Incursions
Index
Brandenburg
[929. Henry I campaigns successfully against Hevelli, taking Brandenburg1; against Daleminzi, taking Gana; against Bohemians, taking Prague; also made Abodrites, Wilzi, and Redarii tributary; Redarii rebelled, taking Walsleben; Saxons respond by besieging Lenzen, a battle described in detail.]2
991. King Otto with a large army of Saxons and reinforcements from Mieszko besieged and conquered Brandenburg3. When he was leaving there, a certain Saxon, Kizo, boldly invaded the same burg with the aid of the Liutizi rashly enough against the king’s command, and, with the perseverance of the aforesaid Slavs, altogether unjustly subjugated it to his control contrary to human or divine law. He attempted frequent attacks of robbery in Saxony along the river Elbe. By the grace of God he fled from them into hiding, not as a victor but a like a fugitive thief.4
992. King Otto with a strong force of his own men again went to Brandenburg5. Henry, duke of the Bavarians, came to him, as did Boleslav, prince of the Bohemians, with a huge multitude in aid to the king. But Boleslaw, the son of Mieszko, not at all able to come himself to the lord king (for indeed a powerful war against the Russians threatened him), sent his warriors sufficiently loyal to him in service to the king. Yet the lord king, trusting the promises of the Slavs to be good, and not wishing to resist his princes, again granted them peace and from there returned home. But they, in their customary way, lied in everything. 6
993. Kizo, who had previously been a rebel and a fugutive, voiding the faith formerly promised to the Slavs, subjected himself with his men and the aforesaid burg of Brandenburg7 to the king’s power. … In the same year, the Saxons prepared an expedition against the Slavs three times but they achieved nothing; by contrast, the Slavs wearied Saxony with frequent robberies.8