Widukind on Slavic Saturn with Some Miscellany

We have had something to say about Widukind, the chronicler of the Saxons (Res gestae saxonicae sive annalium libri trespreviously.  And we will have more to say later.  However, for now, we note a curious passage in Book III, chapter 68 (chapter 66 of the same book mentions the Licikaviki) that mentions a bronze idol of… Saturn (father of Jupiter) captured from the Slavs – possibly at Stargard/Oldenburg – by “Duke” Hermann Billung.

The cast of characters includes:

  • Duke Hermann Billung – a servant of Emperor Otto I for Saxony and margrave of the so-called Billung March from 936 to 973 (though never officially a “duke”/Herzog).  He was the younger brother of Wichmann the Elder.
  • Wichmann the Elder – although not mentioned in the below tale, it was Wichmann the Elder’s outrage at having his younger brother Hermann be named „princeps militia“ (military leader) of the East Saxon areas, that caused him to rebel against Otto I – a rebellion soon suppressed.
  • Wichmann the Younger – together with his half-brother Egbert, he continued his father’s rebellion against his uncle duke Hermann and to aid him in this he went to the Slavs.
  • Duke (King) Mistivoj (Mistav) – duke of the Obodrites, perhaps the son of Nakon/Nacco; although he fought against the Saxons, he lost and became their ally which, perhaps, led to the Saxons favouring him in his conflict with Selibur (who was the duke of the Wagrians but also perhaps Mistav’s brother).  Later in life he participated in Otto II’s campaigns against the Saracens in Italy and, according to both Thietmar and Helmold, turned on the Germans in 983 during the Great Slav Uprising.
  • Duke (King) Zelibor (Selibur) – duke of the Wagrian Slav portion of Obodrite Confederation – perhaps the brother of Mistav (and hence, perhaps, the son of Nakon).  He allied with Wichmann the Younger against  Hermann Billung.  Apparently, he thought he should have been made duke (or, if you will, king) of all the Obodrites.

Sidenote 1: 

Mistav/Mistivoj’s daughter Tove became the second wife of Harald Bluetooth of Denmark.  She (and Mistav/Mistivoj) are mentioned on the so-called Sønder Vissing Runestone where it says: Tōfa lēt gørva kumbl, Mistivis dōttiR, øft mōður sīna, kona Hara[l]ds hins gōða, Gōrms sonar (or “Tofa, the daughter of Mistivoj, the wife of Harald the Good, son of Gorm, had this monument raised for her mother.”  What Mistivoj’s wife’s (and Tove’s mother’s) name was, however, we do not know.

vissing1Sidenote 2: 

It is possible that Sweyn Forkbeard was the child of Harald with Tove.  Sweyn Forkbeard fathered Cnut the Great with another Slavic princess – Świętosława (Sigrid the Haughty or Gunhild of Wenden). If so, then Cnut would have been Slavic on his father’s side as well.  It is also possible that Świętosława was the sister of Cnute (which name she would not have borne unless a connection existed to Slavs in the family); see “Santslaue soror CNVTI regis nostri”  in the Hyde Register, i.e., “Liber vitae of the New Minster and Hyde Abbey Winchester” (British Library Stowe MS 944):

SantslauesororCNVTIregisnostri

That is all just background and now for the story:

basel1

Once again, the 1532 Basel edition

Deeds of the Saxons

Book III, Chapter 68 Regarding two minor kings and Wichmann

(Bernard & David Bachrach translation)

“There were two minor kings under the jurisdiction of Duke Hermann who had inherited enmity toward each other from their fathers.  One was named Selibur and the other Mistav.  Selibur ruled the Wagrians.  Mistav ruled the Obodrites.  They frequently brought accusations against each other.  Finally, however, Selibur was convicted after an investigation by the duke, and condemned to pay fifteen talents of silver.  Taking this fine very badly, Selibur decided to raise arms agains the duke.  But since he did not have sufficient forces to fight against him, Selibur sent a messenger to ask Wichmann for aid against the duke.  Wichmann, who thought that there was nothing more pleasant than to have some means of troubling his paternal uncle, immediately set out with is companions to join with the Slav.  However, as soon as Wichmann gained entry into the stronghold, it was immediately laud under siege by the enemy, who surrounded it with a wall.  An army commanded by the duke also besieged the fort.  In the meantime, whether by chance or by prudent counsel, Wichmann left the stronghold along with a few others, pretending as if they were going to seek aid from the Danes.”

