Lothar I (c. 840-880),

Count of Stade The Counts of Stade were members of the Saxony nobility beginning in the 10th century. Stade had developed since the 8th century as a principal center of trade and communications. The Counts of Stade created their domain between the lower Elbe and ...

, possibly a descendant of Saxon leader

Widukind Widukind, also known as Wittekind and Wittikund, was a leader of the Saxons and the chief opponent of the Frankish king Charlemagne during the Saxon Wars from 777 to 785. Charlemagne ultimately prevailed, organized Saxony as a Frankish provinc ...

. Lothar was one of the twelve counts killed in the Battle of Ebstorf (also called the Battle of Lüneburg Heath) which pitted the army of

Louis III of France Louis III (863/65 – 5 August 882) was King of West Francia from 879 until his death in 882. Despite questions of his legitimacy and challenges against his ascendance to the monarchy, Louis would prove to be an effective leader during his reign, ...

against the

Great Heathen Army The Great Heathen Army, also known as the Viking Great Army,Hadley. "The Winter Camp of the Viking Great Army, AD 872–3, Torksey, Lincolnshire", ''Antiquaries Journal''. 96, pp. 23–67 was a coalition of Scandinavian warriors who invaded ...

of Norsemen. This battle was documented in the

Annals of Fulda The ''Annales Fuldenses'' or ''Annals of Fulda'' are East Frankish chronicles that cover independently the period from the last years of Louis the Pious (died 840) to shortly after the end of effective Carolingian rule in East Francia with the ...

. The Catholic Church recognizes those killed as the Martyrs of Ebsdorf whose feast day is 2 February. Lothar married Oda of Saxony, possibly the daughter of

Liudolf, Duke of Saxony Liudolf ( – 11/12 March 866) was a Carolingian office bearer and count in the Duchy of Saxony from about 844 until his death in 866. The ruling Liudolfing house, also known as the Ottonian dynasty, is named after him; he is its oldest verified ...

. Lothar and Oda had one child: *

Lothar II, Count of Stade Lothar II (874-929), Count of Stade, son of Lothar I, Count of Stade, and Oda of Saxony, daughter of Liudolf, Duke of Saxony. Lothar was the great-grandfather of Thietmar of Merseburg, and is frequently confused in genealogical sources with Thiet ...

Lothar was succeeded by his son as Count of Stade upon his death.

Sources

Jaques, Tony, ''Dictionary of Battles and Sieges'', Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007 Reuter, Timothy (translator), ''The Annals of Fulda'', Manchester University Press, Manchester, 1992 {{authority control 840s births 880 deaths Counts of Stade 9th-century counts in Europe 9th-century Saxon people Saints from the Carolingian Empire Saxon warriors German military personnel killed in action German Roman Catholic saints