, had to flee south.
In response Charlemagne
organized a new campaign in 783
, which was to restore control among the Saxons first and later among the Frisians. The Frisians aided Widukind against the Franks in 784
by sending him an army. It did not help him much and he had to surrender in 785
and the Frisian uprising was severely repressed by the Franks.
the Frisians revolted for the last time against Charlemagne
. The reason for this was the forceful recruiting of Frisians and Saxons for the war against the Avars
in the east. Under the leading of the Dukes
Unno
and Eilrad
, an uprising emerged east of the Lauwers
and spread to other Frisian lands. This led to a temporary return to paganism, and again priests had to flee.
This uprising was also suppressed by the Franks.
Carolingian Empire
Carolingian Empire is a historiographical term which has been used to refer to the realm of the Franks under the Carolingian dynasty in the Early Middle Ages. This dynasty is seen as the founders of France and Germany, and its beginning date is based on the crowning of Charlemagne, or Charles the...
and the Frisian kingdom
Frisian kingdom
The Frisian Kingdom , also known as Magna Frisia, was a kingdom in what is now the Netherlands and northern Germany, established around 600 AD...
in the 7th and 8th century.
The wars where mainly about control of the Rhine delta. But after the death of the Frisian king Redbad, the Franks gained the upper hand. In 734 at the Battle of the Boarn
Battle of the Boarn
The Battle of the Boarn was an eighth century battle between the Franks and the Frisians near the mouth of the river Boarn in what is now the Dutch province of Friesland....
the Frisians where defeated and the Franks annexed the Frisian lands between the Vlie
Vlie
The Vlie or Vliestroom is the seaway between the Dutch islands of Vlieland, to its southwest, and Terschelling, to its northeast. The Vlie was the estuary of the river IJssel in medieval times...
and the Lauwers
Lauwers
The Lauwers is a river in the Netherlands. It forms part of the border between the provinces of Friesland and Groningen. From the 730's to Widukind's defeat in 785 it was part of the border of the Frankish Empire....
. Only the Frisians east of the Lauwers
Lauwers
The Lauwers is a river in the Netherlands. It forms part of the border between the provinces of Friesland and Groningen. From the 730's to Widukind's defeat in 785 it was part of the border of the Frankish Empire....
remained independent. In 772
772
Year 772 was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 772 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Frankish king Charlemagne starts fighting...
they lost their independence as well.
The wars ended with the last uprising of the Frisians in 793 and the pacification of the Frisians by Charles the Great
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
.
Background
The result of the displacements of peoples during the Migration PeriodMigration Period
The Migration Period, also called the Barbarian Invasions , was a period of intensified human migration in Europe that occurred from c. 400 to 800 CE. This period marked the transition from Late Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages...
found the Frisians settled in the north and the west of the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
the Saxons
Saxons
The Saxons were a confederation of Germanic tribes originating on the North German plain. The Saxons earliest known area of settlement is Northern Albingia, an area approximately that of modern Holstein...
in the east, the Warnen at the mouth of the Rhine and the Franks further south around the Scheldt
Scheldt
The Scheldt is a 350 km long river in northern France, western Belgium and the southwestern part of the Netherlands...
; there, under the leading of their Merovingian kings, they had an important role in the politics in northern Gaul
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
.
The Frisians consisted of tribes with loose bonds, centered on war bands but without great power. In the second half of the 7th century the Frisian kingship reached its maximum geographic development. The Frisian kings became interested in former Frankish lands; under the leadership of the predecessors of Aldgisl
Aldgisl
Aldegisel, Aldegisl, Aldgillis, Aldgisl, Aldgils or Eadgils was the ruler of Frisia in the late seventh century contemporarily with Dagobert II and a very obscure figure...
they expanded their power to the heart of the Low Countries. The presence of the Warnen at the mouth of the Rhine remains unclear, but it appears they were likely crushed between the Frisians and Franks.
Rhine delta control
Though the Merovingian king of the Franks Chilperic IChilperic I
Chilperic I was the king of Neustria from 561 to his death. He was one of the sons of the Frankish king Clotaire I and Queen Aregund....
(561-584) is mentioned in Frankish sources(which ones?) as the "terror of the Frisians and the Suebi
Suebi
The Suebi or Suevi were a group of Germanic peoples who were first mentioned by Julius Caesar in connection with Ariovistus' campaign, c...
