Wikipedia

Frisian Kingdom

TheFrisian Kingdom(West Frisian:Fryske Keninkryk) is a modern name for thepost-RomanFrisian realm inWestern Europein the period when it was at its largest (650–734). This dominion was ruled by kings and emerged in the mid-7th century and probably ended with theBattle of the Boarnin 734 when the Frisians were defeated by theFrankish Empire.It lay mainly in what is now the Netherlands and – according to some 19th century authors – extended from theZwinnearBrugesin Belgium to theWeserin Germany. The center of power was the city ofUtrecht.

Frisian Kingdom
Fryske Keninkryk(West Frisian)
c. 600–734
The Frisian Realm. The Frisian Kingdom covered only several the western district, and ended in 719, or, at its latest 734.
The Frisian Realm. The Frisian Kingdom covered only several the western district, and ended in 719, or, at its latest 734.
CapitalDorestad
Traiectum(Utrecht)
Common languagesOld Frisian
Religion
Germanic paganism
Demonym(s)Frisian
GovernmentMonarchy
King
•c. 650– c. 680
Aldgisl
•c. 680–719
Redbad
• 719–734
Poppo
History
• Established
c. 600
• Disestablished
734
CurrencySceat[1]
Preceded by		 Succeeded by
Germania
Francia
Today part ofNetherlands
Germany
Belgium

In medieval writings, the region is designated by the Latin termFrisia.There is a dispute among historians about the extent of this realm; There is no documentary evidence for the existence of a permanent central authority. Possibly, Frisia consisted of multiplepetty kingdoms,which transformed in time of war to a unit to resist invading powers, and then headed by an elected leader, theprimus inter pares.It is possible thatRedbadestablished an administrative unit. Among the Frisians at that time, there was nofeudal system.[2]

Pre-Migration Period

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The ancientFrisiiwere living in the low-lying region between theZuiderzeeand theRiver Ems.In theGermanicpre-Migration Period(i.e., before c. AD 300) the Frisii and the relatedChauci,Saxons, andAnglesinhabited theContinentalEuropean coast from theZuyder Zeeto southJutland.[3]All of these peoples shared a commonmaterial culture,and so cannot be defined archaeologically.[4]What little is known of these early Frisii and their kings is provided by a few Roman accounts about two Frisian kings visiting Rome in the 1st century:Malorix and Verritus.It has been postulated that by AD 400 the Frisii abandoned the land and disappeared from archeological records. However, recent excavations in the dunes ofKennemerlandshow clear evidence of a continuous habitation.[5][6]

Migration Period

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Frisia sufferedmarine transgressionsthat made the land largely uninhabitable during the 3rd to 5th centuries. Whatever population may have remained dropped dramatically.[7][8][9]

In the 6th century, Frisia received an influx of new settlers, mostlyAngles,Saxons,andJutes,who would come to be known as "Frisians"even though they were not necessarily descended from the ancient Frisii.[10]

A legendary king of the Migration Period isFinn,associated with theBattle of Finnsburg.In the story, the young Danish princeHnæf,was staying as an invited guest of the Frisian kingFinn.For reasons unknown, a battle broke out between the two parties, probably started by the Frisian side,[11]and Hnæf was killed. Hnæf's retainerHengesttook command, and the sides engaged in apeace treaty;but Hengest and the Danes later avenged Hnæf's death and slaughtered the Frisians. Some late 6th or early 7th-century coins in the Merovingian style survive that commemorate an obscure figure known asAudulf.[12]Some Dutch historians consider him to have been a regional lord or king[13]although he is otherwise unattested.

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 with its center of power inDorestad.[14]

Social classes

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The earliest Frisian records name four social classes, theethelings(nobilesin Latin documents) andfrilings,who together made up the "Free Frisians" who might bring suit at court, and thelatenorlitenwith theslaves,who were absorbed into thelatenduring theEarly Middle Ages,as slavery was not so much formally abolished, as evaporated.[a]Thelatenwere tenants of lands they did not own and might be tied to it in the manner ofserfs,but in later times might buy their freedom.[15]: 202 

History of wars

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Main article:Frisian-Frankish Wars

The exact title of the Frisian rulers depends on the source. Frankish sources tend to call them dukes; other sources often call them kings. Only three Frisian rulers are named in contemporary written sources.

