Charlemagne's Bloody Rampage To Defeat His Arch Enemy Widukind | Charlemagne | Chronicle

This is the story of the dramatic and violent life of the Middle Ages' most important emperor: Charlemagne. But, one man seemed to evade Charlemagne's grasp: Widukind. The Saxon's legendary leader boldly resisted conversion to Christianity in the face of the Holy Roman Emperor. How did Charlemagne finally defeat the "child of the forest"?
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[@dewilton7712]

I am disappointed that there have not been any great series or movies based on the rise and fall of his empire. I think he was the closest to uniting almost the entirety of western Europe at its peak. Too bad his descendants and nobles fought constantly until it was ripped apart and crumbled.

[@thomasbarca9297]

I agree, the perfect person who could of played him was Christopher Lee, his direct descendant

[@joecool9739]

@@thomasbarca9297 with the amount of fucking that Charlemagne did...all of us are his direct decendants

[@chriswhite4640]

Really the fault lay with the Frankish system of inheritance..if he had of broke with tradition and named one sole heir it’s possible the dynasty could have reunited the empire

[@jameswells554]

@@chriswhite4640 it's the exact mistake Clovis made.

[@dingus6317]

What about Mustache man or Napoleon

[@christianfreedom-seeker934]

The leadership and then betrayal of Widukind would make a great movie. Many Saxons continued to resist.

[@adamstrange7884]

Charlemagne did a BOSS move with the treatment of Vitokin!

[@ninguem.especial1111]

So well done, thank you for this marvelous piece of work. What a glorious time it was.

[@kraigthorne3549]

I agree that it is a piece of work.

[@bethwilliams4903]

After seeing this docu only redeeming comment I can offer about Charles is he made it possible for virtually anyone to write - Carolingian script, simple, clean, the basis of our alphabet to this day. He may never have learned to read and write in the way the ancient Roman emperors (and any Roman citizen) took as part of their patrimony of being ‘civilized’ but this zealot bequeathed to all of us the key that unlocked language for everyone - whether he intended to or not!

[@Fritz999]

Also, and more importantly, the forced religious adherence and all that resulted therefrom. Lots of bloody wars, hunger and diseases.

[@sigurdfenrisson2446]

@Adalbert Ptak I’m pretty sure the “only redeeming comment” part implies all you’ve mentioned here. Charles was obviously a very accomplished guy, but he was also a total fuckhead. WIDUKIND FOREVER!!

[@christianfreedom-seeker934]

The Crowning of Charles as "Emperor of the West" likely shocked Byzantium (unfortunately I have never heard anything about Byzantium's reaction to the Bishop of Rome crowning Charles as "Augustas Caesar" I bet there was a LOT of profanity involved and probably a long night of drinking (just to forget) because remember, Byzantium saw itself as the TRUE ROME and they viewed the Franks and Lombards as Barbarians.

[@joecool9739]

Byzantium *was* the true Rome In fact "Byzantium" is a made-up term just like "Aztec" is a made-up term The Byzantines referred to themselves as "Romans" and the Aztecs called themselves "Mexica"

[@mickvonbornemann3824]

It was only after Charlemagne’s persecution of their fellow pagan Saxons that the Vikings started raiding christians

[@oriraykai3610]

total BS. Charlemagne was defending innocent nuns, priests, and monks who were teaching people to read on the borderlands of the north who were being tortured and slaughtered by the barbarians of the north. He was defending civilization. There would be NO CIVILIZATION if he didn't do it. Vikings and Saxons were all satanists.

[@mickvonbornemann3824]

@@oriraykai3610 How old are you? You really should make sure you're not ignorant on a subject before posting. You're again showing your ignorance. Vikings & Saxons were not satanists. They were Pagans, just like the Greeks & Romans of the classical era. Satan was a Abrahamic concept of semitic religions (a fallen angel) & had nothing to do with Indo-European paganism. Again I suggest you do research before posting.