," there is evidence that around 600 the Frisians were successful in a war led by their king Audulf
Audulf
Audulf or Audwulf, was a Frisian king at the time of the Great Völkerwanderung, .Nowadays historians mostly think that there has been a Frisian king in the first half of the 7th century with the name Audulf, containing the words adel and wolf. The land this king ruled was probably the central...
. This allowed the Frisians to expand further south.
By 630 the situation had changed. The Merovingian king Dagobert I
Dagobert I
Dagobert I was the king of Austrasia , king of all the Franks , and king of Neustria and Burgundy . He was the last Merovingian dynast to wield any real royal power...
brought the Frankish empire under one banner again and conquered the lands south of the Oude Rijn. This time they brought Christianity
Christianization
The historical phenomenon of Christianization is the conversion of individuals to Christianity or the conversion of entire peoples at once...
to the Frisian lands and built a church in Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
. After Dagobert died the Franks could not hold their position there, and around 650 the central river area, including Dorestad
Dorestad
In the Early Middle Ages, Dorestad was the largest settlement of northwestern Europe. It was a large, flourishing trading place, three kilometers long, situated where the rivers Rhine and Lek diverge southeast of Utrecht in the Netherlands near the modern town of Wijk bij Duurstede...
became Frisian again. The manufacturing of Frankish coins stopped and the city of Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
became the residence of the Frisian kings.
Under the rule of the king Aldgisl
Aldgisl
Aldegisel, Aldegisl, Aldgillis, Aldgisl, Aldgils or Eadgils was the ruler of Frisia in the late seventh century contemporarily with Dagobert II and a very obscure figure...
the Frisians came in conflict with the Frankish 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....
Ebroin
Ebroin
Ebroin was the Frankish mayor of the palace of Neustria on two occasions; firstly from 658 to his deposition in 673 and secondly from 675 to his death in 680 or 681...
. This time there was a conflict about the old Roman border fortifications. Aldgisl could keep the Franks at a distance with his army. In 678
678
Year 678 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 678 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* April 27 – Japanese Emperor Temmu holds...
he welcomed the English bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
Wilfrid
Wilfrid
Wilfrid was an English bishop and saint. Born a Northumbrian noble, he entered religious life as a teenager and studied at Lindisfarne, at Canterbury, in Gaul, and at Rome; he returned to Northumbria in about 660, and became the abbot of a newly founded monastery at Ripon...
, who like him was not a friend of the Franks.
690
Year 690 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 690 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* Beginning of Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty in China...
the Franks were victorious in the battle of Dorestad
Battle of Dorestad
The Battle of Dorested was an Seventh century battle between the Franks and the Frisians. The battle took place around 690 by the capital city of the Frisians close to the Rhine. The Franks were victorious in the battle under the mayor of the palace Pepin of Herstal...
under 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....
Pepin of Herstal. Though not all the consequences of this battle are clear, Dorestad
Dorestad
In the Early Middle Ages, Dorestad was the largest settlement of northwestern Europe. It was a large, flourishing trading place, three kilometers long, situated where the rivers Rhine and Lek diverge southeast of Utrecht in the Netherlands near the modern town of Wijk bij Duurstede...
became Frankish again and also the castles of Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
and Fechten. It is presumed that the influence of the Franks now reached from south of the Oude Rijn to the coast, but this is not entirely clear because the influence of the Frisians over the central river area was not entirely lost. In any case there was an Archbishopric or bishopric
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of the Frisians founded for Willibrord
Willibrord
__notoc__Willibrord was a Northumbrian missionary saint, known as the "Apostle to the Frisians" in the modern Netherlands...
and a marriage was held between Grimoald the Younger
Grimoald the Younger
Grimoald II , called the Younger, was the mayor of the palace of Neustria from 695. He was the second son of Pepin of Heristal and Plectrude 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 , daughter of...
the oldest son of Pepin, and Thiadsvind
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...
, the daughter of Redbad in 711
711
Year 711 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 711 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* April 30 – Ummayad troops led by...
.
After Pepin died in 714
714
Year 714 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 714 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* February 28 – An earthquake strikes...
