Stellinga
Encyclopedia
The Stellinga was a movement of frilingi and lazzi
, the lower two of the three Saxon
non-slave castes, between 841 and 845. As its aim, it desired to recuperate those rights the two castes had had when practising Germanic paganism
in the 770s. At that time they had still possessed political rights and freedoms, which Charlemagne
, by winning over the highest nobility, had diminished, making them merely peasants. The movement was resisted by the uppermost caste, the nobiles
, with efforts to keep them in submission and Christian. The Stellinga also despised the codified Lex Saxonum
and wished to live in accordance only with ancient tribal custom.
, between the heirs of Louis the Pious
, the Stellinga had the support of Lothair I
, who promised to grant them the rights they had had when formerly pagan and whom they in turn promised to support for the throne of East Francia. Saxony, on the eve of the Stelling uprising, was divided into two noble factions: the Saxons supportive of Hattonid influence (and thus of imperial unity) and the Saxones sollicitati, who were allied with Louis the German
in his invasion of Alemannia in 839.
When Louis the Pious died, the German Louis deposed the Hattonid leader Banzleib from his royal offices and bestowed them on the Abbey of Corvey. Among Louis's chief supporters in Saxony were the Ecbertiner and the Bardonids. Having patronised new families and removed from power old ones, Louis the German made the Saxon aristocracy his organ of government there and forced his foes, such as Lothair, to look to the lower classes for support in Saxony.
, Annales Bertiniani
(written by Prudentius of Troyes
), Annales Fuldenses
(written by Rudolf of Fulda
), and the Historiae of Nithard
. Gerward, author of the Annales Xantenses, wrote under the year 841 that "throughout all of Saxony the power of the slaves rose up violently against their lords. They usurped for themselves the name Stellinga . . . [a]nd the nobles of that land were violently persecuted and humiliated by the slaves." Both Nithard and the Annales Bertiniani indicate that an anti-Christian reaction was prevalent among the Stellinga.
At Speyer
late in 841, Lothair and his young son Lothair II met the leaders of the Stellinga uprising, among other Saxon notables who were loyal to him. Louis the German
, however, marched against the Saxon "freedmen seeking to oppress their lawful lords" and "crushed [them] ruthlessly by sentencing the ringleaders to death". The Saxon nobilies themselves disarmed the movement with a brutal action in 843.
to Charlemagne, the near contemporary self-defence league formed by the peasantry of the Seine
basin and crushed by the nobility in 859, and the later Liutizi uprising in 983 in favour of Slavic paganism. It was the only popular revolt in Europe between the sixth century, when Gregory of Tours
records several riots in protest of Merovingian taxation, and the tenth century and the 983 rebellion.
The Stellinga uprising has been studied extensively and in detail by Marxist historians in East Germany. The Marxists formed two camps, those who saw the Stellinga as probably feudal dependents trying to free themselves from their obligations and those who saw them as essentially free men seeking to ward off the Feudalisierungsprozeß, the feudalisation of Germany. Marxist analysis has tended to ignore the simultaneous civil war in the Carolingian kingdoms and has mostly failed to explain why "exploitation" or "oppression" did not incite more revolts during the Dark Ages.
Freedman
A freedman is a former slave who has been released from slavery, usually by legal means. Historically, slaves became freedmen either by manumission or emancipation ....
, the lower two of the three Saxon
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...
non-slave castes, between 841 and 845. As its aim, it desired to recuperate those rights the two castes had had when practising Germanic paganism
Germanic paganism
Germanic paganism refers to the theology and religious practices of the Germanic peoples of north-western Europe from the Iron Age until their Christianization during the Medieval period...
in the 770s. At that time they had still possessed political rights and freedoms, which 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...
, by winning over the highest nobility, had diminished, making them merely peasants. The movement was resisted by the uppermost caste, the nobiles
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
, with efforts to keep them in submission and Christian. The Stellinga also despised the codified Lex Saxonum
Lex Saxonum
The Lex Saxonum are a series of laws issued by Charlemagne in 785 as part of his plan to subdue the Saxon nation. The law is thus a compromise between the traditional customs and statutes of the pagan Saxons and the established laws of the Frankish Empire....
and wished to live in accordance only with ancient tribal custom.
