European Kingdoms

Frisii / Friso (Germanic) (Low Countries)

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The Indo-European ethnic division which emerged in the form of Germanic-speaking groups began as part of the western edge of late proto-Indo-European dialects around 3300 BC. This particular division migrated as a segment of the Yamnaya horizon to reach the southern coastline of the Early Baltics, seemingly as part of the territorially-extensive Corded Ware culture.

From there, over the course of a millennium or more, elements of them entered southern Scandinavia (see feature link for more detail). By the time at which Germanic tribes were becoming key players in Western European politics in the last two centuries BC, the previously dominant Celts were on the verge of being conquered by Rome.

They had already been pushed out of northern and Central Europe by a mass of Germanic tribes which were steadily carving out a new homeland. The Frisii or Friso of the first centuries BC and AD formed a relatively large Germanic unit, one which was comparable in number to the Chauci.

By this time they were already located in the Low Countries, on coastal areas of the modern Netherlands, between the lower Rhine and the modern German border. To the south were the Batavi and Canninefates, to the east were the Chamavi, while the Campsiani and Chauci lay to the north, along the coastline.

The Frisians were noted by Procopius as the Frissones. Pliny wrote that the Frisii belonged to the Istaevones Germanic group (see feature link). Intriguingly their language was recorded as being Belgic rather than Germanic. This places them in the Northern Celts grouping which exhibited influences from both sides (Celtic and Germanic) and which seems to have been the basis for the Belgae people as a whole.

Principal author(s): Page created: Page last updated:

(Information by Dirk van Duijvenbode, William Willems, and Peter Kessler, with additional information by Edward Dawson, from The Oxford History of England: Anglo-Saxon England, Sir Frank Stenton, from Germania, Tacitus, from Agricolafrom Roman Soldier versus Germanic Warrior: 1st Century AD, Lindsay Powell, from The Horse, the Wheel, and Language: How Bronze-Age Riders from the Eurasian Steppes Shaped the Modern World, David W Anthony, from Frisii and Frisiavones, M C Galestin (Palaeohistoria, University of Groningen Press, 2007), from Biografisch Woordenboek der Nederlanden, Adolf J van der Aa(1852, in Dutch), from Submerged Forests, Clement Reid (1913), from The Mesolithic Settlement of Northern Europe, Grahame Clark (1936), from Frisian Chronicles, from Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, from Frisia Coast Trail, from Genealogie Online, from Geneanet (in Dutch), from From Goddess to King, a History of Ancient Europe, Anthony Radford, from Thet Oera Linda Book (California, 1997), from Redbad, Koning van Friesland, Julius De Goede (2020, in Dutch), from Biografisch Woordenboek der Nederlanden, Adolf J van der Aa (1852, in Dutch), from Rediscovering the past: Old Frisian borders and early kings of Frisia, Luc Vanbrabant (Academia.edu, 2020), from Rollo, Luc Vanbrabant, from Danish Flanders to Normandy (Version 2022, Academia edu) and from External Links: The Works of Julius Caesar: Gallic Wars, and The Natural History, Pliny the Elder (John Bostock, Ed), and Polybius, Histories, and Geography, Strabo (H C Hamilton & W Falconer, London, 1903, Perseus Online Edition).)

304 - 264 BC

De facto king (duke?) over the legendary Folk Mothers.

304 BC

The legendary figure of Friso, who is already powerful through the strength of his own warband, is selected as chief grevetman (count) of Stavoren. Friso is busy establishing a kingdom for himself and eventually founds a militaristic monarchy.

He is not interested in there being a Folk Mothers because he does not want any advice from the equally legendary Texland. However, he always faces strong moral opposition from the old burg virgins who do prefer a folk mother.

From Stavoren, Friso rules the country as a count or duke for about forty years during which he tries to consolidate a position as permanent king. In this he fails and his death ends that dream. Eventually his descendants will become princes.

264 - 245 BC

Son. Legendary. Founder of Frisia. First prince.

264 BC

Adel the 'Younger Friso' is born in the legendary Freyan city of Geertmania (Punjab) as the eldest son of Friso and his second wife, Swethirte. He marries Ifkja - from the state of Suobaland in Sachsenmarken (Saxony) - who has been burg virgin in Texland.

c.250 BC

The legendary figures of Adel and Ifkia make a grand tour to unite the various Frisian communities, as Adela once had done. They visit Sachsenmarken in Denmark and then go by sea to Texland.

From there they reach Westflyland before proceeding along the coast to Walhallagara. From there they head along the 'Zuider Rijn' (the River Waal) to the upper Rhine where they arrive at the pile dwellings of the Marsaci (possibly Marsi).

