Widukind 59176 219568115 2008-06-15T21:35:21Z Sid-Vicious 5321919 it; {{Unreferenced|date=June 2008}} {{Infobox Saint |name=Blessed Widukind |birth_date=[[730]] |death_date=[[808]] |feast_day=[[January 7]] |venerated_in=[[Roman Catholic Church]] |image=Widukind2 b.jpg |imagesize=120px |caption= |birth_place=[[Westphalia]], [[Germany]] |death_place=[[Enger]], near [[Herford]], [[North Rhine-Westphalia]] |titles=Duke of Saxony |beatified_date= |beatified_place= |beatified_by= |canonized_date= |canonized_place= |canonized_by= |attributes=Saxon Leader |patronage= |major_shrine= |suppressed_date= |issues= |prayer= |prayer_attrib= }} '''Blessed Widukind''' or '''Wittekind''' (c. [[730]]–[[808]]) was a [[Saxon people|Saxon]] leader, [[Duke of Saxony]] (corresponding to modern-day Westphalia) and the chief antagonist of [[Charlemagne]] during the [[Saxon Wars]]. He married Geva of Westfold (c. [[770]]-[[800]]), daughter of the [[Denmark|Danish]] king Goimo I and sister of the Danish kings [[Ragnar Lodbrok|Ragnar]] and Siegfried. Widukind was the moving spirit in the struggles of the Saxons for their independence and continuation of their traditional faith. [[Frankish]] accounts of the Saxon Wars give only scant outlines of his character. After [[Charlemagne]] subdued the Saxons in 777, Widukind found refuge with his wife's relatives in Denmark. When Charlemagne went to [[Spain]] in 778, Widukind returned and revived the rebellion, and the Saxons raided Frankish regions. Several more times Widukind had to flee, and eventually Charlemagne subdued the Saxons and inflicted terrible punishment at the [[Bloody Verdict of Verden]] where 4,500 tribal leaders were allegedly beheaded (modern research questions these reports; see the article about the Verden trial for details). The bitter struggles involved [[Wends]] and [[Frisians]] as well and continued until Charlemagne succeeded in persuading Widukind to accept [[Christianity]]. Widukind was [[baptism|baptized]] in 785 along with many of his people at [[Attigny, Ardennes|Attigny]]. The Pope ordered a general feast of thanksgiving. Widukind took no part in further Saxon wars. He soon became one of the heroes of legend and eventually appeared as a saintly figure (becoming "Blessed Widukind") and the builder of many churches. He is believed to have been buried at [[Enger]] near [[Herford]] around 808. However, the monumental tomb in the church of Enger is not from the 9th century, and so it is doubtful if the corpse inside is actually that of Widukind. This once bitter foe of Charlemagne, thus became his friend and godson. His [[feast day]] is commemorated on [[January 7]]. According to myth Widukind rode a black horse before his baptism and a white horse afterwards. The black horse is depicted in the coat of arms of the district of [[Herford (district)|Herford]], while his white horse is depicted on the flags of the [[North Rhine-Westphalia]] and [[Lower Saxony]] [[states of Germany]]. '''Widukind''' is also a Dutch fraternity located in [[Nijmegen]] which was founded in 1945. {{start box}} {{succession box | before= [[Theoderic, Duke of Saxony]] | title= [[Rulers of Saxony]]| years= ? | after= [[Abo, Duke of Saxony|Abo]] }} {{end box}} [[Category:730 births]] [[Category:807 deaths]] [[Category:Dukes of Saxony]] {{Germany-noble-stub}} [[de:Widukind (Sachsen)]] [[fr:Widukind de Saxe]] [[fy:Widukind]] [[it:Vitikindo]] [[nl:Widukind]] [[ja:ウィドゥキント]] [[ru:Видукинд Саксонский]] [[sr:Vidukind]] [[fi:Widukind]]