View source for Radbod of Frisia

{{Infobox royalty
| name           = Radbod
| title          = King (or Duke) of Frisia
| image          = Radboud doopvont.jpg
| caption        = Embroidery depicting the legend in which the Frisian king Radbod is ready to be baptized by Wulfram (in this embroidery replaced by Willibrord), but at the last moment refuses. From the [[Museum Catharijneconvent]], [[Utrecht (city)|Utrecht]]
| reign          = c. 680 – 719
| predecessor    = [[Aldgisl]]
| successor      = [[Bubo, Duke of the Frisians|Bubo]]
| spouse         =
| royal house    = 
| father         = 
| mother         =
| birth_date     = c. 648
| death_date     = 719
| death_place    = 
| buried         =
| religion       = [[Germanic paganism]]
}}
'''Radbod''' (died 719) was the [[Rulers of Frisia|king (or duke) of Frisia]] from c. 680 until his death. He is often considered the last independent ruler of [[Frisia]] before [[Franks|Frankish]] domination. He defeated [[Charles Martel]] at [[battle of Cologne|Cologne]]. Eventually, Charles prevailed and compelled the Frisians to submit. Radbod died in 719, but for some years his successors struggled against the Frankish power.

== King or duke ==
What the exact title of the Frisian rulers was depends on the source. Frankish sources tend to call them dukes; other sources{{which|date=July 2023}} often call them kings.{{citation needed|date=November 2017}}

== Reign ==
While his predecessor, [[Aldgisl]],<ref>{{cite journal|last=TeBrake|first=William H.|title=Ecology and Economy in Early Medieval Frisia|journal=Viator|year=1978|volume=9|pages=1–30|doi=10.1484/J.VIATOR.2.301538|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v9swtfALoisC&dq=aldgisl&pg=PA14|access-date=2013-08-30}}</ref> had welcomed [[Christianity]] into his realm, Radbod attempted to extirpate the religion and gain independence from the  kingdom of the Franks. In 689, however, Radbod was defeated by [[Pepin of Herstal]] in the battle of [[Dorestad]]<ref>{{cite book|location=Bussum|publisher=Fibula-Van Dishoeck|series=Fibulareeks|volume=22|last=Blok|first=Dirk P.|title=De Franken : hun optreden in het licht der historie|language=nl|year=1968|oclc=622919217|pages=32–34|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YjTrAAAAMAAJ|access-date=2014-09-17}}</ref> and compelled to cede Frisia Citerior (Nearer Frisia, from the [[Scheldt]] to the [[Vlie]]) to the [[Franks]].

Between 690 and 692, [[Utrecht (city)|Utrecht]] fell into the hands of Pepin. This gave the Franks control of important trade routes on the [[Rhine]] to the [[North Sea]]. Some sources say that, following this defeat, Radbod retreated, in 697, to the island of [[Heligoland]]. Others say he retreated to the part of the Netherlands that is still known as Friesland.

Around this time there was an Archbishopric or [[Diocese|bishopric]] of the Frisians founded for [[Willibrord]]<ref>it ''Liber Pontificalis'' (Corpus XXXVI 1, side 168) en ''Beda Venerabilis'' (Corpus XLVI9, page 218)</ref>  and a marriage was held between [[Grimoald the Younger]], the oldest son of Pepin, and [[Thiadsvind]], the daughter of Radbod in 711.<ref name="Halbertsma1982">{{Cite thesis|last=Halbertsma|first=Herrius|title=Frieslands Oudheid|language=nl, en|chapter=Summary|chapter-url=http://dissertations.ub.rug.nl/FILES/faculties/arts/1982/h.halbertsma/Halbertsma.PDF|year=1982|location=Groningen|publisher=Rijksuniversiteit Groningen|oclc=746889526|pages=791–798}}</ref>{{rp|page=794}}

On Pepin's death in 714, Radbod took the initiative again. He forced [[Saint Willibrord]] and his monks to flee and advanced as far as [[battle of Cologne|Cologne]], where he defeated [[Charles Martel]],<ref name="Boudicca.de">{{cite web |title=Geschiedenis van het volk der Friezen|language=nl|date=2003|website=boudicca.de|url=http://www.boudicca.de/friezen-nl1.htm|access-date=2009-01-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090608003800/http://www.boudicca.de/friezen-nl1.htm|archive-date=2009-06-08|url-status=dead}}{{Self-published source|date=November 2014}}</ref> Pepin's natural son, in 716. Eventually, however, Charles prevailed and compelled the Frisians to submit. Radbod died in 719,<ref name="Halbertsma2000">{{cite book|last=Halbertsma|first=Herrius|date=2000|title=Frieslands oudheid: het rijk van de Friese koningen, opkomst en ondergang|language=nl, en|location=Utrecht|publisher=Matrijs|isbn=9789053451670|edition=New}}</ref>{{rp|page=90}} but for some years his successors struggled against the Frankish power.

