IN THE SHADOW OF DEATH CULTURAL ENCOUNTERS IN LATE ANTIQUITY AND THE MIDDLE AGES General Editor Yitzhak Hen Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Editorial Board Angelo di Berardino Augustinianum–Instituto Patristico, Rome Nora Berend University of Cambridge Leslie Brubaker University of Birmingham Christoph Cluse Universität Trier Rob Meens Universiteit Utrecht James Montgomery University of Cambridge Alan V. Murray University of Leeds Thomas F. X. Noble University of Notre Dame Miri Rubin University of London Previously published volumes in this series are listed at the back of this book. VOLUME 11 IN THE SHADOW OF DEATH Saint Boniface and the Conversion of Hessia, 721–54 by John-Henry Clay H F British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Clay, John-Henry. In the shadow of death : Saint Boniface and the conversion of Hessia, 721-754. -- (Cultural encounters in late antiquity and the Middle Ages ; v. 11) 1. Boniface, Saint, Archbishop of Mainz, ca. 675-754. 2. Hessians--Religion. 3. Missions, English--Germany-- History--To 1500. 4. Germany--Church history--To 843. I. Title II. Series 270.2'092-dc22 ISBN-13: 9782503531618 © 2010, Brepols Publishers n.v., Turnhout, Belgium All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. D/2010/0095/172 ISBN: 978-2-503-53161-8 For Bridget Gale 1914–2007 CONTENTS List of Illustrations ix Preface xiii Author’s Note xv List of Abbreviations xvii Part I. Foundations Chapter 1: Introduction 3 Chapter 2: Historiography 19 Part II. Context Chapter 3: West Saxon Origins 55 Chapter 4: Hessia on the Eve of the Bonifatian Mission 119 Part III. Mission Chapter 5: The Chronology of the Bonifatian Mission in Hessia 189 Chapter 6: Representing the Mission 237 Chapter 7: Experiencing the Mission 279 Chapter 8: Conclusion 399 Appendix 1: Terms and Expressions Relating to Mission and 405 Missionaries in the Letters of Boniface and Lul Appendix 2: Metaphors and Motifs Used to Represent the Mission 411 in the Letters of Boniface and Lul Appendix 3: The Terms Germania and Germanicum in the Letters 421 of Boniface and Lul Appendix 4: Property Held by Hersfeld in Hessia before 775 425 Appendix 5: Patrons of Fulda in the Amöneburg District, 750–79 427 Bibliography 431 Index 473 ILLUSTRATIONS Figures Fig. 1, p. 24. Statue of Boniface at Fritzlar. Fig. 2, p. 59. Swallowcliffe Down seen from the east. Fig. 3, p. 136. The Wotanstein at Maden. Fig. 4, p. 152. Kirchberg excavation plan (from Göldner and Sippel, ‘Spätmerow- ingische Gräber’, Abb. 2). Fig. 5, p. 154. Kirchberg grave goods (from Göldner and Sippel, ‘Spätmerow- ingische Gräber’, Abb. 4). Fig. 6, p. 158. Gaulskopf seen from the east (distant wooded rise on the left). Fig. 7, p. 158. Eresburg seen from the south. Fig. 8, p. 160. Büraburg excavation plan (from Wand, ‘Die Büraburg und das Fritzlar-Waberner Becken’, unnumbered pull-out map). Fig. 9, p. 160. Büraburg seen from the location of the early medieval settlement of Geismar. Fig. 10, p. 162. Kesterburg excavation plan (from Gensen, ‘Christenberg, Burgwald und Amöneburger Becken’, unnumbered pull-out map). Fig. 11, p. 162. Weidelsburg seen from the north. Fig. 12, p. 164. Dörnberg seen from the Helfensteine. x Illustrations Fig. 13, p. 164. Dörnberg excavation plan (from Kappel, ‘Dörnberg bei Zieren- berg’, Abb. 1). Fig. 14, p. 172. Amöneburg seen from the south. Fig. 15, p. 174. Amöneburg excavation plan (from Uenze, ‘Völkerwanderungs- zeitliche Gräber’, Abb. 1–3). Fig. 16, p. 179. Reconstruction of the monastery at Büraburg. Drawing by John- Henry Clay. Fig. 17, p. 180. St Brigid’s chancel arch. Fig. 18, p. 185. Fritzlar seen from the west, with a view of the present-day cathedral of St Peter (left). Fig. 19, p. 215. Eighth-century church at Gaulskopf (from Best and Löwen, ‘Die Ausgrabungen in der mittelalterlichen Wallburg Gaulskopf’, Abb. 6). Fig. 20, p. 298. Mader Stein seen from the west, dominating the village of Maden. Fig. 21, p. 298. Gudensberg seen from the east, showing a basalt outcrop named after the god Wodan. Fig. 22, p. 302. Ancient oak in Reinhardswald. Fig. 23, p. 304. The Riesenstein at Heiligenberg (right) and the artificially carved cliff of Ziegenrück (left). Fig. 24, p. 306. Heiligenberg, near Gensungen, showing the basalt outcrop at the peak. Fig. 25, p. 306. Kirchberg seen from the south. Fig. 26, p. 307. Wichdorf, ‘the holy settlement’, seen from the south. Fig. 27, p. 310. The Martinstein at Martinhagen, showing its proximity to the later medieval church (left). Fig. 28, p. 310. Hasungen seen from the east. Fig. 29, p. 312. The Helfensteine seen from the west. Fig. 30, p. 313. Helfensteine ‘sentinels’. Fig. 31, p. 313. Main Helfensteine outcrop.