Radbod of Frisia
Template:Short description Template:Infobox royalty Radbod (died 719) was the king (or duke) of Frisia from c. 680 until his death. He is often considered the last independent ruler of Frisia before Frankish domination. He defeated Charles Martel at Cologne. Eventually, Charles prevailed and compelled the Frisians to submit. Radbod died in 719, but for some years his successors struggled against the Frankish power.
King or duke
What the exact title of the Frisian rulers was depends on the source. Frankish sources tend to call them dukes; other sourcesTemplate:Which often call them kings.Template:Citation needed
Reign
While his predecessor, Aldgisl,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> had welcomed Christianity into his realm, Radbod attempted to extirpate the religion and gain independence from the kingdom of the Franks. In 689, however, Radbod was defeated by Pepin of Herstal in the battle of Dorestad<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> and compelled to cede Frisia Citerior (Nearer Frisia, from the Scheldt to the Vlie) to the Franks.
Between 690 and 692, Utrecht fell into the hands of Pepin. This gave the Franks control of important trade routes on the Rhine to the North Sea. Some sources say that, following this defeat, Radbod retreated, in 697, to the island of Heligoland. Others say he retreated to the part of the Netherlands that is still known as Friesland.
Around this time there was an Archbishopric or bishopric of the Frisians founded for Willibrord<ref>it Liber Pontificalis (Corpus XXXVI 1, side 168) en Beda Venerabilis (Corpus XLVI9, page 218)</ref> and a marriage was held between Grimoald the Younger, the oldest son of Pepin, and Thiadsvind, the daughter of Radbod in 711.<ref name="Halbertsma1982">Template:Cite thesis</ref>Template:Rp
On Pepin's death in 714, Radbod took the initiative again. He forced Saint Willibrord and his monks to flee and advanced as far as Cologne, where he defeated Charles Martel,<ref name="Boudicca.de">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Self-published source</ref> Pepin's natural son, in 716. Eventually, however, Charles prevailed and compelled the Frisians to submit. Radbod died in 719,<ref name="Halbertsma2000">Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Rp but for some years his successors struggled against the Frankish power.
As an example of how powerful King Radbod still was at the end of his life, the news that he was engaged in assembling an army was reportedly enough to fill the Frankish kingdom with fear and trembling.<ref name="Halbertsma1982" />Template:Rp
Relation with Christianity
During the second journey of Saint Boniface to Rome, Wulfram, a monk and ex-archbishop of Sens, tried to convert Radbod, but after an unsuccessful attempt he returned to Fontenelle. It is said that Radbod was nearly baptised but refused when he was told that he would not be able to find any of his ancestors in Heaven after his death. He said he preferred spending eternity in Hell with his pagan ancestors than in Heaven with a pack of beggars.<ref>Friese sagen & Terugkeer (2000), Conserve, Uitgeverij, Redbald en Wulfram. Template:ISBN</ref> This legend is also told with Wulfram being replaced with bishop Willibrord.
Legacy
Saint Radboud was a descendant of Radbod. Saint Radboud was a bishop of Utrecht who adopted his ancestor's native name. The Nijmegen University and its corresponding medical facility were named after him in 2004.
In Richard Wagner's Lohengrin a certain "Radbod, ruler of the Frisians" is mentioned as Ortrud's ancestor.
In Harry Harrison's The Hammer and the Cross series of novels, Radbod becomes the founder of "the Way", an organized pagan cult, created to combat the efforts of Christian missionaries.
Black metal band Ophidian Forest recorded a concept album Redbad<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> in 2007.
Dutch folk metal band 'Heidevolk' recorded a song 'Koning Radboud' (King Radbod) on their 2008 album 'Walhalla Wacht' singing about the legend of Wulfram and Radbod.
In 2015 the Frisian Folk-Metal band Baldrs Draumar<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> released a full album on the life and deeds of king Redbad called Aldgillissoan.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It is based on the book Rêdbâd, Kronyk fan in Kening<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> (Chronicles of a King) by Willem Schoorstra.
In 2018, Dutch production company Farmhouse released a film, Redbad, based on Radbod. It is directed by Roel Reiné and stars Jonathan Banks and Søren Malling alongside a variety of Dutch actors.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
See also
- Frisian–Frankish wars
- Low Countries mythology
- Hatuey, who also had a similar claim to "be in hell than to go to heaven"
References
Other sources
- {{#if: |
|{{#ifeq: Frisians |
|{{#ifeq: |
|
|
}}
|
}}
}}{{#ifeq: |
|{{#ifeq: |
|This article
|One or more of the preceding sentences
}} incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain:
}}{{#invoke:template wrapper|{{#if:|list|wrap}}|_template=cite EB1911
|_exclude=footnote, inline, noicon, no-icon, noprescript, no-prescript, _debug
| noicon=1
}}{{#ifeq: ||}}
- Petz, G. H. (ed). MGH Scriptures. (Hanover, 1892).
External links
Template:S-start Template:S-reg Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft Template:S-end