Duchy of Saxony
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The mediæval Duchy of Saxony was a late Early Middle Ages "Carolingian stem duchy" covering the greater part of Northern Germany. It covered the area of the modern German states of Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Schleswig-Holstein, Saxony-Anhalt. Duke Henry the Lion occupied the area of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
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The Saxon people were one of the most robust groups in the late tribal culture of the times, and eventually bequeathed their tribe's name to a variety of more and more modern geo-political territories from Old Saxony near the mouth of the Elbe River, up the Elbe successively to eventually, the Kingdom of Saxony and the three Germany free states which bear the name today (see map at left).
[edit] History
[edit] Roman times
The first references to the Saxons were in Roman times. About 200–400, the Saxons, until then living north of the Elbe river in Holstein, gradually expanded and also occupied the area south of the river, the future Westphalia and Eastfalia. This was a likely result of internecine tribal warfare coupled with defeats inflicted by Roman arms on the tribes hitherto that were stronger and located in the area. In the 5th century, The Saxons, together with the neighboring tribes of the Angles and Jutes (both from territories on Jutland), invade and conquer much of the island of Britain in the Early Middle Ages after the Roman Empire withdrew from the isle. By the Early 6th century, The Saxons also expanded and settle territories on the banks of the Rhine, and possibly subsumed the Angles tribe north of Old Saxony.
[edit] Early Middle Ages
In 531, The Saxons and Franks allied and destroy the neighboring Kingdom of Thuringia. Saxons inhabit the Thuringia area down to the Unstrut river, thereby expanding both southerly and eastwards, an event which eventually bequeathed their names in the many German principalities containing the derivative "Saxe" within their names.
The 7th century brought the beginning of the Stem Duchy with the election of the first dukes, but their office had force only in wartime.
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[edit] Carolingian subjagation
- 718: The Frankish Charles Martel — Mayor of the Palace or de facto king — makes war against Saxony, because of its help for the Neustrians.
- 743: Carloman, son of Charles Martel, starts a new war against Saxony, because the Saxons gave aid to Duke Odilo of Bavaria.
- 772–804: Saxon Wars waged by Emperor Charlemagne, grandson of Charles Martel, against the Saxons:
- 772: Charlemagne occupies the Eresburg castle near Paderborn, the central Saxon stronghold, and destroys the Irminsul, the main Saxon place of worship to their traditional Northern deities.
- 773: Charlemagne goes to Italy. The Saxons take advantage of his absence and reoccupy the Eresburg.
- 774/775: Charlemagne again marches against Saxony. The Franks reoccupy the Eresburg castle, and the Sigiburg castle as well. At Höxter the Franks cross the Weser river and ravage the Eastphalian part of the Duchy.
- 776: Charles again in Italy. The Saxons reoccupy Eresburg and Sigiburg.
- 777: Charlemagne establishes the Karlsburg near Paderborn. He calls for the Heerschau. Some Saxons come and convert to the Christian religion.
- 779: The Saxon Duke Widukind of the House of the Bruons leads a new uprising and begins a war of attrition against the Franks. Charlemagne's army marches north to the Elbe river.
- 782: Charlemagne conducts his Blutgericht ("bloody trial") at Verden on the Aller river, ordering more than 4,500 Saxon prisoners killed. Charlemagne becomes known as "Charles the Butcher" in Saxony.
- 783: Battles near Detmold and at the Hasel river. The Saxons lose both. Duke Widukind retreats to the castle Widukindsburg near Osnabrück.
- 784: Battle in the Dreingau
- 785: The Franks capture Widukind. He is christened.
- 792–795: The Saxons again rise against the Franks.
- 796–799: Charlemagne orders a new campaign against the Saxons.
- 804: The last resistance of the Saxons is broken by the Franks.
[edit] Replacement of the stem duchy
- 804: The Duchy of Saxony, consisting of Engern, Westphalia, Eastphalia and Northalbingia (today Schleswig-Holstein) becomes part of the Franconian Empire.
- 852: Liudolf, Duke of Saxony, descendant of Widukind and first of the Ottonian dynasty, founds Gandersheim Abbey.
- 880: Bruno, son of Liudolf, is killed in a battle with Vikings. His younger brother Otto becomes Duke of Saxony.
- 912: Henry, son of Otto, succeeds him as Duke.
- 919: Henry of Saxony is elected King of the Germans by the assembled Saxon and Frankish princes in Fritzlar.
- 936: Henry's son, Otto I the Great, succeeds him and is crowned in Aachen as King of the Germans.
- 938: Hermann Billung becomes margrave ("Markgraf") of Saxony.
- 953: Otto I elevates Hermann Billung to viceduke of Saxony.
- 973: Otto I dies in Memleben; Otto II becomes Emperor. Hermann Billung dies in Quedlinburg; Bernhard I Billung becomes duke of Saxony.
- 983: Danish uprising in Hedeby. Slavonian uprising in Northalbingia. Otto III becomes Emperor.
- 1002: The death of Otto III marks the end of the Saxon emperors.
[edit] High Middle Ages
- 1011: Duke Bernhard I Billung dies; his son Bernhard II becomes duke.
- 1042: Ordulf Billung, son of Bernhard II, marries Wulfhild, the half-sister of King Magnus of Denmark and Norway. Danes and Saxons fight against the Wends.
- 1059: Ordulf Billung becomes Duke after the death of his father.
- 1072: Magnus Billung becomes Duke.
- 1106: Duke Magnus dies without heir, ending the Billung dynasty. The Billung territory becomes part of the Welf and Ascanian countries. Lothar of Supplinburg becomes Duke of Saxony.
- 1112: Otto of Ballenstedt created Duke by Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor.
- 1115: Victory of Lothar of Supplinburg in the battle of Welfesholz over King Henry V.
- 1125: Lothar of Supplinburg elected as German King and crowned Emperor, as Lothar II.
- 1137 Death of Lothar. The Welf Henry X the Proud, Duke of Bavaria since 1126, becomes Duke of Saxony, as Henry II.
- 1138: Henry X tries to become king, but without success. The Ascanian Albert the Bear becomes new Duke of Saxony.
- 1139: Death of Henry X.
- 1141: Albert the Bear resigns.
- 1142: Conrad III, King of the Romans and of Germany, grants the ducal title to the Welf Henry the Lion (as Henry III). Henry the Lion gradually extends his rule over northeastern Germany. After gaining also the Duchy of Bavaria, Henry's realm covers more than two thirds of Germany from the Alps to the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, making him the mightiest ruler in central Europe.
- 1180: Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor, strips his cousin Henry the Lion of his duchies of Saxony and Bavaria, giving Saxony to the Ascanians who were based further east. The Welfs later became kings of Hanover, Great Britain and Ireland (House of Hanover).
