Battle of Lüne and the Elbe (Saxon Wars)

The Battle of Lüne and the Elbe took place in 795 as part of Charlemagne’s Saxon Wars, as reported in the Annales Mosellani. Lüne is the name of a location near the left lower reaches of the Elbe related to the Saxon campaign of Charlemagne in the year 795. Between 794 and 799, Charlemagne undertook the annual campaigns of the Saxon Wars to consolidate his conquests there.

In May 795, however, the Obotrite Slavs, who expected the attack by Charlemagne, were the other side of the Elbe under the leadership of Witzlaus. Surprisingly, Charlemagne waited in vain as Witzlaus was killed by his own men while crossing the Elbe. Encamped, Charlemagne received emissaries of the leader of the Avars, offering submission and conversion to Christianity.

It is reported that Heimrich, Count of Rheingau, son of Cancor, had fallen on 5 May 795 in Lüne on the Elbe during the fight.

Charlemagne remained at Aachen through July and held after a national assembly (placitum) in Kostheim in Mainz. After Charles had ravaged the country, he returned, taking with a large number of hostages to Aachen back to where he held the annual party to celebrate the Christmas of 795.

Sources

Annales Mosellani, Johann Martin Lappenberg. In: Georg Heinrich Pertz (ed.) MGH Scriptores (in folio) Volume XVI, Hanover, 1869

Bury, J. B., (Editor), The Cambridge Medieval History, Volume II, The Rise of the Saracens and the Foundation of the Western Empire, Cambridge at the University Press, Cambridge, 1913

Tout, T. F., The Empire and the Papacy, 918-1273, Rivingtons, London, 1932.

Royal Frankish Annals, in: Friedrich Short (eds.), MGH Scriptores rerum Germanicum in usum scholarum separatim editi, Volume 6