THE SCENE: To modern scholars, one of the great controversies of Charlemagne’s reign is his violent, forcible conversion of the Saxons to Christianity. To the view of a (Christian) Saxon writer 200 years after the fact, though, Charlemagne’s actions are interpreted as simply a question of a hard man making a wise choice.
THE TEXT: Charlemagne, as he was the bravest of kings so he was not wanting either in great wisdom. For he, being more far-sighted than any mortal of his time, was of opinion that this neighboring, noble people should not be kept in empty error. He strove by every means to lead them into the true path, now by gentle persuasion, now by forcing them to it by the impact of war, and finally in the thirtieth year of his Empire – for from being a king he had been made an emperor – he brought to completion what he spent many years in effecting. By this action those who were formerly allies and friends of the Franks were now their brothers, and the two were made as it were one people in the Christian faith, even as we see them today.
– The Deeds of the Saxons, Widukind of Corvey, 10th Century AD
