Читать книгу The Great Hollenberg Saga - Heinz Niederste-Hollenberg - Страница 42

But for the Saxons all resistance was eventually in vain. The battle at Lübbecke in 775 A.D. and at Süntel, as well as Karl’s retaliatory strike in 782 A.D. at Verden/Aller, brought Wittekind’s stampede to an end and led to his subjugation in 785 A.D. After that victory in Aller, Karl ordered a severe punishment against the Saxons, where on a single day about4500 Saxon noblemen were slaughtered, and Wittekind:

Quote: “Bowed his neck into the baptismal font”.

In a three day battle, the Saxons under Wittekind were defeated in the midst of their stronghold near Osnabrück. From here, near the battle field along the Hase River, the conversion of the Saxons to Christianity took place.

And as such, the bishopric of Osnabrück was founded in 785 AD.

King Karl, using sound military considerations, appointed ecclesiastical satraps (military clergymen).

The bishops in Osnabrück as well as in other Saxonian centers had only moderate success in getting along with the local people.

To them, the christening, the Roman prayer book and the Franconian culture were distinctly strange.

But after more than thirty years of struggling with the Saxons, Charlemagne (King Karl) had achieved his goal of spreading Christianity throughout his empire.

(See fig.:#12 and #13)