Aldgisl

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Under the rule of the kingAldgisl,the Frisians came in conflict with the Frankishmayor of the palaceEbroin,over the old Roman border fortifications. Aldgisl could keep the Franks at a distance with his army. In 678 he welcomed the EnglishbishopWilfrid,who, like him, was not a friend of the Franks.[16]: 795 While Wilfrid was at Aldegisel's court,Ebroinoffered Aldegisel a bushel of gold coins in return for Wilfrid, alive or dead. Aldegisel himself is said to have torn up and burned the letter from the Frankish mayor in front of the ambassadors and his household. It has been surmised by some that Aldegisel's kindness to Wilfrid was a mode of defiance of Frankish domination. During his stay, Wilfrid attempted to convert the Frisians, who were still pagan at that time. Wilfrid's biographer says that most of the nobles converted,[17]but the success was short-lived.[18]

Redbad

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Frisiansceattasc.710–735
Great fibula ofWinaamfrom the 7th century, found in 1953

In 680,Aldgisldied and was succeeded by his sonRedbad, King of the Frisians.While Aldgisl[19]had welcomedChristianityinto his realm, Redbad attempted to extirpate the religion and free the Frisians from subjugation to theMerovingiankingdom of the Franks. In 689, however, Redbad was defeated byPepin of Herstalin the battle ofDorestad[20]and compelled to cede Frisia Citerior (Nearer Frisia) to theFranks.

Thebattle of Dorestadtook place around 690 by the capital city of the Frisians close to theRhine.The Franks were victorious in the battle under theAustrasianmayor of the palace,Pepin of Herstal.[21]DorestadandUtrechtfell into the hands of Pepin, this gave the Franks control of important trade routes on theRhineto theNorth Sea.Following this defeat, Redbad retreated to the island ofHeligoland.Willibrord,a student of Wilfred's, was sent to christianise the pagan Frisians at the request of Pepin, who had nominalsuzeraintyover the region. On 21 November 695Pope Sergius Igave him apalliumand consecrated him as bishop of the Frisians.[22]He returned to Frisia to preach and establish churches, among them a monastery atUtrecht,where he built his cathedral. Willibrord is counted the firstBishop of Utrecht.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 aCatholic ChurchmissiontopaganFrisia with amonasteryandepiscopal see in Utrechtfrom 695, founded forWillibrord,[23][24][25]and a marriage was arranged betweenGrimoald the Youngerthe oldest son of Pepin, andThiadsvind,the daughter of Redbad, in 711.[16]: 794 

