Dear friends, Saxony again! We are now on top of the castle`s hill, the old center of Saxony. It is here on top of the hill were the history of Saxony and maybe, Germany began. Back to the year 900 A.D.: The very large empire of Charles I. "The Great" was divided amongst his sons. The former mighty carolingian empire broke into pieces in only 2-3 generations. The western and eastern parts of this territory more and more divided into "Francii" and "Teutiscii", later called France and Deutschland, the land of the Teutons.... The germans lived in great tribes, they felt as Saxonians, Thuringians, Bajuvarians, but not as germans, guided by their local greats. One of them, HEINRICH I. (Henry "The Fowler") got more and more influence in the eastern parts of Teutony, the later called Saxony and founded the castle Meissen in 929 here on top of the hill. He built the first little church here, too, from were the missionaries began to christianize the slavish tribes who lived here and called this place MISNO. Henry became king over the other tribes leaders, as HEINRICH I. he was the first king of the "germans" and reigned the whole eastern part of the old carolingian empire. More important as his his father was OTTO, his son. He bet of the Awares, the inhabitants of Hungary, who plundered the later german territory every year. Otto guided a mixed army of german tribes to victory at the Lechfeld near Augsburg in southern Bavaria. "Together we stand!" this was a very impressive moment for all of the battlefield, the bavarians, saxonians, thuringians, in this moment they felt as Teutonians, as Germans. This is the moment when Germany was born. Otto became king of the germans and was later crowned by the pope in Rome to Germanys first emperor. Under his name OTTO I. THE GREAT we call him father of Germany. Otto organized the colonisation of the german east territories. The river Elbe became the eastern frontline against the slavish people. Otto guided german settlers at places like this: settlers with new knowledge of agriculture and farming methods; houses now were built in stone and replaced the slavish wooden architecture; power places like the Meissen castlehill were established, the christian missionary of the slavish tribes gegan - and Meissen here is such a power place; the heart of Saxony. Some historical facts: 929 A.D. Foundation of castle Meissen (slav. MISNO) the so called Albrecht´s castle 968 A:D: Foundation of the Margraviate of Meissen, the core of later Saxony 968 A:D. Foundation of the Diocese of Meissen and seat of the bishop of Meissen 1000 A.D. Meissen became a market town 1018 A:D. Meissen became part of Poland under Boleslaw I. The Brave 1032 A:D: Meissen came back to Saxony under Conrad II. 1089 A:D: The house WETTIN became the leading noble family of Meissen and saxony till 1945 1260 A.D. The construction of this dome her began..... Pooh, a novel again. lets close here for today. Hope you like this pic here. Tomorrow we will go in... Your comments are always appreciated, friends, both directions Goodnite for today billcody