European Kingdoms

Kings of Frisia / Friesland (Offo) (Netherlands) (Low Countries)

Low Countries All Modern States British Isles Germanic Tribes Western Europe

The Frisii of this period in the Low Countries were bordered to the north-east by the Saxon tribes and to the south by the Franks. Both Frisians and Saxons began forming their own states around this time, while Roman forces were shrinking away from their southernmost territories into the domain of Soissons. The Romans knew of the Frisians through their fisheries near Leeuwarden, and there were Frisians in the Roman army, some of whom were stationed in Britain.

Something of Tacitus' division of the Frisians noted above probably remained in the heroic age of the fifth century (noted in Beowulf and Widsith). The Greater Frisians (Fresena cyn or 'kin', Frysna hwylc or 'folk', Frysland, Fresnaland, and many such variants) formed the main mass of the peoples who were governed (at least nominally) by the kings of Frisia. The Lesser Frisians had by now joined with the Hetware (Hætwere) and the Franks to the south, while the Chamavi who were part of the Frankish confederation were settled to the east of the coastal Frisians. These Lesser Frisians may be the Frisavones of the previous Ubbo period of Frisian history. The Frisians in general seem to have been a major sea power in the region, perhaps even the dominant power, helped by the fading of 'Saxon' piracy as the migration to Britain got underway in the fifth to early seventh centuries, accompanied by Frisians in some numbers. Frisian wealth through trading quickly grew during the sixth and seventh centuries, leaving it in a very powerful position.

The Franks united in this century to form a vast kingdom on the southern borders of Frisian territory, a cause of eventual grief for the Frisian tribes. In the north, an even more imminent threat was the growing dominance of the Scandinavians, especially the Danes.

Given the highly dubious pseudo-history of the earlier Folk Mothers and the Ubbo kings, Frisia becomes more solidly historical from the fifth century AD onwards. New settlers from southern Scandinavia and Saxony repopulate the region and establish themselves on some of the former terps. In the fictional story these immigrants come to be known as 'New' Frisians. Interestingly the names above are (probably) Celtic while those below are definitively Germanic. The change appears to be from legendary to newly-arriving Germanic or Northern Celtic groups.

These historical Frisians seem to have been key traders in north-western Europe. The combination of farmers, traders, and merchants is somewhat characteristic of this period. These Frisians help to develop the cloth industry, becoming well known for their 'Pallia Fresonica' (the 'Frisian sheet'). Sheep wool though is no longer produced only locally. Some is most probably obtained from Flanders.

The Frisians in general seem to become a strong naval power in the region, perhaps even dominant, helped by the fading of 'Saxon' piracy in favour of migration to Britain in the fifth to early seventh centuries. A number of Frisians even join in with this migration, although never to a level which would leave their homeland deserted.

According to archaeological evidence Frisians sail up the Scheldt and are frequent trading visitors of the ports of Ghent, Ename, and Tournai, with Valenciennes as their destination.

From the sixth century onwards evidence shows that some Frisians and Saxons live and/or trade farther south, from what is now Zeeland, West Flanders, and French Flanders (now in northern France), and even beyond to Boulogne-sur-Mer (western Austrasia), to the mouth of the Seine, and even to Paris.

The Franks unite under Clovis to form a vast Merovingian kingdom on the southern borders of Frisian territory, specifically around the cities of Cambrai, Tournai, and Bavay where they merge into the existing Gallo-Roman population.

The Merovingians conquer the Frisians at the end of the seventh century. Frisia is recatagorised into three subdivisions: west, east, and Middle Frisia. Those regions are each further subdivided into gaue ('gowes' or pagi), each with its own administrative sub-units.

At the end of the eighth century Frisia now finds itself part of the Carolingian empire. All of Frisia is under vassalage, including the land between Sincfala (Zwin) and Wisara (Weser). Frisia now is a class-based society, as is mentioned in the primary clauses of the Lex Frisionum.