After Pepin died, in 714, Redbad took advantage of the battle for succession inFranciaand regained southern Frisia. He made a treaty with theNeustrasianmayor of the palace,Ragenfrid. In 716, theking of the Franks,Chilperic II,andRagenfrid,themayor of the palaceofNeustria,invadedAustrasiato impose their will on the competing factions there: those ofTheudoaldandPlectrude,Pepin's heir and widow respectively, and those of Martel himself, newly escaped from Plectrude's Cologne prison and acclaimed mayor of the palace of Austrasia. SimultaneouslyRedbad, King of Frisiainvaded Austrasia, forcingSaint Willibrordand his monks to flee, and allied with the king and the Neustrians. Outside of Cologne, held by Plectrude, an ill-prepared Charles Martel was defeated by Redbad, and forced to flee to the mountains of theEifel.Cologne fell after a shortsiegeto Chilperic, the Frisians and the Neustrians.[26]Once in the mountains of the Eifel, Charles began to rally his supporters, and in short order was ready to do battle. Many Austrasians, under attack by Neustrians, Frisians, and Saxons in the northeast likely rallied behind Martel because he was the only surviving adult male of the Pippinnid family.[27]His forces then attacked the army ofChilperic IIand his allies at theBattle of AmblèvenearAmelas they returned triumphantly fromCologne.[28]Martel used afeigned retreat,falling on his foes as they rested at midday, and feigning falling back to draw them fully out of a defensive position, where he defeated them, devastating the Frisian army. Willibrord was then joined byBoniface,anAnglo-Saxonbishop. They spent a year together attempting to convert the Frisians to Christianity, but their efforts were frustrated when Redbad retook possession of Frisia, burning churches and killing many missionaries.[29]Willibrord and Boniface were forced to flee to the protection ofCharles Martel.The Frisian army returned to the north with a large war loot. Redbad made plans to invade Francia for the second time and mobilised a large army, but before he could do this he died of an illness in 719. It is not certain who the successor of Redbad was. It is believed that there were troubles with the succession, because the Frankish opponentCharles Martelcould easily invade Frisia and subjugate the land. The resistance was so weak that Charles Martel not only annexedFrisia Citerior( "nearer" Frisia south of the Rhine), but he also crossed the Rhine and annexed "farther" Frisia, to the banks of the riverVlie.[16]: 795 Now protected by the Franks,Willibrordreturned to Frisia.[30]: 90 

Poppo

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There was a rebellion against Frankish rule in the region ofWestergoin 733, which Charles put down.[31]The inhabitants gave hostages, converted to Christianity and recognised Frankish overlordship, but after Charles left they were punished by their fellow Frisians. The next year, the Frisians rebelled again, this time under the leadership of KingPoppo.Charles gathered a large fleet and ferried an army across theAlmerefor a naval invasion. Initial landings onWestergoandOostergo[32]encountered no resistance, since Charles's aim was to bring Poppo to heel. This time no punitive measures were taken against the Frisians.[31]Charles and Poppo's armies met on the banks of the riverBoarn,perhaps atOldeboorne,one of the Frisians' chief commercial centers at the time.[31]The Franks appear to have coveted the trade that passed through there and throughDomburgandDorestad.[33]The Frisians commanded by Poppo used boats to land their army and surprise the Franks. However the Franks had constructed a fortified encampment once on shore and the Frisian army was defeated in theBattle of the Boarn.Poppo was killed in combat and his army was pushed back toEastergoa.[31][28][30]The death of Poppo marked an important phase in the destruction of Frisian paganism. Charles ordered pagan shrines and sanctuaries to be destroyed and carried back to Francia "a great mass of spoils" (magna spolia et praeda).[31]

The Franks annexed the Frisian lands between theVlieand theLauwers.In 752/753Bonifacewrote a letter toPope Stephen II,in which it is said that Willibrord destroyed the Frisian pagan sanctuaries and temples.[34]In theLifewritten by Alcuin are two texts about Willibrord and pagan places of worship. In one he arrived with his companions inWalcherenin the Netherlands where he smashed a sculpture of the ancient religion.[35]In the second text passage Willibord arrived on an island called Fositesland (possiblyHeligoland) where a pagan god namedFositewas worshipped. Here he despoiled this god of its sanctity by using the god's sacred well for baptisms and the sacred cattle for food.[36][37]Emboldened by the success of the Frankish subjugation of Frisia,Bonifacereturned in 754 to once again attempt to convert the Frisians. He baptized a great number and summoned a general meeting for confirmation at a place not far fromDokkum,betweenFranekerandGroningen.Instead of the converts he expected, a group of armed inhabitants appeared. The Frisian warriors were angry because he had destroyed their shrines and slew the archbishop, looting his chests and destroying his books.

After the Frankish conquest

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The Danish kingGudfredwho in 810 let his fleet invade Frisia. 17th century engraving.