[@fredflinstone6601]

That’s actually true. The Danes started

[@Foxglove963]

@@mickvonbornemann3824 Exactly. Abrahamism is dying in Europe. About time. The Church never repealed the Inquisition, it still exists under another name.

[@thaonguyen-id4fy]

The Viking will raid even if Charlemagne don’t do anything, they don’t raid because religion.

[@andrewmcneil6668]

Very surprised there was absolutely no mention of the role of the Vikings at the time of Charlemagne and his descendants. They played a significant role in the final dissolution of this empire, taking full advantage of the internecine conflicts between the brothers, Lothar etc. They also made off withn many thousands of tons of Carolingian wealth either by plundering it directly or by being bought off which was very foolish(and weak) of the Carolingians to do. When one reads the various annals from the period, ie early 800s - mid 800s, it would almost seem that the Vikings must have had spies informing them of then current political troubles because whenever these issues came up and created rifts and disunity among the Carolingian leaders, voila, the Vikings would show up and attack at various places. I also find it revealing how well the various scholars/historians in these videos spoke of Charlemagne even when speaking about what a nasty piece of work he was and a total fraud in terms of his "Christianity" Then again, most if not all of those middle ages "Christian" rulers were frauds when it came to their real beliefs. From William the Conquerer onward.

[@gregdales4701]

just like the now and the islamic shamens

[@PalleRasmussen]

Also, the remaining Saxons sook refuge in Denmark, and King Godfred of Denmark proved an enemy Charlemagne could not defeat in battle.

[@oriraykai3610]

@@PalleRasmussen Since when? He forced him to become a Christian. i think he could have killed him (and if he was a barbarian like the Saxons, he certainly would have).

[@PalleRasmussen]

@@oriraykai3610 are you drunk or do you mistake Godfred and Harald? Richard 14. Danish War The Saxon war next came to an end as successful as the struggle had been long. The Bohemian [805-806] and Linonian [808] wars that next broke out could not last long; both were quickly carried through under the leadership of the younger Charles. The last of these wars was the one declared against the Northmen called Danes. They began their career as pirates, but afterward took to laying waste the coasts of Gaul and Germany with their large fleet. Their King Godfred was so puffed with vain aspirations that he counted on gaining empire overall Germany, and looked upon Saxony and Frisia as his provinces. He had already subdued his neighbors the Abodriti, and made them tributary, and boasted that he would shortly appear with a great army before Aix-la-Chapelle [Aachen - Charlemagn's capital], where the King held his court. Some faith was put in his words, empty as they sound, and it is supposed that he would have attempted something of the sort if he had not been prevented by a premature death. He was murdered [810] by one of his own bodyguard, and so ended at once his life and the war that he had begun.

[@mickvonbornemann3824]

@@PalleRasmussen ORK has a habit of showing his ignorance on-line

[@ccptube3468]

No Wonder Europe Became Truly successful! Charlemagne was smart with his Legacy!

[@rebecavillanova7622]

Is it a irony?

[@mickvonbornemann3824]

Really I would’ve thought Dark Age Franks & Saxons would speak a Lower German. The German on this film sounds a tad high.

[@autumnphillips151]

Thank you for pointing that out. Would it have killed them to find people to speak Dutch and Low Saxon? What is the point of using German-speakers? That language is from a completely different branch...

[@chitlika]

An excellent Documentary on a sadly little known giant of the early days of Europe I had not even heard the name Charlemagne untill many years after leaving school . something is deeply wrong about that

[@susanjackett9268]

Yes, I've only heard of him this year at aged 72! I stumbled across in a geneaology site whuch lead to the sourcing of many of these priceless videos, thanks

[@antoinemozart243]

Widukind has never been Charlemagne 's nightmare !

[@Michael_Binkley]

My family beheaded a lot of Saxons for Charlemagne. I, however have gone from idolizing him as do many historians to despising Charlemagne's place in history.

