| Translation |
a. At that time Emperor Charles [the Fat] was staying in Italy, where he was urged by various embassies from Germany and Gaul to come quickly to take up the kingdoms which were his by hereditary right, and to help the endangered empire which, having lost its leader, was being mocked by the enemy. Without any delay he came to Francia with all his forces and began to besiege the Northmen in the said place [Asselt] with the Lombards, Bavarians, Alemans, Thuringians, Saxons, Frisians and all of the kingdoms under his command. But his efforts achieved too little, even though, as we have said, an innumerable multitude had come together from various kingdoms and peoples. This was because the anger of heaven raged against the people who were profaning the
Christian religion. Finally Godafrid, the Northmen’s king, promised he would become a Christian on condition that he was given the province of Frisia by royal grant, and if he was given Lothar [II]’s daughter Gisela as his wife. When Godafrid had got what he wanted, he was baptised and was raised from the holy font by the emperor. Sigfrid and the rest of the Northmen were given access to an immense amount of gold and silver and, under this arrangement, they left the frontiers of
the kingdom. |