“Within a few days, the food for the fighting men and the fodder for the baggage animals began to give out.  There were those who said that the Slav had only undertaken a sham rather than a true war.  It seemed incredible that a man, who had been accustomed to war from his youth, could have made such bad preparations.  They argued that this was, instead, a plan conceived by the duke so that he might be able to overcome his nephew by whatever possible means, so that he could recover him safely in his fatherland rather than allowing him to perish utterly among the pagans.  So the garrison, burdened by hunger and by the stink of their cattle, was forced to exit the stronghold.”

“The duke spoke bitterly to the Slav about his treachery, denounced him as wretched because of his actions.  The duke then received this response from the Slav: ‘Why do you accuse me of treachery?’ he said.  ‘Behold, here are men whom neither you nor your lord emperor were able to overcome.  They stand here unarmed because of my treachery.’  The duke was silent after receiving this answer.  He deprived the Slav of the lands that he held under the duke’s authority.  The duke then handed this territory with full authority to the son of the Slav, whom the duke darker had received as a hostage.  The duke imposed a range of punishments on Wichmann’s soldiers, and gave booty from the stronghold as a gift to his open soldiers.  On hi victorious return to the fatherland, the duke brought forth an idol of Saturn made of bronze, which he had found among the other spoils in the fort, as a great spectacle for his people.”

basel2better

(LXVIII. De duobus regulis et Wichmanno.

Erant duo subreguli Herimanno duci, inimicitiae a patribus vicariae relicti; alter vocabatur Selibur, alter Mistav. Selibur preerat Waaris, Mistav Abdritis. Dum invicem quam saepe accusantur, victus tandem ratione Selibur condempnatus est quindecim talentis argenti a duce. Eam dampnationem graviter ferens arma sumere contra ducem cogitavit. Sed cum ei belli copiae non sufficerent, missa legatione postulat presidium ab Wichmanno contra ducem. Ille nichil iocundius ducens, quam aliquam molestiam inferre posset patruo, cito cum sociis adest Sclavo. Ut autem suscipitur in urbem Wichmannus, statim urbs obsidione vallatur ab inimico. Ductus quoque exercitus a duce urbem obsedit. Interim, casu nescio an prudenti consilio, Wichmannus cum paucis urbem est egressus, quasi ad extra[143]henda sibi de Danis auxilia. Pauci dies intererant, dum victus bellatoribus et pabulum iumentis defecerat. Fuerunt etiam qui dicerent Sclavum speciem quidem belli gessisse, non verum bellum. Incredibile omnimodis fore hominem a puero bellis assuetum bellicas res tam male preparatas habuisse; sed id consilii machinatum ducem, ut quoquo pacto posset nepotem vinceret, ut saltem in patria salutem recuperaret, quam inter paganos penitus perdidisset. Fame itaque urbani ac foetore pecorum aggravati urbe egredi sunt coacti. Dux Sclavum austerius alloquens de perfidia et nequam eius actibus arguit, hocque ab eo responsi accepit: «Quid me», inquit, «de perfidia arguis? Ecce, quos nec tu nec dominus tuus imperator vincere potuistis, mea perfidia inermes assistunt.» Ad haec dux conticuit, eum suae ditionis regione privans, filio ipsius, quem antea obsidem accepit, omni ipsius potestate tradita. Milites Wichmanni variis poenis afflixit, urbis predam suis militibus donavit, simulacro Saturni ex aere fuso, quod ibi inter alia urbis spolia repperit, magnum spectaculum populo prebuit victorque in patriam remeavit.)

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January 19, 2016

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