True Crime Medieval

50. Charlemagne Massacres the Saxons, Verden, Lower Saxony 782

October 14, 2021 Anne Brannen and Michelle Butler Season 2 Episode 50
True Crime Medieval
50. Charlemagne Massacres the Saxons, Verden, Lower Saxony 782
Show Notes

One day, after the Saxons won one of the many battles in the Saxon Wars, Charlemagne, who was pretty annoyed, ordered the mass execution of 4,500 warriors.  This didn't really tarnish his golden reputation until the 18th century, when it began to bother people.  We discuss the Saxons, Charlemagne's reputation, the trouble that the Nazis had in figuring out how to talk about him, and, oddly enough, Christopher Lee and his heavy metal Charlemagne albums. 

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