Baring-Gould’s sources: Roman and German Martyrologies. Authority: — A Life written by his successor S. Anskar, in Mabillon, Acta SS. O.S.B., and letter in Willbhad, or Wilhead,1 was a native of Northumberland, but we have no means of ascertaining with any degree 1 The name is thus spelt in a letter of Alcuin, quoted by Pertz, ii. 379. Lives of /he Samis.

…of accuracy the date of his birth. He was perhaps educated at York, for we find that he was at a subsequent period the friend of Alcuin. After he had attained to the priesthood, he was induced, by the reports of the progress of the English missionaries in Germany, to visit Friesland for the purpose of assisting in the conversion of the idolaters of that country. With the permission of Alchred, king of Northumbria [the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of northern England and south-east Scotland] (who reigned from 765 to 774), and the bishops, Willehad quitted his native land, and went direct to Dockum in Ostergo, the scene of the martyrdom of Boniface, which was then occupied by a Christian congregation, and there he established himself for some time, receiving and educating the children of the Frisian nobles. After a few years he proceeded east, having by that time acquired the language, with the intention of carrying the light of the Gospel to those who had not as yet been visited by missionaries. He crossed the river Lawers, on the borders of West Friesland, and entered the district of Groningen. At a place called Humarcha, supposed to be Hunsingo, near Groningen, or its hamlet, Marne, in the midst of his preaching, the idolaters incensed at the freedom with which he spoke of their religion, rose against him and his companions, and they only escaped the fate of Boniface by the intervention of the chiefs, who persuaded the people to have the sacred lot drawn to decide whether the gods demanded their death or not. The lot having declared that the missionaries were to be spared, Willehad proceeded to the district of Drente, where he made numerous converts; but the too eager zeal of one of them in destroying an idol brought the missionaries into trouble. A man aimed his sword at the breast of Willehad, but the blade was diverted by his box of relics [the bodily remains of a saint, or objects they used, kept with honor], which was suspended round his neck, and did him no harm. He was obliged, however, to fly with his companions from Friesland, and take shelter at the court of Charlemagne [king of the Franks, crowned emperor in 800]. S. Willehad.

Charlemagne had in this year (779) completed the subjection of the Saxons, and he sent Willehad to preach to the people, on the borders of Friesland and Saxony, in a district named Wigmodia, in the neighbourhood of Bremen. There Willehad laboured with success; he built churches, ordained priests, and made so many converts, that after two years hardly an idolater could be found in the whole district. But in 782 his progress was stopped by the great rebellion of Wittekind, who persecuted the Christians during several years with savage hatred. Willehad fled to the neighbourhood of Embden, on the sea-coast, and hastily embarking in a ship which happened to be there, sailed round Friesland, and escaped to France. Several of his companions were massacred. Folcard the priest, and Emming, Benjamin, Artrebanus, Genoald, and his companions fell victims at Bremen and the neighbourhood. Charles the Great had commissioned his generals, Geil and Adalgis, to strengthen the army under their command by an immense levy of Saxon troops in Westphalia, and with this army to march against the Sclavonians on the other side of the Elbe and Saal. The Saxons had obeyed the call with alacrity. They soon outnumbered the Franks [the Germanic people who ruled Gaul and gave France its name]. At Hausberg, between Minden and Rinteln, they suddenly fell on their companions and slaughtered them. Geil and Adalgis, and the greater part of the Franks, fell. When the news of this terrible catastrophe reached Charles he vowed to wreak a terrible vengeance on the rebels, and to regain by cruelty and severity the kingdom his mildness had lost. Crossing the Rhine, he laid waste the country by fire and sword, and exterminated all who refused to embrace Christianity. Thousands were driven into the rivers to be baptized or drowned. On the Eller at Verden 4,500 Saxons taken in arms were beheaded. Destruction marched in his van. Desolation, carnage, and flames marked the path of the conqueror. Undismayed by the danger, the Saxons rose to a man in defence of their national liberties and ancient gods. Every deed of cruelty was doubly repaid, and victory began to waver. At Detmold, Wittekind headed the enthusiastic patriots against the superior forces of Charles, and a dreadful battle was fought, in which the victory remained undecided.

In petty warfare the Saxons proved invincible, and it was not until they again hazarded a general engagement on the Hase that Charles's superior tactics prevailed against them. When at length he was once more securely fixed in the interior of the country, prudence counselled milder measures; and whilst he still devastated the northern districts, his subjects in the Binnenland were treated with a gentleness which, seconded by the exhaustion consequent on their numerous defeats, at length induced a general submission. During this period of revolt and warfare Willehad absented himself. He went to the court of Pepin, king of the Lombards [a Germanic people who ruled much of Italy from 568 to 774], and thence to Rome, where he was received by Pope Adrian I., who condoled with him on the misfortunes of the Church in Saxony, and then sent him back to France. He took up his residence inWillibrord’s monastery at Echtemach, where he was joined by as many of his disciples as had escaped Wittekind’s persecution, and where he occupied himself in reading and writing.

After remaining two years in Echtemach Willehad again visited the court of Charlemagne, who was residing at the castle of Eresburg, and who gave him as a benefice the cell of Mont Jutin, in Upper Burgundy. According to Charlemagne's desire, Willehad now returned to his diocese of Wigmodia, where he ordained new priests, and restored the churches that had been destroyed. There was now no more opposition to Christianity: all opposition had been trampled out, and the people gave in a surly adhesion to the religion Nov. g.] S. Gernad.

forced on them, and submitted, as a necessity, to receive baptism. Wittekind and Alboin, finding further resistance hopeless, in the same year (785) went to Affigny, where their conqueror then was, and accepted baptism. Wittekind either gave out, or allowed it to be believed, to cover his humiliation, that he had been convinced by a miracle. In the church of Wolmirstadt, into which he went when mass was being said, he saw the priest lift a shining child above his head, at the Elevation of the Host. But Wittekind’s motive of submitting to become a Christian in name was rather to escape the loss of all his honour, authority, and probably of his life also. In 786 Charlemagne went to Rome, and on his return thence in the following year, he held the general assembly of his people at Worms. On this occasion, July 13th, 787, Willehad was consecrated to the episcopal dignity, and Charlemagne gave him the whole district of Wigmodia as his diocese. Two ye*ars afterwards the new bishop built a church, “ of wonderful beauty,” at Bremen, which he dedicated to S. Peter, on Sunday, November 1st, 789, and which from that period became the episcopal seat. The ceremony of dedication was no sooner ended than the bishop, who had set out to make a visitation of his diocese, was struck with sudden illness at Blexem, near Bremen, where he died on the 8th of November, 789, after he had held the bishopric only two years, three months, and twenty-six days. His body was carried to Bremen, and buried in the church which he had built