Frisia, a Viking graveyard
When reading about the famous deeds of great Viking warriors, often not much attention is given to the moments of failure. Not much is written about where and when they died. As it turns out, the coast of Frisia is one big Viking graveyard. It is here, in the (still) smelly blue mud, where legendaryContinue reading “Frisia, a Viking graveyard”
History is written by the victors – a history of the credits
New York. Also known as the Capitol of the World, as Modern Gomorrah, as the Big Apple. With Times Square being the self-proclaimed Centre of the Universe. Amidst all this bigness, portraits of two seventeenth-century men from the tiny villages of Peperga and Koudum in the south of province Friesland, hang at the walls ofContinue reading “History is written by the victors – a history of the credits”
Presence of mind to ask the right question
‘The path will provide,’ is a familiar saying among hikers while on the trail. The flipside of this attitude is you might not have the keenness to recognize an exceptional opportunity. Your mind gets lazy. It is exactly what happened to one of the Frisian bastards during his solo-hike through the harsh mountains of Corsica.Continue reading “Presence of mind to ask the right question”
A Wadden Sea Guide and His Twelve Disciples
For those outdoor freaks who consider hiking the mud flats of the Wadden Sea, it is essential to know this is, in fact, not a worldly journey but a spiritual one. The whole Frisia Coast in a way is a spiritual belt, protecting the southern coast of the North Sea against the northern darkness. AlreadyContinue reading “A Wadden Sea Guide and His Twelve Disciples”
Expelled from Regal Grounds
July 1987. The two Frisian bastards, both being sixteen years old at the time, went to the village of Wijnaldum, or Winaem in Mid-Frisian language. The reason for it was twofold. Firstly, the yearly street-kaatsen tournament was taking place. Secondly, one of their classmates Gerda lived closed to the village and this was a goodContinue reading “Expelled from Regal Grounds”
The Killing Fields, of the Celts
About 2,000 years ago a tragedy unfolded. A sixteen-years-old girl, who suffered during her young life from scoliosis, was killed. Her red hair was shaved off on one side, she was stabbed at the base of her neck on at the right shoulder and strangled with a woolen rope. The rope was still around herContinue reading “The Killing Fields, of the Celts”
Rowing souls of the dead to Britain: the ferryman of Solleveld
In 2004, a unique discovery was made at the early-medieval grave field of Solleveld, just south of the city of The Hague: a boat grave. Exactly two hundred kilometers, perfectly east, across the North Sea, of the legendary boat burial of Sutton Hoo. With this one-of-a-kind found, the Netherlands joined the ranks of ship-burial-countries. AContinue reading “Rowing souls of the dead to Britain: the ferryman of Solleveld”
It all began with piracy
The arrival of the Romans in northwest Europe at the beginning of the era, with the Rhine as frontier, was the starting signal for five centuries of widespread piracy. Piracy that not only affected the coasts of Britannia and Gaul. It stirred things up even as far as the coasts of the Mediterranean and theContinue reading “It all began with piracy”
Out of averting the inevitable a community was born
March 25, 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic is climbing towards its second peak. Uncertainty of how destructive the pandemic is going to be in the long run. How many family members and loved ones will it take? A phenomenon of chaos and destruction that confronts us with the limitations of an engineered world. Some people exclaimContinue reading “Out of averting the inevitable a community was born”
With the White Rabbit down the Hole
R1b/Hg1/Eu18; R-M213; R-M9; R1b-M45; R-M207; R-M173; R-M343; R-L278; R-L754; R-L389/R1b1a1; R-M415; R-P297/R1b1a1a; R-M269/R1b1a1a2; R-M520; R-L23; R-M412; R-L11; R-S21/U106/M405/R1b1a1a1a2a1a1… Knock Knock… Wake up Neo… Follow the White Rabbit…| These serial numbers, chronologically arranged, represent groups and subgroups of people who genetically share a common ancestor. Pulling these protein strands is like going down the Rabbit Hole.Continue reading “With the White Rabbit down the Hole”
Latið meg ei á Frísaland fordervast!
Latið meg ei á Frísaland fordervast! ‘Do no let me perish in Friesland!’ A cry-out of a Faroese young woman when she was being kidnapped by Frisian pirates in the Middle Ages. The question of this blog post is not about how on earth it was possible that the people of the Faroe Islands hadContinue reading “Latið meg ei á Frísaland fordervast!”