Saxon conditions 838–841
During the civil war of 840–843 in the Carolingian EmpireCarolingian 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...
, between the heirs of Louis the Pious
Louis the Pious
Louis the Pious , also called the Fair, and the Debonaire, was the King of Aquitaine from 781. He was also King of the Franks and co-Emperor with his father, Charlemagne, from 813...
, the Stellinga had the support of Lothair I
Lothair I
Lothair I or Lothar I was the Emperor of the Romans , co-ruling with his father until 840, and the King of Bavaria , Italy and Middle Francia...
, who promised to grant them the rights they had had when formerly pagan and whom they in turn promised to support for the throne of East Francia. Saxony, on the eve of the Stelling uprising, was divided into two noble factions: the Saxons supportive of Hattonid influence (and thus of imperial unity) and the Saxones sollicitati, who were allied with Louis the German
Louis the German
Louis the German , also known as Louis II or Louis the Bavarian, was a grandson of Charlemagne and the third son of the succeeding Frankish Emperor Louis the Pious and his first wife, Ermengarde of Hesbaye.He received the appellation 'Germanicus' shortly after his death in recognition of the fact...
in his invasion of Alemannia in 839.
When Louis the Pious died, the German Louis deposed the Hattonid leader Banzleib from his royal offices and bestowed them on the Abbey of Corvey. Among Louis's chief supporters in Saxony were the Ecbertiner and the Bardonids. Having patronised new families and removed from power old ones, Louis the German made the Saxon aristocracy his organ of government there and forced his foes, such as Lothair, to look to the lower classes for support in Saxony.
Uprising
The chief sources for the Stellinga are the Annales XantensesAnnales Xantenses
The Annales Xantenses or Annals of Xanten are a series of annals written, probably at Lorsch for the period 832 to 852 and at Cologne for the period until 873. The Lorsch author is probably Gerward, a royal chaplain, but the continuator is unknown...
, Annales Bertiniani
Annales Bertiniani
Annales Bertiniani, or The Annals of St. Bertin, are late Carolingian, Frankish annals that were found in the monastery of St. Bertin, after which they are named. Their account is taken to cover the period 830-82, thus continuing the Royal Frankish Annals , from which, however, it has circulated...
(written by Prudentius of Troyes
Prudentius of Troyes
Prudentius was bishop of Troyes, and a celebrated opponent of Hincmar of Reims in the controversy on predestination.-Life:Aragon was since 415 West-Gothic and in 812 became Frankish...
), Annales Fuldenses
Annales Fuldenses
The Annales Fuldenses or Annals of Fulda are East Frankish chronicles that cover independently the period from the last years of Louis the Pious to shortly after the end of effective Carolingian rule in East Francia with the accession of the child-king, Louis III, in 900...
(written by Rudolf of Fulda
Rudolf of Fulda
Rudolf of Fulda was a monk of the Benedictine monastery of Fulda, writer, theologian and teacher. He was a pupil of Rhabanus Maurus and befriended Louis the Pious, king of the Franks...
), and the Historiae of Nithard
Nithard
Nithard ca. , a Frankish historian, was the grandson of Charlemagne, by Bertha, a daughter of the emperor. His father was Angilbert.-Life and career:Nithard was born sometime before Charlemagne was crowned Imperator Augustus in December 800...
. Gerward, author of the Annales Xantenses, wrote under the year 841 that "throughout all of Saxony the power of the slaves rose up violently against their lords. They usurped for themselves the name Stellinga . . . [a]nd the nobles of that land were violently persecuted and humiliated by the slaves." Both Nithard and the Annales Bertiniani indicate that an anti-Christian reaction was prevalent among the Stellinga.
