A complete survey of the military campaigns of the early Saxons,
tactics, strategy, and logistics, demonstrating in particular the
sophistication of the administration involved.
Over the course of half a century, the first two kings of the Saxon
dynasty, Henry I (919-936) and Otto I (936-973), waged war across the
length and breadth of Europe. Ottonian armies campaigned from the banks
of the Oder in the east to the Seine in the west, and from the shores of
the Baltic Sea in the north, to the Adriatic and Mediterranean in the
south. In the course of scores of military operations, accompanied by
diligent diplomatic efforts, Henry and Otto recreated the empire of
Charlemagne, and established themselves as the hegemonic rulers in
Western Europe.
This book shows how Henry I and Otto I achieved this remarkable feat,
and provides a comprehensive analysis ofthe organization, training,
morale, tactics, and strategy of Ottonian armies over a long half
century. Drawing on a vast array of sources, including exceptionally
important information developed through archaeological excavations, it
demonstrates that the Ottonian kings commanded very large armies in
military operations that focused primarily on the capture of
fortifications, including many fortress cities of Roman origin. This
long-term military success shows that Henry I and Otto I, building upon
the inheritance of their Carolingian predecessors, and ultimately that
of the late Roman empire, possessed an extensive and well-organized
administration, and indeed, bureaucracy, whichmobilized the resources
that were necessary for the successful conduct of war.
David S. Bachrach is Associate Professor of History at the University of
New Hampshire.