Make way for the dead!
High in the Alps of Switzerland, in the region Bernese Oberland, many men, women and children have experienced the great horror of the dead Frisians marching back to their homeland in the dead of the night. The path they follow is called The Frisians Way. Connecting the Haslital ‘Hasli valley’ in the Bernese Oberland withContinue reading “Make way for the dead!”
Sailors escaped from Cyclops
“The reason I am late for class? Well, there was a strange cat in our barn this morning, and I stepped in its poop. Therefore, I first had to clean my shoes before I could go to school. That’s the reason. Really!” A similar pretext was made in the year 1040, by a bunch ofContinue reading “Sailors escaped from Cyclops”
The Batwing Doors of Northwest Europe
“Is seaport the Maasvlakte the gateway of northwestern Europe? No? Is it Europoort then? No? Is it the Botlek port area? Is it Vlaardingen? No? Surely it’s the city of Rotterdam! Say what? Okay, final guess. Since you guys only can talk about Frisia, is it the town of Vreeswijk perhaps?” Sorry to disappoint you.Continue reading “The Batwing Doors of Northwest Europe”
Merciless medieval merchants
The earliest proof of Frisian merchants trading in slaves dates from the seventh century. It was Venerable Bede himself, the Father of English history, who documented this criminal act. It was a merchant doing business on the London markets, who also traded in slaves. In this blog post we shed some light on this darkContinue reading “Merciless medieval merchants”
A Theelacht. What a great idea!
Halfway the ninth century, Vikings had established more or less permanent presence in Frisia in the former district called Nordendi or Norditi. By 884 the Frisians were fed up with it. The forged new swords, raised an army and drove the Norsemen out. For good. It took exactly 10,377 lives on the side of theContinue reading “A Theelacht. What a great idea!”
Atlantis found! Wait, there is another one, or 7, wait 12 in total… No, 19!
Atlantis found! Wait, there is another one, or 7, wait 12 in total… No, 19! Frisia could easily claim the title: land of Atlantis. 19 inhabited islands and 244 villages drowned along the old Frisian coast trail in the past 1,500 years. We bet there are more out there… Atlantis emerged in the writings ofContinue reading “Atlantis found! Wait, there is another one, or 7, wait 12 in total… No, 19!”
Rats with wings or Masters of the Sky
Over the last years we have written about the tall and weird-looking people living in the twilight zone of sea and land: the coastal strip along the southern shores of the North Sea. Recently, repetitive long-calls made us aware we developed a blind spot. We forgot all about the animal that inhabits the same coastalContinue reading “Rats with wings or Masters of the Sky”
Shipwrecked people of the salt marshes
Tidal marshlands and the Frisians are a dual entity. The Chauci and the Frisii (Frisians) had learned to adapt to this unprotective, hospitable salty environment. A vast area of treelees, tidal marshlands, frequently flooded by the sea, but where they nonetheless prospered at the time the civilized Romans arrived around the year of Christ. PeopleContinue reading “Shipwrecked people of the salt marshes”
Attingahem Bridge
Brooklyn. Named after the village of Breukelen in the Netherlands. Its original Frisian name was Attingahem. With only a twist of history Brooklyn would have been named Attingahem today, and the Brooklyn Bridge therefore the Attingahem Bridge. The streets of Brooklyn, the set of movies like The Warriors (’79), The French Connection (’71), Once UponContinue reading “Attingahem Bridge”
Donkey King
Rex illiteratus est quasi asinus coronatus, ‘an illiterate king is like a crowned donkey’. Or, if you prefer the alternative translation, ‘is like a crowned arse’. These are almost thousand-year-old words of the bishop-philosopher-diplomat John of Salisbury, expressing the notion kings and other rulers in general should be educated in order to perform their task.Continue reading “Donkey King”
Magnus’ Choice. The Origins of the Frisian Freedom
