Hadugato

Hadugato or Hathagat was an early Saxon leader, considered a founding father by the tenth century. In 531, he led the Saxons to victory over the Thuringians at the battle of Burgscheidungen, "a legendary victory, and one so great that [Hadugato] appeared to Saxons as an epiphany of divinity itself." The Chronica ducum de Brunswick records that in the Duchy of Brunswick in the sixteenth-century a memorial week was still observed following Michaelmas (September 29) to celebrate the Saxon victory over the Thuringians.

The earliest source to mention Hadugato is the Translatio sancti Alexandri of Rudolf of Fulda. This was begun in 863 and completed after Rudolf's death in 865 by a monk named Meginhart. The account in the Translatio is repeated almost verbatim in the Deeds of the Bishops of the Church of Hamburg of Adam of Bremen, written between 1073 and 1076. According to this account, the Saxons arrived from Britain in the region of Hadeln (Haduloha) during the war between Irminfrid, king of the Thuringians, and Theuderic I, king of the Franks. The latter, "his hope of conquering frustrated, sent messengers to the Saxons, whose leader [dux, duke] was Hadugato ... promising them a place in which to settle in the event of victory." The Saxons fought "as if their own liberty and country were at stake", and Theuderic kept his promise.

The most extensive account of Hadugato is found in Widukind of Corvey's Deeds of the Saxons, completed around 967. Widukind's account also appears in a close paraphrase in the world chronicle of Frutolf of Michelsberg (died 1103). In this version, the Saxons, as allies of the Franks, defeat the Thuringians beneath the walls of Burgscheidungen on the Unstrut. Their leader is not named. After the battle, Irminfrid offers to make peace and join the Theuderic in driving off his Saxon allies. When word of this reaches the Saxons, a council is held at which "a certain one of the veteran soldiers, already somewhat older, but still vigorous in advancing old age, who by merit of his great valor was called father of fathers [pater patrum], by name Hathagat", gives a speech after taking the "standard that was held sacred among them, marked with the likeness of a lion and a dragon, and an eagle swooping from above." According to Widukind, he urged the Saxons to attack the unsuspecting Thuringians, putting himself forward as their leader. In the night, they scaled the walls of Burgscheidungen, massacred the Thuringian men, raped their women and forced Irminfrid and his court to flee.

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