The Saxons

First mentioned in the second century by Ptolemy, the Saxons then resided in the southern part of the Cimbric Peninsula (southern Jutland). They held the area at the mouth of the Elbe River as well as some of the islands. Gradually, they extended their territory southward across the Weser River. Politically unified, the Saxons were ruled by princes or chieftains. All classes of society but for slaves were represented in their assemblies, which were consulted on all issues of war and peace. During the 3d and 4th centuries the Saxons made active raids along the coasts of the North Sea. They also raided the European coast from the Loire to the Scheldt rivers as well as the southeastern coast of Britain.

The Saxons established settlements along the northern shore of Gaul by the fifth century, especially along the mouth of the Loire. The Saxons began settling southern Britain following the weakening occupation of Britain by the Romans. Wessex became the kingdom of the West Saxons. Following the migration to Britain, the Saxons remaining on the Continent became known as the Old Saxons. In 531, the Saxons on the Continent conquered Thuringia and occupied northwest Germany. They were subjugated by the Franks in 566 and forced to pay them tribute. Until the end of the eighth century, the Saxons continued to wage war against the Franks.

In Britain, the Saxons arrived in Kent, probably making one of their first settlements at Darenth. The Saxons were "boat people" forced by tribal rivalries and natural disasters to flee the Continent. The first settlers to arrive in Kent were the Jutes, from Jutland, who settled in East Kent along with tribes from Frisia. The Saxons, along with the Franks, settled in West Kent. In the fourth and early fifth centuries, these two groups had become close allies. The dividing line between the Jutish Kingdom of East Kent and the Saxon Kingdom of West Kent was the Medway River. Inter-marriage and trade broke down these tribal divisions and the group became collectively known as the Anglo-Saxons.

The early Saxons settled most often near the former Roman villa sites. In Darenth, the Saxon settlement contained a central building, which was a timber-framed structure with at least three bays and gabled ends with a ridged roof. Four small sunken grubenhaus huts were close to the main building. A later Saxon settlement on the same site dates from the seventh century.

These early Saxons were heavily influenced by the Franks based in Lower Rhineland and Northern Gaul. In the sixth and seventh centuries this influence grew and direct political links were established with marriage such as the marriage of Ethelbert to the Frankish princess Bertha in the late sixth century. There was a great demand in Kent for Frankish goods and many Frankish nobles settled in Kent.

By the eighth century, all traces of separate Frankish and Jutish cultures had disappeared. With the arrival of Christianity, a uniform culture developed in Kent, which more resembled that of the East Kent Saxons.

In 785, Charlemagne led a thirty year war against them ending in the defeat of the Saxon Duke Widukind and his baptism in 785, as well as the creation of the duchy of Saxony. By the 10th and 11th centuries, the power base for the Saxon royal family was found in a duchy centered around the Harz and the lower Elbe Rivers. In 919, Heinrich was elected as the first German emperor.

In 1176, Emperor Frederick Barbarossa defeated Henry the Lion, a powerful duke of Saxony and Bavaria and the boundaries of the duchy were then redrawn and the duchy was reduced. The capital was then moved to Wittenbert and the duchy was given to the House of Askanier with the title of Elector. The duchy was one of seven given the privilege of electing the Emperor. In 1423, the last of the House of Askanier died without an heir and the Emperor then passed the title and duchy to Frederick IV "the Belligerent", Margrave of MeiBen from the House of Wettin.

In 928, Emperor Heinrich I fortified a cliff above the west bank of the Elbe as the primary defense against the Slavs, naming it MeiBen Burgberg or Fortress Mountain, which later became the home of the margrave.

In 1089, Heinrich of Eilenburg was given the title of margrave by the emperor. He was the first of the Wettin family who then reigned as margrave, dukes, electors and kings for the next 829 years. His successor, Margrave Konrad "the Great" (1123-1156) founded the Wettin state of MeiBen-Saxony. Their lands stretched from Coburg to Niederlausitz and the royal family owned several estates. MeiBen was the center of their lands. Under Margrave Heinrich "the Illustrious" (1221-1288), high culture flourished and his brother, Dietrich, Bishop of Naumburg ordered the building of the cathedral at MeiBen, employing the Master of Naumburg.

In the 14th century, the House of Wettin extended its territories from their base in Thuringia to the Saale and Elbe rivers. This acquisition made them a powerful force. The Mark MeiBen was the land lying between the Saale and the Elbe and the uninhabited Erzgebirge or Ore Mountains, a colonial province of the empire in the 12th and 13th centuries. The margrave ruler of the area was an appointee of the emperor. The forests and moors of the area were colonized by settlers from the Main, Rhine and Weser.



