DUCHY OF SAXONY

The 'Duchy of Saxony' was a mediæval 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.

Contents

History

See also

History

★ About 200–400: The Saxons, until then living north of the Elbe river in Holstein, occupy the area south of the river, the future Westphalia and Eastfalia.

★ 5th century: The Saxons, together with the Angles and Jutes, invade and conquer Britain.

★ Early 6th century: The Saxons come to the Rhine.

★ 531: Saxons and Franks destroy the Kingdom of Thuringia. Saxons inhabit the area down to the Unstrut river.

★ 7th century: Beginning of the Duchy with the election of the first dukes, but only in wartime.

★ 718: The Franconian Charles Martel makes war against Saxony, because of its help for the Neustrians.

★ 743: The Franconian Carloman 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:

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★ 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.

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★ 773: Charlemagne goes to Italy. The Saxons take advantage of his absence and reoccupy the Eresburg.

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★ 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 Eastfalian part of the Duchy.

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★ 776: Charles again in Italy. The Saxons reoccupy Eresburg and Sigiburg.

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★ 777: Charlemagne establishes the Karlsburg near Paderborn. He calls for the ''Heerschau''. Some Saxons come and convert to the Christian religion.

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★ 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.

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★ 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.

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★ 783: Battles near Detmold and at the Hasel river. The Saxons lose both. Duke Widukind retreats to the castle ''Widukindsburg'' near Osnabrück.

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★ 784: Battle in the ''Dreingau''

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★ 785: The Franks capture Widukind. He is christened.

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★ 792–795: The Saxons again rise against the Franks.

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★ 796–799: Charlemagne orders a new campaign against the Saxons.

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★ 804: The last resistance of the Saxons is broken by the Franks.

★ 804: The Duchy of Saxony, consisting of Engern, Westfalia, Eastfalia and Northalbingia (today Schleswig-Holstein) becomes part of the Franconian Empire.

★ 852: Liudolf, Duke in Saxony, descendant of Widukind and first of the Ottonian dynasty, founds the monastery of Gandersheim.

★ 880: Brun, 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 (Henry I the Fowler) 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 Vice Duke 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.

★ 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 Wendians.

★ 1059: Ordulf Billung becomes Duke after the death of his father.

★ 1072: Magnus Billung becomes Duke.

★ 1106: Duke Magnus dies without a son, 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 King Henry V.

★ 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.

★ 1137 Death of Lothar. The Welf Henry X the Proud, Duke of Bavaria since 1126, becomes Duke of Saxony.

★ 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: Emperor Conrad III grants the Ducal title to the Welf Henry the Lion. 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).

See also

★ Saxony (disambiguation)

★ History of Saxony

★ Rulers of Saxony

★ Duchess of Saxony