Godfrid, duke of Frisia

Godfrid, Danish Viking leader

Basics:

• Father: Unknown, NOT Harald Klak
• Wife: Gisela, daughter of Lothair II

Details

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godfrid,_Duke_of_Frisia

Godfrid, Godafrid, Gudfrid, or Gottfrid (murdered June 885) was a Danish Viking leader of the late ninth century. He had probably been with the Great Heathen Army, descended on the continent, and became a vassal of the emperor Charles the Fat, controlling most of Frisia between 882 and 885.

In 880, Godfrid ravaged Flanders using Ghent as his base. In 882, Godfrid ravaged Lotharingia and the cities of Maastricht, Liège, Stavelot, Prüm, Cologne, and Koblenz were devastated. After the Siege of Asselt forced him to come to terms, Godfrid was granted the Kennemerland, which had formerly been ruled by Rorik of Dorestad, as a vassal of Charles, according to the Annales Fuldenses. Godfrid swore oaths to Charles promising never to again lay waste his kingdom and accepted Christianity and baptism, at which Charles stood as his godfather. In return, Charles appointed him Duke of Frisia and gave him Gisela, daughter of Lothair II, as his wife.

However, Godfrid did nothing against a Danish raid which pillaged large parts of the Low Countries. In 885, he was summoned to Lobith for a meeting after being accused of complicity with Hugh, Duke of Alsace, in an insurrection. In an act of treachery he was killed by a group of Frisian and Saxon nobles at the connivance of Henry of Franconia. The local count Gerulf took over the West Frisian coastline from the Danish after the murder.

This Godfrid has sometimes been confused with Godfrid Haraldsson.

a) GODEFRID (-murdered Jun 885). The Annales Bertiniani record that "Godefridus, Herioldi Dani filius", who had been baptised at Mainz during the reign of Emperor Louis, defected from Emperor Lothar in 852, raided Frisia, and sailed up the Scheldt and the Seine[74]. The Annales Fuldenses record that "Nordmanni Godafredo duce" sailed up the Seine in 850 and that Charles II "le Chauve" King of the West Franks granted him territory, without specifying where this was[75]. He lost control of Rüstringen in 856. The Annales Bertiniani record that "Roric et Godofridus" returned to Denmark after Emperor Lothaire gave Frisia to his son Lothaire in 855, but recovered most of Frisia at the end of the same year, establishing themselves at Dorestad[76]. Duke [of Frisia] 882. The Annales Fuldenses names "Nortmannorum…cum ipsis regibus…Sigifredo et Godofrido, principis Vurm, Hals" when recording a Viking attack in 882, in another manuscript recording the baptism of "Gotafridum" and that he was given "comitatus et benefice qua Rorich Nordmannus…in Kinnin [Kennemerland]" held from the Frankish kings[77]. The Annales Vedastini record that "Godefridus…rex" was granted land which "olim Roricus Danus tenuerat" in 882[78]. The Annales Vedastini record that "Godefridus Danus" was killed in the city of "Gerulfi sui fidelis" by "Heinrico duce" in 885[79].

m (882) GISELA, illegitimate daughter of LOTHAIRE II King of Lotharingia [Carolingian] & his mistress Waldrada --- ([860/65]-[21 May/26 Oct] 907). Regino records the marriage in 882 of "Gisla filia Hlotharii" and "rex Godofridus Nordmannorum"[80]. The Annales Fuldenses record the marriage of "Gotafrid Nordmannus qui superiore anno fuerat baptizatus" and "Hugone Hlutharii filio eiusque sororem" in 883[81]. The Annales Vedastini record the marriage in 882 between "Godefridus…rex" and "Gislam filiam Hlotharii regis"[82]. Abbess at Nivelles and Fosses, after her husband died. "Zendeboldus…rex" gave "proprietatem…in loco…VII Fontes" to "propinqua nostra…Kisla…regis Lotharii filia…abbatisse" by charter dated 30 Jul 896[83]. "Zuendebolchus…rex" gave property to "neptis nostre…Gissele…Nyuialensis abbaciæ" for her abbey by charter dated 26 Jul 897[84].