[@frekitheravenous516]

As someone descended from the Saxons, I can tell you i felt my entire life that He was a piece of filth who butchered my people because they wouldn't kiss his ass or accept his god.

[@lukeappleberry827]

I don't understand why people are making him out to be a bad guy. It's really small minded to defend the pagan Saxons. Think about the utter terror pagan Vikings inflicted in their day. I see no difference with the Saxons.

[@user-uy1rg8td1v]

I don't understand why you went from liking him to despising him. Can you explain?

[@sebe2255]

@@lukeappleberry827 They were simply kingdoms and cultures at conflict. And the pagans lost. Making any judgments about either side is retarded

[@dondeestaCarter]

​@@user-uy1rg8td1v because he spilled germanic brothers' blood in the name of a philistene carpenter, god of the meek, that's why. By making Europe Christian, he whored the best race, the european race, to the bankers moguls who rule over us now. He literally nailed one arm of humanity to the cross. He is a willful traitor.

[@stingingmetal9648]

The one monk looks like Urijah Faber a former UFC fighter.

[@Casmaniac]

50:11 I think this doc is pretty good but this guy is full of it. Projecting the (much) later rise of "logic, reason and rational thinking" on this dark age warlord who was a religious zealot is a big much imo

[@Son-of-Tyr]

Great documentary, but Einhardt eating near the beginning was fñcking disgusting. That sh¡t was making me sick...

[@krystinaland4137]

Has anyone subscribed to history hits? And if so..is it worth it?

[@Foxglove963]

These swords are debateable, the Saxons used the scramasax, a version of a large knife.

[@capbaby75]

Charlemagne was a bad ass

[@GuildofGentlemen]

Yeah, he was. He did a lot of bad things, he was no saint. In fact he broke Saint Amelia’s arm trying to lay with her. He persecuted what is today the Orthodox. But yeah, he was in the way that the Mongolian empire was. Ruthless, aggressive and achieving great feats because of it.

[@capbaby75]

@@GuildofGentlemen back in those days that's how life was. Hard to think at one time it was that way.

[@dondeestaCarter]

He was an idiot. A slave of that mind-twisting anti-natural religion that protects the weak at the expense of the strong, thus weakening us all in the long run.

[@capbaby75]

@@dondeestaCarter Everyone is entitled to an opinion

[@dondeestaCarter]

​@@capbaby75 you petty loathsome creature may move around with opinions, I prefer to live by facts.

[@emmaemma2874]

Great! Can I repost your videos on another platform?

[@Len5]

👍👍

[@dr.barrycohn5461]

Who doesn't love mass murderer who seeks power and soul saving in the name of religion. Particularly a well educated one fostering reforms.

[@flasun6934]

Get over it. Move on to the ottoman empire. Thanks but no thanks savage at heart

[@ThePhoenix109]

@@flasun6934 spanish empire

[@hefipaleburp9543]

Very informative and well put together. But I think there are some innacuracies namely the clothing/wardrobe? Can someone shed light on this?

[@justme-tj3jt]

Wow there's enough gold there to support a small country! Charleme was one rich dude.

[@oriraykai3610]

and he used it to pay copyists to produce Bibles,. He wasn't called "Holy Roman" emperor for nothing.

[@Lobhath]

Is there a way to know if you're related to Charlemagne the Great? I recently signed up for ancestry and a few of the trees indicate my family might have married into the Plantagenet family and that he could be a great great super great grandfather 😂 apparently the line I come from was being murdered in Europe over claim to the throne and a so called illegitimate direct line took off to America where they've been since Jamestown. A fire in the 1700's destroyed the family trees they had documented & for a few generations they lived with Native Americans & lost the history. After the war of 1812 they settled in Tennessee where they still live on the same land to this day. I don't know if this is true but sure is a cool tale & wonder is there a way to find out?

[@oriraykai3610]

yes. Look at your skin color. If you're white, you're an ancestor (at least according to some historians).