During the same period, Anglo-Saxon and Frankish missionaries started visiting Frisian territory so that they can endow the pagan natives with the Christian faith.

(Additional information from the Alan Bliss/JRR Tolkein examination of the Beowulfian fragment, The Fragment and the Episode.)

fl 286 - ?

fl c.290s?

fl c.300s

fl c.350s?

360s

The Saxons have by now formed a loose state which is composed of a large coalition of tribes in modern north-western Germany, in territory between the Frisian coastline and the lands to the south of Angeln.

c.360 - 392

Frisian duke. Highly uncertain (see Ubbos AD 286).

c.400 - 500

The Dene, or Danes, migrate during this period from southern Sweden into Jutland and the Cimbric peninsula, putting the Jutes under increasing pressure in the competition for living space, and forcing them south and westwards.

In this period the Jutes are often closely associated with the Frisians, possibly because many Jutes appear to leave their homeland in this difficult time to seek employment or settlement elsewhere, most notably with the Frisian royal household (where they are present on both sides in the conflict of circa 448).

fl c.420s?

The latter name is in the genealogy of Angeln as Finn's father.

? - c.448

Son. Added to the royal genealogy of Angeln.

c.448

Hnæf of the Danes is killed at the 'Fight at Finnesburg' in Frisia, as is Finn's eldest son. Finn (who is also mentioned in the Old English epic poem, Widsith) is subsequently killed by Hnæf's Anglian comrade in arms, Hengest (Hengist), presumably the great-grandson of Wehta. Hildeburh, the Danish wife of the dead Frisian king, is returned to her people. Finnes ham is sacked.

Leeuwarden was a centre of the North Sea fisheries industry even during the fifth century AD, and the Romans knew of the Frisians through this connection

While Finn's eldest son is killed in the tragedy of the Freswæl (the traditional name of the Finnesburg event, meaning 'the Frisian Slaughter'), it seems probable that there is a second son who survives and escapes the sack of Finnes ham to lay claim to Frisian rule.

It also seems likely that both sons are remembered in later English royal genealogies, along with Finn who is clearly present in those genealogies as an heroic name who is suitable to claim as an ancestor.

His sons would have been arranged in series after Finn, in the manner of genealogies, becoming genealogically son and grandson of Finn. If this is the case, then the names of Finn's sons can be extracted from the genealogies as shown here. Frealaf especially is shown in all versions of the royal genealogies.

c.433 - 448

Son and heir. Born c.433. Killed in the Freswæl c.448.

c.448 - ?

Brother. Probable survivor of the Freswæl, and Frisian king.

449/450 - 455

Hengist (if this is the same man as at the Freswæl) leads his people to Britain, initially to serve as a mercenary there, but this quickly turns into the conquest of a kingdom in Kent. It seems that he invites large numbers of Frisians with him, which would account for archaeological findings in Kent which originate from the mouth of the Rhine.

It is possible that this partial Frisian exodus is spurred on by the strategic Western European victory at the Battle of Chalons in 451 which allows for a sudden rise in Frankish dominance in the region, probably to the detriment of the Frisians to their north. The Frisians probably include the large numbers of Jutes who had been in Finn's service - perhaps all of them.

The Frisian recording of the saga surrounding Hengist and Horsa is told in variations which differ from the better-known Anglo-Saxon version, and with a suspiciously detailed story. According to several Frisian chroniclers, historians, and writers from the early fifteenth century, Hengist and Horsa may be the sons of Frisian Duke Udolph Odilbald Haron (circa 360-392).

The Frisian version is claimed to predate the Anglo-Saxon version by about sixty-five years. It has Udolph sending the young Hengist and Horsa to the court of Rome's Emperor Valentinian (364-375). After nine years of education and training in the art of combat they return (in 383) to their father's burg in Stavoren, the Frisian capital.