As an example of how powerful King Radbod still was at the end of his life, the news that he was engaged in assembling an army was reportedly enough to fill the Frankish kingdom with fear and trembling.<ref name="Halbertsma1982" />{{rp|page=794}}

== Relation with the Catholic Church ==
During the second journey of [[Saint Boniface]] to Rome, [[Wulfram of Sens|Wulfram]], a monk and ex-[[archbishop of Sens]], tried to convert Radbod, but after an unsuccessful attempt he returned to Fontenelle. It is said that Radbod was nearly baptised but refused when he was told that he would not be able to find any of his ancestors in Heaven after his death. He said he preferred spending eternity in Hell with his pagan ancestors than in Heaven with a pack of beggars.<ref>Friese sagen & Terugkeer (2000), Conserve, Uitgeverij, Redbald en Wulfram. {{ISBN|978-90-5429-138-1}}</ref> This legend is also told with Wulfram being replaced with bishop [[Willibrord]].

== Legacy ==
[[File:Portret van Radbout na de restauratie - Medemblik - 20151675 - RCE.jpg|thumb|Portrait of Radbod ([[Radboud Castle]])]]

[[Radboud of Utrecht|Saint Radboud]] was a descendant of Radbod. Saint Radboud was a [[Archdiocese of Utrecht (695–1580)|bishop of Utrecht]] who adopted his ancestor's native name. The [[Radboud University|Nijmegen University]] and its corresponding [[Radboud University Medical Center|medical facility]] were named after him in 2004.

In [[Richard Wagner]]'s ''[[Lohengrin (opera)|Lohengrin]]'' a certain "Radbod, ruler of the Frisians" is mentioned as Ortrud's ancestor.

In [[Harry Harrison (writer)|Harry Harrison]]'s ''[[The Hammer and the Cross]]'' series of novels, Radbod becomes the founder of "the Way", an organized [[Norse paganism|pagan]] cult, created to combat the efforts of Christian missionaries.

Black metal band Ophidian Forest recorded a concept album ''Redbad''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.metal-archives.com/albums/Ophidian_Forest/Redbad/193033 |title=Redbad |website=metal-archives.com |access-date=2013-08-30}}</ref> in 2007.

Dutch folk metal band '[[Heidevolk]]' recorded a song 'Koning Radboud' (King Radbod) on their 2008 album 'Walhalla Wacht' singing about the legend of Wulfram and Radbod.

In 2015 the Frisian Folk-Metal band Baldrs Draumar<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.baldrsdraumar.com/ |title=Baldrs Draumar |website=baldrsdraumar.com/}}</ref> released a full album on the life and deeds of king Redbad called Aldgillissoan.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://soundcloud.com/baldrs-draumar |title=Aldgillessoan |website=soundcloud.com/}}</ref> It is based on the book Rêdbâd, Kronyk fan in Kening<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bol.com/nl/p/redbad/1001004011309210/ |title=Rêdbâd, Kronyk fan in Kening |website=bol.com/}}</ref> (Chronicles of a King) by Willem Schoorstra.

In 2018, Dutch production company Farmhouse released a film, ''[[Redbad (film)|Redbad]]'', based on Radbod. It is directed by [[Roel Reiné]] and stars [[Jonathan Banks]] and [[Søren Malling]] alongside a variety of Dutch actors.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://incrediblefilm.com/en/movies/red-bad/ |title=754 A.D. REDBAD (2018) |website=incrediblefilm.com/}}</ref>
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== See also ==
* [[Frisian–Frankish wars]]
* [[Low Countries mythology]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

=== Other sources ===
* {{EB1911|wstitle=Frisians|volume=11|pages=234–235}}
* Petz, G. H. (ed). ''MGH Scriptures''. (Hanover, 1892).

== External links ==
*{{Commons category-inline|Redbad, King of the Frisians}}

{{s-start}}
{{S-reg}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Aldgisl]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Rulers of Frisia|Leader of the Frisians]]|years=680–719}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Bubo, Duke of the Frisians|Bubo]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Radbod (Frisia)}}
[[Category:719 deaths]]
[[Category:7th-century monarchs in Europe]]
[[Category:8th-century monarchs in Europe]]
[[Category:Germanic pagans]]
[[Category:Dukes of Frisia]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]