[@Lobhath]

@@oriraykai3610 there's not a single historian that says all white people are related to Charles the Great.

[@Fritz999]

All done to complete his deal with the Pope to become the Emporer.

[@TheArcadianKing]

Hail Pater Europa.

[@littleandre4957]

The Franks and Saxons (of Germany/Germania) WERE one people before hand - not that they became one people as she said. The Franks were one of the tribes from Germany.

[@sebe2255]

They weren’t one people because if they were there wouldn’t be a distinction. They were both Germanic but that doesn’t mean the same

[@Student-cs2ws]

Waorfoer kan Widdekinn nich eanmaol op sassisch kuern? He keem doach nich uut de alpm or sowat? Dänn moett hee nich hoachduedsch praotn, mae op Platt.

[@bold810]

I prefer Franks to Tuna Salads.

[@pascalfosse9244]

Charlemagne, a French Emperor. He did set up his Capital in AX-la-Chapelle, because of strategic warfare against the Saxons. He was crown in Reims, as a French King. He just conquer Germany, successfully. contrary to the Romans.

[@oriraykai3610]

Wasn't Aachen is home though?

[@MixerRenegade95]

@@oriraykai3610 Aachen is Aix la Chapelle.

[@arminius7909]

Charlemagne isn't french

[@PalleRasmussen]

So much LARP armour. Why no actual reenactors? We are legion.

[@stevenlevy5014]

This is just 10 minutes of people wearing furs silently staring at each other between every two sentences of substance. Terrible.

[@zeideerskine3462]

In nomine patria et filia et spiritus vini would have been perfect. That would be a baptism or dedication to Freya of Volkswanger. Party time, excellent!

[@littleandre4957]

(48:40) this account is completely biased because he was catholic.

[@doylekitchen9795]

Every one was Catholic back then.

[@THINKincessantly]

DAN JONES TURNED ANNE BOLEYN INTO AN AFRICAN---

[@nagameel7324]

Accurate depiction, cry some more because there’s more & more so called Africans being casted in these roles

[@nagameel7324]

@Grace Jaye what’s really cool is that in 200+ years if so called whites are still ruling they will depict Michael Jordan & Lebron James as white men 😂

[@dondeestaCarter]

@@nagameel7324 Your rise and our demise is humanity's demise. You can't keep up a civilization you never created. You're celebrating your own extinction, Wakanda clown.

[@chalinofalcone871]

"Thomas Jefferson urged that the reverse of the seal depict "Hengist and Horsa, the Saxon Chiefs, from whom We claim the Honour of being descended and whose Political Principles and Form of Government We have assumed." Hengist and Horsa were the first Anglo-Saxon rulers in England, from the fifth century A.D."" [THE JOURNAL OF CRIMINAL LAW & CRIMINOLOGY © 2015, Northwestern University School of Law: Vol 104, #4: THE POSSE COMITATUS AND THE OFFICE OF SHERIFF: ARMED CITIZENS SUMMONED TO THE AID OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, by DAVID B. KOPEL] I know WHY your channel is "HH". But maybe I am wrong. 😉

[@chalinofalcone871]

I also know why the English 9/11 attack is called "The 7/7/2005 (7) attacks" [7,7,7]. I know why in 2008 the largest NYSE drop of 777 points announced the GLOBAL, Great Recession. Why the the date 1776 (21=7+7+(6+1)) [7,7,7] was MADE UP out of thin air. I get it. Congratulations.