Later, remarkably, these pile dwellings are never again mentioned during the following twenty centuries until their discovery in 1853. Finally the couple visits Lydasburg, the Alderga, and their own people in Stavoren.

113 BC

A large-scale incursion of the sea into Jutland around the period between 120-114 BC is known as the Cimbrian Flood. It permanently alters the shape of the coastline and drastically affects the way people live in the region.

It is probably this event which affects the Cimbri and Teutones. These two peoples migrate en mass from their homeland, heading southwards towards Italy.

Along the way they pick up the Celto-Germanic Helvetii peoples (in territory which later becomes Franconia), and possibly spark a secondary migration of Belgic peoples from the Netherlands and northern Gaul into south-eastern Britain.

? - 70 BC

Descendant. Legendary king.

70 BC - AD 11

Son. Legendary king.

70 BC

The title asinga refers to a priestly court adviser (called 'druid' by the Romans). The legendary Adel IV studies in Texland and Stavoren and travels through all states. He has black hair and is very tall and strong. He has a clear intellect but, in terms of his actions, he does not display much wisdom while revealing non-Frisian habits.

He is warlike, and appeals to nationalistic pride to promote military might at the expense of education. At twenty-four years of age his father makes him elected ascon (askar, chief count). He becomes both prince and asinga.

fl c.60 BC

Folk Mother appointed by Adel IV. Fled.

12 - 9 BC

Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus, stepson of Augustus, is appointed governor of the Rhine region of Gaul. He launches the first major Roman campaigns across the Rhine and begins the conquest of Germania. He starts with a successful campaign which subjugates the Sicambri.

Later in the same year he leads a naval expedition along the North Sea coast, conquering the Batavi and the Frisii, defeating the Chauci near the mouth of the Weser. Luckily for them, the receding tide traps his vessels and he is forced to withdraw, avoiding avoid further conflict.

He conquers the Bructeri, Usipetes, and Marsi in 11 BC, extending Roman control into the upper Weser. In 10 BC he launches a campaign against the Chatti and the resurgent Sicambri, subjugating both.

In the following year he conquers the Mattiaci, while also defeating the Marcomanni and Cherusci, the latter being taken care of near the Elbe. He is killed in a fall from his horse during his fourth campaign, and his death deprives Rome of one its best generals.

AD 1 - 4

Following several attacks by the Batavi against the Frisians, the attackers are defeated around AD 1 and are forced into a three-year truce. Three years later the now-elderly Asinga's campaign fails against the Danes fails, but the two sides agree peace. Asinga then makes an equally unsuccessful raid into the land of the Tungri.

AD 11 - 15

Legendary king.

15 - 28

Son. Legendary king. Same as Cruptorix?

28

The Frisii on the lower Rhine are driven to stage a revolt against the young Roman empire, primarily due to excessively zealous tax collection. According to Tacitus they defeat Romans at the Battle of Baduhenna, in which a certain Cruptorix dies.

That Cruptorix is a former Roman legionary and the owner of a farm. The name is probably Celtic ('rix' means 'king'), but can also be explained as a Germanic name. The Frisians temporarily free themselves of Roman dominance.

28 - 47

Legendary king. Former general under Dibbaldus.

47

The Chauci and Frisii are to be found under the command of Gannascus of the Canninefates. Together they raid the coastline of Gallia Belgica, although the Chauci have been doing this for some years already.

The Chauci also penetrate territory in Gallia Belgica which in 80-83 is reformed into the Roman province of Germania Inferior (it now forms parts of the southern Netherlands). The newly-appointed Roman military commander, Corbulo, engages the attackers in battle and defeats them. He also places triremes on the Rhine and takes on the Chauci vessels, successfully destroying those too.

Gannascus is driven out of Gallia Belgica and the Frisii are occupied by force to be classified as a client state. Under the pretence of holding negotiations with Gannascus, the Romans assassinate him. This dishonourable act causes outrage amongst the Chauci, and Emperor Claudius orders a withdrawal of Roman forces to the Rhine in order to ease tensions.

47 - 58

Son. Roman vassal (or duke).

47 - 58

Son. Roman vassal.

58

Illegitimate brother. Anti-Roman usurper.

58

Frisia is re-classified as an allied state of the Roman empire. It is around this time that the Chauci tribe expands westwards as far as the River Ems. To achieve this expansion they expel the neighbouring tribe of the Ampsivarii and subsequently find themselves bordered to the west by the Frisii under their Ubbo kings.