According to medieval legends around 800 Charlemagne and Pope Leo came into conflict with the city of Rome. The Pope was attacked and had to flee the city. It was an army of ‘naked’ Frisians headed by Magnus that retook the citadel and the eternal city. In return Charlemagne offered wealth, weapons, treasure and more.Continue reading “Magnus’ Choice. The Origins of the Frisian Freedom”
Groove is in the Hearth
The hearth was in pre- and early-medieval times the Holy of holies, the heart of the family. Where you would lay back and groove. Groove on the sound of the rain on the thatched roof. Or, the sound of the sea at your feet below. Sloshing against the grassy slopes of your house platform. AContinue reading “Groove is in the Hearth”
Ornament of the Gods found in a mound of clay
In the year 516, King Hygelac of the Geats, a tribe in the southeast of Sweden, raided Frisia. Back then, this part of the Netherlands was impenetrable land with big rivers, little streams, swamps, peat, bog and damping forests covered with moss. Hygelac’s expedition could have gone better, since he was killed during tand notContinue reading “Ornament of the Gods found in a mound of clay”
Croeso Gerddwyr
Last year one of the Frisian bastards hiked the Pembrokeshire Coast Path in southwestern Wales (Cymru), a 290 kilometres long trail. As every walker knows, hiking, pilgrimage and spiritual peace are one and the same thing. The coast path takes you after nine days of walking to the homeland of Saint David, Wales’ patron saint.Continue reading “Croeso Gerddwyr”
The Abbey of Egmond and the Rise of the Gerulfing Dynasty
Monk Ecgberht of Ripon was the driving force behind the Christianization of the headstrong heathens of Frisia. From the influential monastery Rath Melsigi in Ireland, he released salvo after salvo of monks, priests and other clergymen on them. Monks Willibrord and Adalbert were yet another two of his spiritual soldiers. After having received their educationContinue reading “The Abbey of Egmond and the Rise of the Gerulfing Dynasty”
Giants of Twilight Land
On the edge of land and sea, where it is difficult to tell what is land and what is not, life is rough. The corrosive salt of the sea is devastating to most land species. Hence the near treeless landscape of the flat tidal marshlands of former Frisia. Vice versa, most living things in waterContinue reading “Giants of Twilight Land”
The United Frisian Emirates and Black Peat
In this blog post we will explain that the United Arab Emirates might as well be named the United Frisian Emirates. Of course, there are some differences. The Emirate Arabs have camels and goats. The Frisians have cows and sheep. It is hot and dry, instead of wet and cold. And the sea they liveContinue reading “The United Frisian Emirates and Black Peat”
We’ll drive our ships to new land
In the series Myths of Nations we disclose to you this time that the Frisians, in fact, did not come from India, as the old legends tell us. A bummer, we know. And, what is proven yet again in this post, we should listen more often to Led Zeppelin. In particular to their Immigrant Song.Continue reading “We’ll drive our ships to new land”
Have a Frisians Cocktail
With the coming seasonal festivities at the end of the year, it is appropriate to serve you a flavorful cocktail. It is a cocktail from the list ‘Myths of Nations’, namely the ‘Frisians Cocktail’. Its recipe is not as old as some people thought it was, or would like it to be, but it isContinue reading “Have a Frisians Cocktail”
Weladu the flying blacksmith
Master blacksmith Wayland is well-known from Germanic mythology. The smith who was kept captive on a small island in the sea, and escaped from it with selfmade wings. The Saxons, Anglo-Saxons, Norwegians, Icelanders, in fact, all the old Germanic peoples had their own medieval stories or artifacts relating to Wayland. Even the Franks did. All,Continue reading “Weladu the flying blacksmith”
Hero of Haarlem: a dragon in disguise?
It was a Yankee by the name Mary Mapes Dodge who wrote ‘Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates. A story of life in Holland’. The book was published in New York in 1865. It is about poor, 15-year-old Hans and his sister Gretel. Gretel wins the Silver Skates. The price for winning an ice skatingContinue reading “Hero of Haarlem: a dragon in disguise?”
