Читать книгу The Great Hollenberg Saga - Heinz Niederste-Hollenberg - Страница 41

Why these details?

Because the conflict between Wittekind and King Charles (Charlemagne), resulted finally in the bloody subjuga-tion of the Saxons and was another major turning point in the history of our area.

The map of fig.:#11 shows a number of fortified places which the Saxons used in their struggle against their neighbours in later years, especially against the Franconians, another Germanic tribe.

The thrust of the Franconian army was pushing alongside the Weser River towards the heart of the Engern people, one of the four tribes of the Saxons. This expedition left a trail of devastation behind: Farms and grain fields went up in flame. There was robbing, and looting, etc.

As always in the long history of mankind: the farmers took most the brunt of the harm.

The story of this conflict is mostly based upon two sources: the Franconian narrative (some in writing), and the abundant information included in the Saxon version, passed on through generations and kept alive in numerous legends.

Wittekind and Geva, a daughter of Godefried, the king of Denmark, had three daughters: Ida, Ravena, and Tekla. He built a fortified castle for each of them: Iburg for Ida, Ravensburg for Ravena and Tecklenburg for Tekla.

Those three castles protected the chain-mountains of the Teutoburger Wald against aggressors.

Iburg, as the saying goes, was the strongest foothold against the Franks. From here, Wittekind directed a series of assaults; and yet he could not hold the ground for long. As Iburg was lost, he moved to Ravensburg; and this stronghold was soon taken by the Franks as well. This made him move to Tecklenburg. Finally, King Karl overran Tecklenburg also, and he dismantled all three of them thoroughly.

Later on, the three castles were re-erected: Ravensburg gave the surrounding area its name and was home to ge-nerations of counts. Iburg became the summer residence of the bishop of Osnabrück.

Tecklenburg, finally, was home to generations of so called “Reichsfreie” Counts (reichsfrei = nobility status throughout the Middle-Ages, comparable to the baronage) until the county became part of Prussia in 1707 A.D.