Saxon Wars (772–804): Conquest, Conversion, Resistance

Saxony, beyond the Rhine, is one of Charlemagne’s main fronts. This is not a single campaign, but a long war, made of expeditions, temporary submissions, and revolts.

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🧭 Why Saxony matters

Saxony is a major stake:

• security of the Frankish kingdom’s borders
• control of routes and Elbe regions
• confrontation between Christian power and local religious traditions

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🔥 A war of attrition

Charlemagne leads a first major expedition in 772 and strikes symbols of Saxon paganism. After the Italian interlude, war hardens from 776: resistance organises and campaigns become more systematic.

The Saxon leader Widukind embodies resistance; his submission and baptism in 785 mark a turning point, without immediately erasing tensions.

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📜 Conquest and supervision

Frankish victory is not limited to battlefields: it passes through laws, conversions, and a reorganisation of elites. Definitive submission is usually placed around 804, when the eastern frontier is held more firmly.

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🧠 Key takeaways

• The Saxon war is one of the longest conflicts of the reign.
• Conquest and Christianisation are tightly linked.
• The result is strategic: durably secure the eastern frontier.