At Speyer
Speyer
Speyer is a city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany with approximately 50,000 inhabitants. Located beside the river Rhine, Speyer is 25 km south of Ludwigshafen and Mannheim. Founded by the Romans, it is one of Germany's oldest cities...
late in 841, Lothair and his young son Lothair II met the leaders of the Stellinga uprising, among other Saxon notables who were loyal to him. Louis the German
Louis the German
Louis the German , also known as Louis II or Louis the Bavarian, was a grandson of Charlemagne and the third son of the succeeding Frankish Emperor Louis the Pious and his first wife, Ermengarde of Hesbaye.He received the appellation 'Germanicus' shortly after his death in recognition of the fact...
, however, marched against the Saxon "freedmen seeking to oppress their lawful lords" and "crushed [them] ruthlessly by sentencing the ringleaders to death". The Saxon nobilies themselves disarmed the movement with a brutal action in 843.
Historiography
Modern historiography has often seen parallels between the Stellinga uprising and earlier Saxon resistanceSaxon 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...
to Charlemagne, the near contemporary self-defence league formed by the peasantry of the Seine
Seine
The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
basin and crushed by the nobility in 859, and the later Liutizi uprising in 983 in favour of Slavic paganism. It was the only popular revolt in Europe between the sixth century, when Gregory of Tours
Gregory of Tours
Saint Gregory of Tours was a Gallo-Roman historian and Bishop of Tours, which made him a leading prelate of Gaul. He was born Georgius Florentius, later adding the name Gregorius in honour of his maternal great-grandfather...
records several riots in protest of Merovingian taxation, and the tenth century and the 983 rebellion.
The Stellinga uprising has been studied extensively and in detail by Marxist historians in East Germany. The Marxists formed two camps, those who saw the Stellinga as probably feudal dependents trying to free themselves from their obligations and those who saw them as essentially free men seeking to ward off the Feudalisierungsprozeß, the feudalisation of Germany. Marxist analysis has tended to ignore the simultaneous civil war in the Carolingian kingdoms and has mostly failed to explain why "exploitation" or "oppression" did not incite more revolts during the Dark Ages.
Sources
- Goldberg, Eric J. "Popular Revolt, Dynastic Politics, and Aristocratic Factionalism in the Early Middle Ages: The Saxon Stellinga Reconsidered." SpeculumSpeculumThe term speculum, Latin for "mirror", and its plural specula, may refer to:* Speculum , a medical tool used for examining body cavities* Speculum , a journal of medieval studies published by the Medieval Academy of America...
, Vol. 70, No. 3. (Jul., 1995), pp 467–501. - Reuter, TimothyTimothy ReuterTimothy Alan Reuter , grandson of the former mayor of Berlin Ernst Reuter, was a German-British historian who specialized in the study of medieval Germany, particularly the social, military and ecclesiastical institutions of the Ottonian and Salian periods .Reuter received his D.phil from Oxford in...
. Germany in the Early Middle Ages 800–1056. New York: Longman, 1991. - Reuter, Timothy (trans.) The Annals of Fulda. (Manchester Medieval series, Ninth-Century Histories, Volume II.) Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1992.
- Thompson, James WestfallJames Westfall ThompsonJames Westfall Thompson was an American historian specializing in the history of medieval and early modern Europe, particularly of the Holy Roman Empire and France...
. Feudal Germany, Volume I. New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1928. - Thompson, James Westfall. "The Early History of the Saxons as a Field for the Study of German Social Origins." The American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 31, No. 5. (Mar., 1926), pp 601–616.
- Howorth, Henry H. "The Early Intercourse of the Franks and Danes. Part II." Transactions of the Royal Historical Society, Vol. 7. (1878), pp 1–29.
- Howorth, Henry H. "The Ethnology of Germany.-Part IV. The Saxons of Nether Saxony." The Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, Vol. 9. (1880), pp 406–436.
- Mayr-Harting, Henry. "Charlemagne, the Saxons, and the Imperial Coronation of 800." The English Historical Review, Vol. 111, No. 444. (Nov., 1996), pp 1113–1133.