, Redbad took advantage of the battle for succession in Frankish lands; he made a treaty with the Frankish mayor of the palace Ragenfrid
Ragenfrid
Ragenfrid was the mayor of the palace of Neustria and Burgundy from 715, when he filled the vacuum in Neustria caused by the death of Pepin of Heristal, until 718, when Charles Martel finally established himself over the whole Frankish kingdom.His original centre of power was the Véxin...
so that in 716
716
Year 716 was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 716 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* Inal Khan succeeds Kapagan Khan and Bilge...
his armies could enter the Frankish land as far as Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, where they were victorious in the Battle of Cologne
Battle of Cologne
The Battle of Cologne was fought near the city of Köln in the year 716. The battle is known chiefly as the first battle of Charles Martel's command and is the only defeat of his life....
. By this all lands south of the Rhine became Frisian again. The army returned to the north with a large war loot. Redbad made plans to invade the Frankish empire for the second time and mobilised a large army. But before he could do this he fell ill and died in the autumn
Autumn
Autumn is one of the four temperate seasons. Autumn marks the transition from summer into winter usually in September or March when the arrival of night becomes noticeably earlier....
of 719.
It is not certain who the successor of Redbad was. It is believed that there were troubles with the succession, because the Frankish opponent 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...
could easily invade Frisia and subjugated the land. The resistance was so weak that Charles Martel not only annexed Frisia Citerior ("nearer" Frisia south of the Rhine), but he also crossed the Rhine and annexed "farther" Frisia, to the banks of the river Vlie
Vlie
The Vlie or Vliestroom is the seaway between the Dutch islands of Vlieland, to its southwest, and Terschelling, to its northeast. The Vlie was the estuary of the river IJssel in medieval times...
.
The end of independent Frisia
In 733733
Year 733 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 733 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Leo III the Isaurian withdraws the...
, 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...
sent an army against the Frisians. The Frisian king Poppo
Poppo (Frisian)
Poppo , also known as Bubo or Bobba, was a king of Frisia from the 8th century. After Aldgisl and Radboud he is the third Frisian ruler mentioned in the literature. He is possibly the last Frisian king...
was slain and his army pushed back to Eastergoa
Eastergoa
Eastergoa was one of the seven areas and one of the three gaue that lay within the borders of the today's Frisian province of Friesland in The Netherlands.- Area :...
. The next year, Charles ferried an army across the Aelmere with a fleet that enabled him to sail up to De Boarn. The Frisians were defeated in Battle of the Boarn
Battle of the Boarn
The Battle of the Boarn was an eighth century battle between the Franks and the Frisians near the mouth of the river Boarn in what is now the Dutch province of Friesland....
that followed, and their king, Poppo, was killed. The victors plundered and burned heathen sanctuaries. Charles Martel returned with much loot, and broke the power of the Frisian kings for good. The Franks annexed the Frisian lands between the Vlie
Vlie
The Vlie or Vliestroom is the seaway between the Dutch islands of Vlieland, to its southwest, and Terschelling, to its northeast. The Vlie was the estuary of the river IJssel in medieval times...
and the Lauwers
Lauwers
The Lauwers is a river in the Netherlands. It forms part of the border between the provinces of Friesland and Groningen. From the 730's to Widukind's defeat in 785 it was part of the border of the Frankish Empire....
.
Anexation of East Frisia
The Frankish king Charles the GreatCharlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
brought an end to the independence of the Frisians east of the Lauwers
Lauwers
The Lauwers is a river in the Netherlands. It forms part of the border between the provinces of Friesland and Groningen. From the 730's to Widukind's defeat in 785 it was part of the border of the Frankish Empire....
as well, expanding the Frankish Empire further to the east. The war began with a campaign against the East Frisians and was then continued against the Saxons
Saxons
The Saxons were a confederation of Germanic tribes originating on the North German plain. The Saxons earliest known area of settlement is Northern Albingia, an area approximately that of modern Holstein...
, where the Saxon Wars
Saxon Wars
The Saxon Wars were the campaigns and insurrections of the more than thirty years from 772, when Charlemagne first entered Saxony with the intent to conquer, to 804, when the last rebellion of disaffected tribesmen was crushed. In all, eighteen battles were fought in what is now northwestern Germany...
would last for thirty-two years.
In 772
772
Year 772 was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 772 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Frankish king Charlemagne starts fighting...
, Charles attacked the Frisians east of the Lauwers and the Saxons with a large army. He defeated them in several battles and so the last independent Frisian lands and the lands of the Saxons came into Frankish hands.