You killed a man? That’ll be 1 weregeld, please
Medieval Frisia. An area stretching from the river Vlie in the Netherlands to the river Weser in Germany. The title of this blog post was a verdict of around the year 1100, concerning the slaying of a man. The murderer had to pay a so-called ‘weregeld’. We shall explain in this post what the purposeContinue reading “You killed a man? That’ll be 1 weregeld, please”
Take a virtual hike through Zuid-Holland and Utrecht
This blog is a virtual hike. Grab a coffee and go 200 kilometers per hour. When ploughing through piles of research on where the Frisians roamed, we stumbled upon interesting Frisian place names. A few weeks ago we, the two Frisian bastards, took another hike. We walked a track of 31 km along the riverContinue reading “Take a virtual hike through Zuid-Holland and Utrecht”
Grassland conversations
Being at the grasslands might lead to encounters with farmers or other wanderers and, of course, with ‘birdwatchers’ (see also note at the end). These encounters go in slow motion, and in clearly defined phases. These phases should be observed strictly if you have any ambition to mingle with locals, or to receive any helpContinue reading “Grassland conversations”
Liudger, the first Frisian apostle
Liudger succeeded where other evangelists failed. He finally managed to convert the pagan Frisians to Christianity, because he “spoke their language”. Did he really? A very thorough study from Hinne Wagenaar reveals quite a startling truth about this Frisian apostle. Some time ago I stumbled upon an article from Hinne Wagenaar, called “Liudger, apostle ofContinue reading “Liudger, the first Frisian apostle”
One of history’s enlightening hikes, that of Bernlef
No, this blog post is not about the Westfrisian writer Hendrik Jan Marsman (1937-2012) whose pen-name was Bernlef. Nor is this blog post about the student corporation Bernlef in the city of Groningen in the Netherlands. This is all about the original: the bard and harp player Bernlef who lived somewhere between 760 and 840.Continue reading “One of history’s enlightening hikes, that of Bernlef”
Beacons of Nordfriesland
Nordfriesland, or North Frisia. The western coast and islands of the region Schleswig. Stretching from the Danish town Tønder in the north to the river Eider in the south. A broad strip of land by the sea with all islands in between. It is here where a specific celebration of bonfires takes place every year.Continue reading “Beacons of Nordfriesland”
Frisian support for the Corsican Cause in jeopardy
September 2018, one the Frisian bastards hiked the Grande Randonnée 20 in Corsica. GR-vingt, as the French say. The GR20 is Europe’s toughest long-distance trail, and one of the most dangerous, as it turned out. This bastard wanted to experience the similarities of hiking trails that cover ‘territory’ of Europe’s autochthonous minorities. In this caseContinue reading “Frisian support for the Corsican Cause in jeopardy”
Is Magna Frisia fact or fiction?
Here are some maps that help you locate the Frisians in the Early Middle Ages (500-800 AD). We combined old maps, archaeological finds, old scriptures and historical research. In one of our previous blog posts we pinpointed several locations where the 5 Frisian kings set foot. In this blog we focus on the Frisian territoriesContinue reading “Is Magna Frisia fact or fiction?”
Foreign Fighters returning from Viking war bands
From 2012 around 5,000 foreign fighters from European countries went to the Levant to fight. Six years later, an estimated fifteen percent has died in battle. Others are still in the Middle East, imprisoned or perhaps on the move to centers of conflict elsewhere in the world, now that the terrorist groups are in theContinue reading “Foreign Fighters returning from Viking war bands”
Upstalsboom: why solidarity is not the core of a collective
So many supranational organizations, whether governmental or juridical, are struggling with their legitimacy and survival, it is almost becoming tedious. Take for example the European Union with a humiliating Brexit and their seemingly, or actual, endless debates on urgent monetary and migration policy reforms. Take for example the International Criminal Court, accused for being biasedContinue reading “Upstalsboom: why solidarity is not the core of a collective”
Porcupines bore U.S. bucks
On May 5th, 2018, it was exactly two centuries ago that Karl Marx was born. When in 1867 the good man published the first part of Das Kapital, Marx was actually 1,300 years too late to turn the tide. The ship had sailed. Ships of selfish Frisian merchants in pursuit of personal wealth, to beContinue reading “Porcupines bore U.S. bucks”
Frisian mercenaries in the Roman Army
After the Roman Empire had incorporated a big chunk of the British Isles in the first century, the empire needed a military force to defend their northern limes. Like elsewhere, they made use of mercenaries. Many Frisians, (still) living along the coast of present-day the Netherlands, joined the Roman army as mercenary to fight inContinue reading “Frisian mercenaries in the Roman Army”
Follow the footsteps of Five Frisian Kings
We plotted the exact locations of the whereabouts of the five Frisian kings Finn, Audulfus, Aldgisl, Redbad and Poppo. We might have even hit some royal DNA samples. GPS, ready, go! Just follow and click the blue pins on the map below. Plotting the Frisia Coast Trail hike When shaping the Frisian Coast Trail weContinue reading “Follow the footsteps of Five Frisian Kings”
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