By the middle of the ninth century, the Vikings had carved out a more or less permanent foothold in Frisia, in the pagus 'territory' of Nordendi, also known as Norditi. But by the year 884, the Frisians had had enough. They forged swords and axes, raised an army, and drove the Norsemen out once and for all—at the cost of exactly 10,377 Viking lives. Out of this crisis came an unexpected innovation. The reclaimed land was managed in a new way: eleven centuries ago, the Frisians founded Europe’s very first farmers’ cooperative, the Theel-Acht or Theelacht. Remarkably, this pioneering co-op still exists today and has inspired cooperatives around the world.

1. The Battle of Norditi

There are two principal sources that recount the Battle of Norditi, also known as the Normannenslacht ‘slaughter of Northmen’ or the Battle at Hilgenriederbucht (‘Hilgenried Bay’). These sources are the more or less contemporary Annales Fuldenses and the Gesta Hammaburgensis Ecclesiae Pontificum ‘Deeds of the Bishops of the Hamburg Church’. The latter was written around 1075 by the chronicler Magister Adam of Bremen. What other sources Adam of Bremen had at his disposal, besides the Annales Fuldenses, remains unknown. According to Adam himself, Abbot Bovo I of the powerful Abbey of Corvey in Höxter, Germany, wrote a report on the battle. Unfortunately, this medieval account has been lost. From the Gesta we may infer that Adam still had access to Bovo’s report when he composed his chronicle, which explains why Adam’s Gesta provides more detail than the earlier, anonymous Annales Fuldenses.

Based on the Annales Fuldenses, most scholars today agree that the actual date of the battle between the Vikings and the Frisians was indeed the year 884. Still, you may encounter other dates as well, such as 880 (a favorite on Wikipedia), 882, or 888. One of these, the year 880, is mentioned by none other than the esteemed Frisian academic—and notorious Besserwisser—Ubbo Emmius, born in the village of Greetsiel in the region of Ostfriesland, in his monumental Rerum Frisicarum Historia of 1616. That was, of course, seven centuries after the bloody events at Norditi. We will not hold this slip against Ubbo Emmius too harshly. On the contrary, the University of Groningen in the Netherlands may, as far as we are concerned, continue to be excessively proud of him. And for those readers who are surprised: yes, the town of Groningen does indeed have a university.

Let's quote the Gesta hammaburgensis:

Gesta hammaburgenis ecclesiae pontificum; book 1: chapter 41 — In view of what we have said about the persecution that then raged far and wide against the churches, it seems not improper to touch upon a great miracle manifested to the Frisians through the merits of Saint Rimbert. I do not know why the author of his Gesta passed over this wonder, but Bovo, the abbot of Corvey, in writing of what happened in his times did not keep silence. He wrote:

"When in recent times a distressing irruption of barbarians raged savagely in nearly every kingdom of the Franks, it happened also that by the judgement of God they were routed in a certain Frisian district. Situated in a remote region and close to the great sea, it is called Norditi. This district, then, they undertook to destroy. Venerable Bishop Rimbert was there at that time and, encouraged and prepared by his exhortations and instructions, the Christians joined battle with the enemy and laid low 10,377 of them, over and above the many who were slain crossing the streams as they sought safety in flight."

These facts Bovo recorded in writing.

By reason of this miraculous occurrence the merits of Saint Rimbert are to this day most highly regarded among the Frisians, and his name is cherished with a certain singular affection by the people, so much so that even the hill on which the saint prayed while the battle was in progress is noted for its perpetually green turf.

It was Archbishop Rimbert of Bremen, originally from the town of Turholt (Torhout) in the region of Flanders in Belgium, who helped to lead the Frisians to victory. The Gesta speaks of a hill where Rimbert prayed to his god. Also, it says the hill has been evergreen since then. The exact spot where the battle took place is unknown, but it must have been near the modern town of Norden in the region of Ostfriesland. Some suggest Vikings had settled at the trading village of Nesse, which was then still located on the shores of the Wadden Sea. But strictly speaking, this is speculation, as no archaeological evidence has been found yet to support this theory.

The area liberated back then was likely that of Norden, together with parts of the Harlingerland, Brokmerland, and Wangerland. The number of casualties on the Viking side is quite impressive—even for Frisians. Since the Gesta was written two centuries after the battle, we should be cautious about how accurate all the details really are. Perhaps it was not 10,377 slain Vikings after all. Maybe just 10,376. Or as many as 10,378. Either way, more than enough food for Woden’s ravens. The Gesta further suggests that not all Vikings fell to the swords, arrows, fists, and spears of their Frisian foes, but that many actually drowned in streams while retreating. But let’s just pretend the reader did not read that, and continue to believe that every last one of them was crushed on the battlefield by the shovel-shaped hands of the Frisians.

