Unno was a
duke from the medieval
Frisia
Frisia is a cross-border cultural region in Northwestern Europe. Stretching along the Wadden Sea, it encompasses the north of the Netherlands and parts of northwestern Germany. The region is traditionally inhabited by the Frisians, a West Ger ...
n shire of
Rüstringen
Rüstringen or Rustringen was an old Frisian gau, which lies between the modern district Friesland and the Weser river in modern Lower Saxony. Nowadays, only a small part of the original territory remains, namely the Butjadingen peninsula. The lar ...
.
In the
Frankish annals
The ''Royal Frankish Annals'' (Latin: ''Annales regni Francorum''), also called the ''Annales Laurissenses maiores'' ('Greater Lorsch Annals'), are a series of annals composed in Latin in the Carolingian Francia, recording year-by-year the stat ...
, Unno is described as a Frisian duke. He belonged to the Frisian elite who were willing to cooperate with the
Franks after annexation of
East Frisia
East Frisia or East Friesland (german: Ostfriesland; ; stq, Aastfräislound) is a historic region in the northwest of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is primarily located on the western half of the East Frisian peninsula, to the east of West Frisia ...
in 772. In exchange for retaining their old privileges they had to become
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
and leave their
pagan
Paganism (from classical Latin ''pāgānus'' "rural", "rustic", later "civilian") is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Judaism. ...
beliefs.
Following the defeat of the revolt of 782–785, the Frisians suffered harsh punishments and forced recruitment for the
Frankish Empire's campaign against the
Avars in the east. This led Unno, together with
Eilrad, to lead another revolt against the Frankish empire of
Charlemagne. This revolt resulted in the Frisians temporarily falling back to their old pagan beliefs. Christian missionaries such as
Liudger were forced to flee and had to find a safe haven in the south of the Frankish empire. Unlike the earlier rebellion this one was to the area east of the Lauwers. It was beaten down in the same year.
Sources
* , ''Het rijk van de Friese koningen, opkomst en ondergang'', Utrecht, 2000, pag. 310.
Medieval Frisian rulers
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