[@christianfreedom-seeker934]

Following my earlier comment, doing a funny video of "The Eastern Roman Emperor discovers that Charles was made Augustas Caesar of the West" should look something like this: "MY LEIGE, TERRIBLE NEWS! THE BISHOP OF ROME MADE A BARBARIAN LORD THE EMPEROR OF ROME!" THE EASTERN ROMAN EMPEROR LOOKS AT HIS CUP AND LOOKS AT THE FLOOR FOR A MOMENT. "EVERYONE WHO GAVE ME TERRIBLE ADVICE WHICH LED TO THIS EVENT, GET OUT. MY MOTHER AND HER ADVISORS CAN STAY!" HE BROODS FOR A MOMENT "WHAT IN GOD'S NAME DID ROME DO TO DESERVE SUCH A JUDGEMENT!!! A BARBARIAN DOG NOW RULES AS EMPEROR!!! (HE THROWS HIS CUP ACROSS THE ROOM) HOW CAN MY DAY POSSIBLY GET ANY WORSE???"

[@joecool9739]

So this is the Byzantine version of the Hitler scolding his generals scene?

[@frekitheravenous516]

Widukind was the real hero here. He fought for his people and their Gods. charles fought for power and the spread of a foreign deity. He set in motions the events that lead us right to today where the European lets all other cultures run over him.

[@lukeappleberry827]

I don't know man. Charlemagne is the good guy here in my opinion. He tried to unite Europe under one banner, one empire and one God. Which I believe was for the best.

[@chadrowe8452]

Why not choose death rather than convert

[@PapaVamp]

Is there one set European culture? Lol seems like Europe is a huge mixture of different cultures and has been that way forever

[@sebe2255]

Charlemagne has nothing to do with the way Europe lets other cultures run over it now

[@lukeappleberry827]

I'm just saying Europe wouldn't be the same had this man died or done something else. He changed history and I think for the better.

[@hansgaming4794]

I have distant relations to Charlemagne. Pretty cool.

[@Foxglove963]

He fucked around a lot?

[@christianfreedom-seeker934]

I love that! An ad movie about a psychopath in a movie about a tribal psychopathic Frankish Emperor who murdered Saxons over what.....religion? A first class arsehole. My ancestors were Saxons! Needless to say, I have no admiration for him.

[@bh1264]

CHARLEMAGNE WAS NOTHING BUT A BUTCHER!!!

[@oriraykai3610]

Saxons were the butchers, slaughtering and torturing Christians, nuns, priests, monks who were trying to teach people to read. Now they're just lying about their brutal past and trying to play "victim". Pathetic...

[@sirinsirin1774]

مرحبا لا يستحق أن تعبد مخلوق ضعيف يموت لم يخلقك فقط خالقك يستحق أن تعبده وحده لا شريك له من فضلك تعرف على الاسلام الحياة قصيرة تنتهي في أي وقت و نعود لربنا ليحاسبنا إني ناصح لك امين وشكرا

[@user-bx8ck6zc4y]

😂😂😂😂 no

[@awatsycamorefarmnearsiouxf7526]

I don’t think Charlemagne was that forceful.

[@DJMavis]

I stopped watching this after they made a thing about him passing 40. Like people usually died in their 30s. Good lord that's such bad, lazy work. I get the impression that you don't make this stuff, and just sort of source it? Source better.

[@MrBottlecapBill]

Yup......the life expectancy was only low because so many young people died. The reality is if you made it past abot 25ish back then, you would probably live as long as he did on average. The maximum human life span still hasn't really changed since those times.

[@oriraykai3610]

So many barbarian murders shortened the average life span. Not because they just died. Plus disease of course and malnutrition.

[@alexwieland-ducher8792]

Wow I didn't know the French vs English conflict goes that far back.

[@alexwieland-ducher8792]

@@tas5622 The English are called Anglo-Saxon

[@alexwieland-ducher8792]

@@tas5622 The English are descendants of German Saxons who emigrated and conquered England after the fall of the Roman Empire. Similar to how Americans, Australians, Canadians, and New Zealanders are descendants of the British Empire.

[@alexwieland-ducher8792]

@@tas5622 English is a Germanic language with a large French influence, and so is its people. But this video also talks about events that happened 1000+ years ago.