In 772, the Frankish kingCharlemagneattacked the Frisians east of theLauwerswith a large army. He defeated them in several battles and so brought an end to the Frisian independence, expanding the Frankish Empire further to the east, where theSaxon Warswould begin. The Saxon leaderWidukindorganized resistance to the Franks, in 782 the Frisians east of the Lauwers also joined the uprising. The uprising expanded to Frisian lands in the west that had been pacified earlier. This led to an en masse return to paganism by the population, marauders burned churches and the priests had to flee south. The Carolingians conquered the area east of the Lauwers in 785, whenCharlemagnedefeatedWidukind.They laid Frisia under the rule ofgrewan,a title that has been loosely related tocountin its early sense of "governor" rather than "feudal overlord".[15]: 205 Charlemagne eventually crushed this revolt, but faced another uprising by the Frisians in 793 - driven by the conscription of Frisians into the Frankish army. Under the leadership ofdukesUnnoandEilrad,[30]: 310 the uprising arose east of theLauwersand spread to other Frisian lands. This again led to a temporary return to paganism, and again priests had to flee. This uprising was also suppressed by the Franks. During this timeCharlemagneimposed theLex Frisionum,a penal code which stratified Frisia into Nobility, Freemen, Serfs and Slaves.

In 810 the Danish kingGudfredlet a fleet consisting of 200 ships invade Frisia, and claiming the territory as a part of hisDanish kingdom.The Danish king though was shortly after the invasion killed by one of his own men, and his fleet withdrew to Denmark before it came to any clash with regular Frankish forces.

Frisia was granted to the Danish VikingRorik of Dorestad[38]between 841 and 880, followed by another Danish VikingGodfrid, Duke of Frisiauntil he was killed in 885.[39]The area was subsequently underGerolf of Holland.[40]

Before 1101, sources talk about counts ruling overFrisia,west of theVlieasFrisiancounts. But in this yearcount Floris IIis mentioned asFlorentius comes de Hollant(Floris, Count of Holland). Holland is probably from theOld Dutchholt lant,literally "wood land", describing the district aroundDordrecht,the nucleus of theCounty of Holland.[41]The counts generally kept to this single title until 1291, whenFloris V, Count of Hollanddecided to call himselfCount of Holland and Zeeland, lord of Friesland.This title was also used after Holland was united withHainault,Bavaria-Straubing,and theDuchy of Burgundy.The titles eventually lost their importance, and the last count,Philip II of Spain,only mentioned them halfway through his long list of titles.

Footnotes

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  1. ^Homans describes Frisian social institutions, based on the summary bySiebs, Benno E. (1933).Grundlagen und Aufbau der altfriesischen Verfassung.Untersuchungen zur deutschen staats- und Rechtsgeschichte (in German). Vol. 144. Breslau: Marcus.OCLC604057407.Siebs' synthesis was extrapolated from survivals detected in later medieval documents.[15]

