Saxon Wars

• 1. The Burning Of Deventer

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  In January 772, a Saxon expedition set fire to the church of Deventer. This act served as the casus belli for Charlemagne's first war against the Saxons. The Frankish king entered Saxon territory shortly after with the intent to conquer. His forces subjugated the Engrians and destroyed their sacred symbol Irminsul near Paderborn in 772 or 773 at Eresburg. Irminsul may have been a hollow tree trunk representing the pillar supporting the skies. It was similar to the Nordic tree Yggdrasil and apparently a common belief among the Germanic peoples. Charlemagne's campaign led all the way to the Weser River and destroyed several major Saxon strongholds. He negotiated with some Saxon nobles and obtained hostages before turning his attention to his war against the Lombards in northern Italy. Saxon free tenants led by Widukind continued to resist and raided Frankish lands in the Rhine region. Armed confrontations continued unabated for years.

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• 2. Widukinds Persistent Resistance

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  Saxons were divided into four subgroups in four regions. Nearest to the Frankish kingdom of Austrasia was Westphalia, and farthest was Eastphalia. In between the two kingdoms was Engria or Engern. To the north at the base of the Jutland peninsula was Nordalbingia. Despite repeated setbacks, the Saxons resisted steadfastly. They returned to raid Charlemagne's domains as soon as he turned his attention elsewhere. Their main leader Widukind was a resilient and resourceful opponent. He fled to the Danes when Charlemagne returned very rapidly to Saxony in 776. A rebellion had destroyed his fortress at Eresburg. The Saxons were once again brought to heel though Widukind remained at large. Charlemagne built a camp at Karlstadt. In 777, he called an imperial diet at Paderborn to integrate Saxony fully into the Frankish kingdom. Many Saxons were baptised during this period. The Carmen de conversione Saxonum celebrates this event.

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• 3. The Massacre At Verden

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  In 782 Charlemagne returned to Saxony and instituted a code of law known as the Lex Frisionum. He appointed counts both Saxon and Frank. The laws were severe on religious issues namely the native paganism of the Saxons. This stirred a renewal of the old conflict. In the fall of 782 Widukind returned and led a revolt that resulted in many assaults on the church. The Saxons invaded the area of the Chatti a Germanic tribe already converted by Saint Boniface and firmly in Charlemagne's empire. Widukind won the Battle of Süntel while Charles was campaigning against the Sorbs. It was in response to this setback that Charlemagne ordered the beheading of 4,500 Saxons who had rebelled. Some historians have stated the massacre did not happen or that it was actually a battle. According to Alessandro Barbero none of these claims are credible. The action led to two straight years of constant warfare from 783 to 785. Charlemagne wintered in central Saxony at Minden. Gradually the Franks gained the upper hand.

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• 4. Capitulatio De Partibus Saxoniae

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  Charlemagne issued decrees designed to break Saxon resistance and to inflict capital punishment on anyone observing heathen practices or disrespecting the king's peace. His severe and uncompromising position earned him the title butcher of Saxons. His close adviser Alcuin of York urged leniency as God's word should be spread not by the sword but by persuasion. Missionaries mainly Anglo-Saxons from England were recruited to carry out this task. In 785 he issued the Capitulatio de partibus Saxoniae which asserts if any one of the race of the Saxons hereafter concealed among them shall have wished to hide himself unbaptized and shall have scorned to come to baptism and shall have wished to remain a pagan let him be punished by death. Alcuin took issue with the emperor's policy of forcing pagans to be baptised on pain of death arguing faith is a free act of the will not a forced act. He stated we must appeal to the conscience not compel it by violence. You can force people to be baptised but you cannot force them to believe. Charlemagne abolished the death penalty for paganism in 797.

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• 5. Final Suppression And Deportation

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  In 792 the Westphalians rose up against their masters in response to forcible recruitment for wars against the Avars. The Eastphalians and Nordalbingians joined them in 793 but the insurrection did not catch on as previous ones and was completely put down by 794. An Engrian rebellion followed closely in 796 but Charlemagne's personal presence and the presence of loyal Christian Saxons and Slavs immediately crushed it. In the Battle of Bornhöved in 798 the Obotrite allies of Charlemagne under Thrasco defeated the Nordalbingian Saxons killing 2,800, 4,000 of them. The last insurrection of the Engrian people occurred in 804 more than 30 years after Charlemagne's first campaign against them. This time the most unruly tribe of them all the Nordalbingians found themselves effectively disempowered to rebel. Charlemagne deported 10,000 of them to Neustria and gave their now vacant lands to the loyal king of the Obotrites. Einhard Charlemagne's biographer said on the closing of the conflict that the war had lasted so many years was at length ended by their acceding to the terms offered by the King.

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