[@alexwieland-ducher8792]

@@tas5622 No

[@nagameel7324]

@@tas5622 the anglo Saxons established England. The house of Wessex.

[@Fritz999]

Why call him Charlemagne? His name was Karl and nothing else.

[@oriraykai3610]

sign of respect b*tch. Get in line and bend the knee...

[@dseelenmagie8811]

Charlie was nothing but a dillusional religious psychopath that never had 'real' belief in anything but power and control, that is until he was dying and took the last rites of Christianity motivated by fear of his own death. He slaughtered thousands of my/your ancestors based on his loosely held beliefs and profound arrogance. He wasn't a great ruler by any means, he was a tyrant and mass murderer. I'm glad his descendants fought and killed each other over their own greed for power and control. As a descendant of those that survived his despicable reign, I spit on his memory. Hail Widukind, who wanted peace but driven to fight and became a true hero that fell fighting for his people against Charlie's tyranny, against the odds he stood up to Charlie.... that's bravery, that's honor, that's a REAL HERO AND LEADER.

[@sebe2255]

Bro, its 1200 years ago. Time to move on lol

[@dseelenmagie8811]

@@sebe2255 I know I know, but everything from the past sets in motion events that lead to today, I still don't like him

[@sebe2255]

@@dseelenmagie8811 I mean, Charlemagne killing a few Saxons has very little relevance on anything that happens today. At best you could say it would have delayed their conversion

[@dondeestaCarter]

@@sebe2255 a few tens of thousands...

[@sebe2255]

@@dondeestaCarter yeah but, who cares. It was the year 800 and Saxons are still a thing

[@papazataklaattiranimam]

Germanic civil war =P

[@ToneWoN]

Nah

[@dingus6317]

@@ToneWoN Franks and Saxons were both germanics

[@leslietarkin5705]

Charlemagne was NOT a Christian, per the Words of Christ in The Gospel of John 16:2-3. He did not know God The Father or Jesus Christ. He used Christianity to justify the killing and plundering of many people for his, Charlemagne's, own glory. He paid Pope Leo III (who was a man of gold and not God) to name him Holy Roman Emperor. The churches he built were to glorify him and Not God (who doesn't need buildings of brick and mortar). He was an evil, blood thirsty tyrant, who should be vilified.

[@oriraykai3610]

Pagan lies made up out of whole cloth because they're stll bitter about their absurd losses against the Christian armies.

[@s1nb4d59]

Still notb a fan of these docudramas,show real tapestries and places and art ect but not actors.

[@tarynolyvia]

You know, if you use the thing in the ad you complained about, you can pick to watch documentaries instead of docudramas.

[@kraigthorne3549]

This is by far one of the WORST documentaries I have ever seen about Charlemagne. They make him look like a brute and a fool when in reality he was not only one of the wisest and smartest men of his time he was called Europe's first Renaissance man.

[@flasun6934]

Would be considered the "modern" way of things this way. Who doesn't live a great story. They'll rewrite anything and everything. Its the way to distorted "truths" not FACTS

[@williamegler8771]

Renaissance

[@vinn995]

@@williamegler8771 😂 Right?

[@Casmaniac]

He was a very succesful ruler during a very brutal and violent age. Therefore he had to act brutal and violent in order to be succesful. That's just plain logic right there. He was at war for like 99 procent of his reign. So, respectfully, I disagree sir.

[@oriraykai3610]

I think you meant "Renaissance man"... "resonance man". LOL.

[@Fritz999]

Charlemagne's only language was Frankish. There was no French, and he knew no Latin.

[@adelaidesngan604]

Frank, =french 🇫🇷

[@sebe2255]

@@adelaidesngan604 No lol

[@adelaidesngan604]

@@sebe2255 si si 😉

[@adelaidesngan604]

@@sebe2255 tous les gaulois étaient des citoyens frank 😉

[@sebe2255]

@@adelaidesngan604 I don’t speak French, but I do speak actual modern Frankish lol