References

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  1. ^De eerste koningen van Nederland, p. 22, Aspekt útjouwerij, p. 205.ISBN978-90-5911-323-7
  2. ^Dijkstra, Menno (2011).Rondom de mondingen van Rijn & Maas: Landschap en bewoning tussen de 3e en 9e eeuw in Zuid-Holland, in het bijzonder de Oude Rijnstreek.Sidestone Press.ISBN9789088900785.
  3. ^Haywood 1999:14,Dark Age Naval Power.Haywood uses the term 'North German' to distinguish them from the 'Rhine Germans' (the Caninnefates, Batavians, and "Frankish" tribes).
  4. ^Haywood 1999:17–19,Dark Age Naval Power.Haywood cites Todd'sThe Northern Barbarians 100 BC–AD 300(1987) for this conclusion.
  5. ^De Koning, Jan (2003).Why did they leave? Why did they stay? On continuity versus discontinuity from Roman times to Early Middle Ages in the western coastal area of the Netherlands. In: Kontinuität und Diskontinuität: Germania inferior am Beginn und am Ende der römischen Herrschaft; Beiträge des deutsch-niederländischen Kolloquiums in der Katholieke Universiteit Nijmegen, (27. bis 30.6.2001).Walter de Gruyter. pp. 53–83.ISBN9783110176889.
  6. ^Vaan, Michiel de (15 December 2017).The Dawn of Dutch: Language contact in the Western Low Countries before 1200.John Benjamins Publishing Company. pp. 42–44.ISBN9789027264503.
  7. ^Louwe Kooijmans, L. P. (1974),The Rhine/Meuse Delta. Four studies on its prehistoric occupation and Holocene geology (PhD Dissertation),Leiden: Leiden University Press,hdl:1887/2787
  8. ^De Koning, Jan (2003).Why did they leave? Why did they stay? On continuity versus discontinuity from Roman times to Early Middle Ages in the western coastal area of the Netherlands. In: Kontinuität und Diskontinuität: Germania inferior am Beginn und am Ende der römischen Herrschaft; Beiträge des deutsch-niederländischen Kolloquiums in der Katholieke Universiteit Nijmegen, (27. bis 30.6.2001).Walter de Gruyter. pp. 53–83.ISBN9783110176889.
  9. ^Vaan, Michiel de (15 December 2017).The Dawn of Dutch: Language contact in the Western Low Countries before 1200.John Benjamins Publishing Company. pp. 42–44.ISBN9789027264503.
  10. ^Bazelmans, Jos (2009),"The early-medieval use of ethnic names from classical antiquity: The case of the Frisians",in Derks, Ton; Roymans, Nico (eds.),Ethnic Constructs in Antiquity: The Role of Power and Tradition,Amsterdam: Amsterdam University, pp. 321–337,ISBN978-90-8964-078-9,archived fromthe originalon 2017-08-30,retrieved2019-02-06
  11. ^Zocco 2007,p. 67, "in the most generally accepted reconstruction the first assault is from the part of the Frisians in a treacherous onslaught which excites the Danish strenuous defence". The termFrisian sideavoids imputing specific responsibility to either Finn, Frisians, Jutes, or others.
  12. ^Grierson, Philip(1973–1974), "Korte Bijdragen: A New Audulfus Frisia Triens",Jaarboek voor Munt- en Penningkunde(PDF),vol. 60/61, Amsterdam: Koninklijk Nederlands Genootschap voor Munt- en Penningkunde, pp. 153–156.
  13. ^K.P.H. Faber, Audulfus, een Friese Koning, in Fryslân, Nieuwsblad voor geschiedenis en cultuur, no.4, 4e jaargang, December 1998.
  14. ^Es, Willem A. van; Hessing, Wilfried A. M., eds. (1994).Romeinen, Friezen en Franken in het hart van Nederland: van Traiectum tot Dorestad 50 v.c.-900 n.c.(in Dutch) (2nd ed.). Utrecht: Mathijs. pp. 90–91.ISBN9789053450499.
  15. ^abcHomans, George C.(1957). "The Frisians in East Anglia".The Economic History Review.New series.10(2). Wiley: 189–206.doi:10.2307/2590857.ISSN0013-0117.JSTOR2590857.
  16. ^abcHalbertsma, Herrius (1982)."Summary"(PDF).Frieslands Oudheid(Thesis) (in Dutch and English). Groningen: Rijksuniversiteit Groningen. pp. 791–798.OCLC746889526.
  17. ^LevisonEngland and the Continentpp. 50–51
  18. ^Hindley, Geoffrey (2006).A Brief History of the Anglo-Saxons: The Beginnings of the English Nation.New York: Carroll & Graf Publishers. p. 121.ISBN978-0-7867-1738-5.