With famine striking in 385, Udolph orders a division of his people to leave Frisia to ease the crisis. Along with others, Hengist and Horsa are chosen by lot to leave, so they take their followers across the North Sea to Britannia.

c.525

The Germanic Chattuarii appear to be named in two epic Old English epic poems, Beowulf and Widsith, as the Hætwerum (Hetwaras). This tribe forms a coalition with the Frisians and the Hugas (perhaps the Chauci) to fight a Geatish raiding party led by Hygelac, king of the Geats. Hygelac is killed, his party heavily defeated, and only Beowulf escapes.

? - 677

678

The English Bishop Wilfred arrives in Frisia and the Anglo-Saxon Christianisation of the Germanic lands begins, although the first mission is quickly aborted as the fiercely pagan Redbad gains the throne and enmity against the Merovingian kings increases.

678 - 689

Fought Franks for entire reign. Regained independence in 718.

689 - 719

Friesland is conquered by the Frankish Merovingian kingdom, although Redbad continues to resist until his death. The Franks partition the area into three regions: Eastern Friesland (between the rivers Lauwers and Weser - later part of Germany); Middle Friesland (between Vlie and Lauwers); and West Friesland (everything west of the Vlie (the important sea arm, essentially for trading places like Dorestad) - the modern Netherlands). In 718-719, Frankish civil war allows the Frisians to declare their independence.

690

Bishop Wilfred of England returns to Frisia and proves much more successful. For the best part of a century churchmen and monks crisscross the Channel or North Sea, intent on spreading the Christian faith amongst their Germanic cousins who border the Merovingian Frankish kingdom. There is special interest in the conversion of the German Saxons, whom the English consider their kinsfolk.

695

Pope Sergius ordains Bishop Willibrord as the bishop of the Frisians. The bishop is a Northumbrian missionary and a follower of Bishop Wilfred, one of a wave of English Christians to enter Germanic lands in this period in order to bring them into the faith. Willibrord becomes the first bishop of Utrecht, a fortress which is given as the bishop's palace. An old church within the walls of the former Roman fort becomes his cathedral, an event which is regarded as the founding point of the modern city of Utrecht.

A Northumbrian missionary who spent his early years under the influence of St Wilfred, bishop of York, Willibrord was appointed bishop of the Frisians at Utrecht, during which he became known as the 'Apostle to the Frisians'

700

Bishop Willibrord is given land by the Merovingian mayor of the palace, Pepin II of Herstal, at Echternach, at which he founds a monastery to act as his new base. He is ultimately buried there, in the tenth century crypt of the church that bears his name. The territory is within the Frankish empire, but it ultimately forms part of the county of Luxemburg.

714

The death of the powerful mayor of the Merovingian palace, Pepin II, is the signal for bitter internecine warfare between his grandsons, their sponsors, and his illegitimate son, Charles Martel. Redbad seizes his chance and ravages the Christian enclaves which have been imposed on Frisia by the Franks and drives Willibrord from the country. The bishop retires to Echternach.

718 - 719

Charles Martel proclaims Chlothar king of Austrasia, dividing the Merovingian empire for the first time since 691. During the civil war that follows, the Frisians are able to declare their independence under Redbad, but his death in 719 allows a more cooperative king to gain the throne, and Willibrord is allowed to return to continue his missionary work.

719 - 734

Independent king.

734

The Merovingian empire retakes full control of the Frisians. The final two kings are either puppets or Merovingian administrators.

734 - 777

777 - 806

785

The Saxons have secured help from the Frisians during the Saxon Wars against the Carolingian Franks, but even so Charlemagne drives Widukind and his forces back into the heartland of their territory. Widukind and his colleague or co-leader, Abo. are forced into a surrender in return for clemency and they accept Christianity.

800

The East Francian section of the empire inherits Frisia. Frisia remains officially attached to Germany until the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. The ruling house is demoted in rank as it now governs the county of Friesland.