Murder of Saint Boniface
The first Frisian bishop BonifaceSaint Boniface
Saint Boniface , the Apostle of the Germans, born Winfrid, Wynfrith, or Wynfryth in the kingdom of Wessex, probably at Crediton , was a missionary who propagated Christianity in the Frankish Empire during the 8th century. He is the patron saint of Germany and the first archbishop of Mainz...
set out for Frisia in 754 with a small retinue. He baptized a great number and summoned a general meeting for confirmation at a place not far from Dokkum
Dokkum
Dokkum is a Dutch fortified town in the municipality of Dongeradeel in the province of Friesland. It has 13,145 inhabitants . The fortifications of Dokkum are well preserved and are known as the bolwerken . - History :...
, between Franeker
Franeker
Franeker is one of the eleven historical cities of Friesland and capital of the municipality of Franekeradeel. It is located about 20 km west of Leeuwarden on the Van Harinxma Canal. As of 1 January 2006, it had 12,996 inhabitants. The city is famous for the Eisinga Planetarium from around...
and Groningen. Instead of the converts he expected, a group of armed inhabitants appeared, who slew the aged archbishop. The Frisian warriors were angry, since he had destroyed their shrines. Boniface's hagiographer reports that the Frisians killed the saint because they believed the chests he carried with him contained gold and other riches, but were dismayed when they discovered that the chest only contained the bishop's books.
Uprising of 782-785
Under the leading of WidukindWidukind
Widukind 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...
the Saxons kept resisting the Franks. In 782
782
Year 782 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 782 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Charlemagne summons the monk and scholar...
the Frisians east of the Lauwers
Lauwers
The Lauwers is a river in the Netherlands. It forms part of the border between the provinces of Friesland and Groningen. From the 730's to Widukind's defeat in 785 it was part of the border of the Frankish Empire....
also began an uprising against the Franks. The uprising expanded to Frisian lands in the west that had been pacified earlier. This led to a massive return to paganism
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
by the population; marauders burned churches, and priests, such as Ludger
Ludger
Saint Ludger was a missionary among the Frisians and Saxons, founder of Werden Abbey and first Bishop of Münster in Westphalia....
, had to flee south.
In response Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
organized a new campaign in 783
783
Year 783 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 783 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Byzantine Empire :* Campaigns of the Byzantine...
, which was to restore control among the Saxons first and later among the Frisians. The Frisians aided Widukind against the Franks in 784
784
Year 784 was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 784 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* The Japanese capital moves away from Nara,...
by sending him an army. It did not help him much and he had to surrender in 785
785
Year 785 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. The article denomination 785 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years...
and the Frisian uprising was severely repressed by the Franks.
Uprising of 793
In 793793
Year 793 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 793 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* June 8 – Vikings sack the monastery...
the Frisians revolted for the last time against Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
. The reason for this was the forceful recruiting of Frisians and Saxons for the war against the Avars
Eurasian Avars
The Eurasian Avars or Ancient Avars were a highly organized nomadic confederacy of mixed origins. They were ruled by a khagan, who was surrounded by a tight-knit entourage of nomad warriors, an organization characteristic of Turko-Mongol groups...
in the east. Under the leading of the Dukes
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
Unno
Unno
Unno was a duke from the medieval Frisian Rüstringen shire.In 792 Unno conducted the Frisians together with Eilrad an other leader, in their revolt against the Frankish empire of Charlemagne. This revolt had as resulted that Frisians temporarily fell back to their old pagan beliefs...
and Eilrad
Eilrad
Eilrad was a Frisian Duke from the medieval shire Rüstringen.In 793 carried Eilrad with Unno, another leader, the Frisians in their revolt against the Frankish Empire from Charlemagne. This rebellion resulted that the Frisians temporarily fell back to their old pagan religion. Christian...
, an uprising emerged east of the Lauwers
Lauwers
The Lauwers is a river in the Netherlands. It forms part of the border between the provinces of Friesland and Groningen. From the 730's to Widukind's defeat in 785 it was part of the border of the Frankish Empire....
and spread to other Frisian lands. This led to a temporary return to paganism, and again priests had to flee.
This uprising was also suppressed by the Franks.
Literature
- D.P. Blok (3de druk 1979), De Franken in Nederland, Fibula-Van Dishoeck, Haarlem, ISBN 9022837394
- H. Halbertsma (1982), Frieslands Oudheid (pdf-file)