  19. ^TeBrake, William H. (1978)."Ecology and Economy in Early Medieval Frisia".Viator.9:1–30.doi:10.1484/J.VIATOR.2.301538.Retrieved2013-08-30.
  20. ^Blok, Dirk P. (1968).De Franken: hun optreden in het licht der historie.Fibulareeks (in Dutch). Vol. 22. Bussum: Fibula-Van Dishoeck. pp. 32–34.OCLC622919217.Retrieved2014-09-17.
  21. ^Blok, Dirk P. (1968).De Franken: hun optreden in het licht der historie.Fibulareeks (in Dutch). Vol. 22. Bussum: Fibula-Van Dishoeck. pp. 32–34.OCLC622919217.Retrieved2014-09-17.
  22. ^Mershman, Francis. "St. Willibrord." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 5 Mar. 2014
  23. ^itLiber Pontificalis(Corpus XXXVI 1, side 168) enBeda Venerabilis(Corpus XLVI9, page 218)
  24. ^One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:Lins, Joseph (1912). "Archdiocese of Utrecht".In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).Catholic Encyclopedia.Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  25. ^One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:Mershman, Francis (1912). "St. Willibrord".In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).Catholic Encyclopedia.Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  26. ^Kurth, Godefroid. "Charles Martel." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 3. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908. 20 Jul. 2014
  27. ^Costambeys, Marios, Innes, Matthew, and MacLean, Simon.The Carolingian World,Cambridge University Press, 2011
  28. ^ab"Geschiedenis van het volk der Friezen".boudicca.de(in Dutch). 2003. Archived fromthe originalon 2009-06-08.Retrieved2009-01-22.[self-published source]
  29. ^RKK.nlretrieved 23 June 2014
  30. ^abcHalbertsma, Herrius (2000).Frieslands oudheid: het rijk van de Friese koningen, opkomst en ondergang(in Dutch and English) (New ed.). Utrecht: Matrijs.ISBN9789053451670.
  31. ^abcdeBachrach 2001,pp. 250–51.
  32. ^These regions were described as islands (insulae) in contemporary accounts.[which?]
  33. ^Costambeys, Innes & MacLean 2011,p. 48.
  34. ^(in Latin)(in Dutch)C.J.C. Broer and M.W.J. de Bruijn,Bonifatius en de Utrechtse kerk,in: C. Dekker and E.S.C. Erkelens-Buttinger (1997),De kerk en de Nederlanden,page 63, Verloren,ISBN90-6550-558-X
  35. ^(in Latin)Alcuin,Vita Sancti Willibrordi,circa 795, chapter 14 (English translation)
  36. ^Alcuin, chapter 10
  37. ^M. Mostert (1999),754, Bonifatius Bij Dokkum Vermoord,Uitgeverij Verloren, page 23,ISBN90-6550-448-6(in Dutch)
  38. ^Per Ullidtz (2014).1016 The Danish Conquest of England.BoD – Books on Demand. p. 177.ISBN978-8771457209.
  39. ^Simon Coupland (2007).Carolingian Coinage and the Vikings: Studies on Power and Trade in the 9th Century.Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. pp. 99–111.ISBN978-0860789918.
  40. ^Maria Brouwer (11 August 2016).Governmental Forms and Economic Development: From Medieval to Modern Times.Springer. p. 185.ISBN978-3319420400.
  41. ^"Holland | Origin and meaning of the name holland by Online Etymology Dictionary".

Bibliography

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  • Bachrach, Bernard(2001),Early Carolingian Warfare: Prelude to Empire,Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press
  • Costambeys, Marios; Innes, Matthew; MacLean, Simon (2011),The Carolingian World,Cambridge University Press
  • Haywood, John (1999),Dark Age Naval Power: Frankish & Anglo-Saxon Seafaring Activity(revised ed.), Frithgarth: Anglo-Saxon Books,ISBN1-898281-43-2
  • Zocco, Nicola (2007),"The Episode of Finn in Beowulf. Discharging Hengest"(PDF),Linguistica e Filologia,24:65–83

Further reading

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  • G. Verwey,Geschiedenis van Nederland, Amsterdam, 1995.
  • P. Pentz e.o.,Koningen van de Noordzee,2003.
  • J.J. Kalma e.o.Geschiedenis van Friesland,1980.

History of Friesland

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