First mentioned in the second century by Ptolemy, the Saxons then resided in the southern part of the Cimbric Peninsula (southern Jutland). They held the area at the mouth of the Elbe River as well as some of the islands. Gradually, they extended their territory southward across the Weser River. Politically unified, the Saxons were ruled by princes or chieftains. All classes of society but for slaves were represented in their assemblies, which were consulted on all issues of war and peace. During the 3d and 4th centuries the Saxons made active raids along the coasts of the North Sea. They also raided the European coast from the Loire to the Scheldt rivers as well as the southeastern coast of Britain. The Saxons established settlements along the northern shore of Gaul by the fifth century, especially along the mouth of the Loire. The Saxons began settling southern Britain following the weakening occupation of Britain by the Romans. Wessex became the kingdom of the West Saxons. Following the migration to Britain, the Saxons remaining on the Continent became known as the Old Saxons. In 531, the Saxons on the Continent conquered Thuringia and occupied northwest Germany. They were subjugated by the Franks in 566 and forced to pay them tribute. Until the end of the eighth century, the Saxons continued to wage war against the Franks. In Britain, the Saxons arrived in Kent, probably making one of their first settlements at Darenth. The Saxons were "boat people" forced by tribal rivalries and natural disasters to flee the Continent. The first settlers to arrive in Kent were the Jutes, from Jutland, who settled in East Kent along with tribes from Frisia. The Saxons, along with the Franks, settled in West Kent. In the fourth and early fifth centuries, these two groups had become close allies. The dividing line between the Jutish Kingdom of East Kent and the Saxon Kingdom of West Kent was the Medway River. Inter-marriage and trade broke down these tribal divisions and the group became collectively known as the Anglo-Saxons. The early Saxons settled most often near the former Roman villa sites. In Darenth, the Saxon settlement contained a central building, which was a timber-framed structure with at least three bays and gabled ends with a ridged roof. Four small sunken grubenhaus huts were close to the main building. A later Saxon settlement on the same site dates from the seventh century. These early Saxons were heavily influenced by the Franks based in Lower Rhineland and Northern Gaul. In the sixth and seventh centuries this influence grew and direct political links were established with marriage such as the marriage of Ethelbert to the Frankish princess Bertha in the late sixth century. There was a great demand in Kent for Frankish goods and many Frankish nobles settled in Kent. By the eighth century, all traces of separate Frankish and Jutish cultures had disappeared. With the arrival of Christianity, a uniform culture developed in Kent, which more resembled that of the East Kent Saxons. In 785, Charlemagne led a thirty year war against them ending in the defeat of the Saxon Duke Widukind and his baptism in 785, as well as the creation of the duchy of Saxony. By the 10th and 11th centuries, the power base for the Saxon royal family was found in a duchy centered around the Harz and the lower Elbe Rivers. In 919, Heinrich was elected as the first German emperor. In 1176, Emperor Frederick Barbarossa defeated Henry the Lion, a powerful duke of Saxony and Bavaria and the boundaries of the duchy were then redrawn and the duchy was reduced. The capital was then moved to Wittenbert and the duchy was given to the House of Askanier with the title of Elector. The duchy was one of seven given the privilege of electing the Emperor. In 1423, the last of the House of Askanier died without an heir and the Emperor then passed the title and duchy to Frederick IV "the Belligerent", Margrave of MeiBen from the House of Wettin. In 928, Emperor Heinrich I fortified a cliff above the west bank of the Elbe as the primary defense against the Slavs, naming it MeiBen Burgberg or Fortress Mountain, which later became the home of the margrave. In 1089, Heinrich of Eilenburg was given the title of margrave by the emperor. He was the first of the Wettin family who then reigned as margrave, dukes, electors and kings for the next 829 years. His successor, Margrave Konrad "the Great" (1123-1156) founded the Wettin state of MeiBen-Saxony. Their lands stretched from Coburg to Niederlausitz and the royal family owned several estates. MeiBen was the center of their lands. Under Margrave Heinrich "the Illustrious" (1221-1288), high culture flourished and his brother, Dietrich, Bishop of Naumburg ordered the building of the cathedral at MeiBen, employing the Master of Naumburg. In the 14th century, the House of Wettin extended its territories from their base in Thuringia to the Saale and Elbe rivers. This acquisition made them a powerful force. The Mark MeiBen was the land lying between the Saale and the Elbe and the uninhabited Erzgebirge or Ore Mountains, a colonial province of the empire in the 12th and 13th centuries. The margrave ruler of the area was an appointee of the emperor. The forests and moors of the area were colonized by settlers from the Main, Rhine and Weser.
Note: Ancestors are shown in pale blue.	References Saxony and Its History