Myths and sagas from the province of Friesland were documented during the first half of the twentieth century. One of them also recounts the Battle of Norditi. Clearly inspired by the Gesta, it comes with some added ‘facts’ of its own. The story goes as follows:

The Miracle at Norden — After the death of Charlemagne, the Norsemen repeatedly raided Frisia, their ruthless warbands marching through the Frisian lands. During the reign of Charles the Fat, a fleet of Viking ships landed at the Heksenkolk (roughly ‘bewitched water’) near Nordwidi (modern-day Norden) in East Frisia, Ostfriesland. From there, the bands rampaged through the countryside, murdering and burning villages—until the Frisians stood in their way. Archbishop Rimbert of Bremen had gone to the Frisian camp to aid them.

When the Frisians were ready for battle, the archbishop ascended a hill to pray. He knelt on a stone and prayed to the Almighty. To receive his assistance in the fight against the heathens. Humbly he asked for a sign of victory. When the archbishop rose, he saw that the curve of his knees had been eroded into the stone, and in this the bishop understood the divine sign. He spoke enthusiastically to the Frisians.

The Frisians, strengthened by the miracle in faith of victory, were so overpowering in their charge that it made the Norsemen flight. The enemy left 10,377 dead men on the battlefield. Many of them were killed during their flight over the river. The stone on which archbishop Rimbert kneeled was kept for a long time in the Ludger Church (Ludgeri Kirche in Norden. Saint Ludger, by the way, is a Frisian born at modern Zuilen in the Netherlands. Read our blog post to learn more about him), and on the hill where he received his prayer, the trees and grass always remained green.

Where the hill must have been is also unclear. Be advised that what Frisians call a hill might not be more than an elevation of a few meters if you are lucky, in the otherwise flat landscape. Maybe Rimbert's hill was a thing or þing assembly site. Why else was there a stone atop this hill? Stones in this stoneless marsh landscape often indicated a spot where ecclesiastical justice was done. Learn more about the Germanic and specifically Frisian thing assemblies in our blog post Well, the Thing is....

The same uncertainty as to where the hill must have been located goes for the ‘streams’ mentioned in the story. The Battle of Norditi is commonly situated near the Hilgenrieder Bay. This bay was located west of the village of Nesse. Did the desperate Vikings drown in this shallow bay? Did they got stuck in the mud at low tide? The bay, by the way, is now gone, after it silted up and was reclaimed from the sea in the Middle Ages.

The stone Rimbert prayed on with his knees, known as the Warzenstein 'Warts' stone', can still be seen at the old graveyard of the town of Norden. The water collected in the holes of the stone is said to be medicinal. Go there when it rains, which should not be too difficult by the way. Others say, the original stone is buried somewhere below the Ludger Church.

What is more interesting, is that the Warzenstein is a cup-mark stone, also called a Näpfchenstein in the German language, or napjessteen in the Dutch language. Similar stones can be found in the village of Holwierde in the province of Groningen, a stone called Duivelsteen 'devil’s stone', and also on the graveyard of the village of Rinsumageest in the province of Friesland. The use of these stones probably dates back to pagan times and practices. According to tradition, these cup marks were used for offering to elves, and the scrapings were being used as medicine. The fact Rimbert preferred to put his knees on a stone instead of on the soft clay of Frisia, might indicate the stone already had a tradition of magic. What other possible reason could he have for putting his knees on an uncomfortable piece of rock in stead of soft clay?

The Moon Battle — Not far from the town of Norden lies the village of Manslagt, near the Ley Bay in the region of Ostfriesland. Local legend tells that the name Manslagt derives from a great battle with the Vikings. Back then, during the Viking Age, the area of Manslagt was an island. It was surrounded by two sea lochs. When the inhabitants saw the longships, they fled from their island to the villages of Pilsum, Groothusen, and Visquard to ask for help. During the night, under the moonlight, they entered the island. Many Vikings were slaughtered, and others fled. This victory became known as the Moon Battle, or in the local Platt language, Maanslagt ('moon slaughter'). And that is how the village of Manslagt got its name.

The example of kicking out the Vikings from the region of Ostfriesland in 884 was quickly followed in West Frisia, i.e. the territory west of the (former) River Vlie, which encompasses the west coast and central river lands of the Netherlands. At that time, West Frisia was under the control of the Viking warlord Godfrid the Sea-King. In 885, Godfrid was murdered near the town of Herispich, and his army was defeated by Frisian and Saxon contingents. A few years later, in 889, the Frisian count and nobleman Gerulf the Elder received West Frisia in fief from King Arnulf of Carinthia. Read our blog post The Abbey of Egmond and the Rise of the Gerulfings to learn more details about this Shakespearean history of intrigue and treason.

Archbishop Rimbert obtained market, mint, and toll rights for the city of Bremen in 888. And, guess what? Rimbert got these rights from King Arnulf of Carinthia as well. Just as the Frisian Count Gerulf had got his benefices. Or, were the Battle of Norditi (884) and the assassination of Godfrid the Sea-King (885) one big Black-Adderian scheme of King Arnulf with the Frisians? You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours? The similarities in timing, key players, and awards of these events seem to be more than a coincidence.

Not much later, with the Battle of Louvain in the year 891, King Arnulf also kicked out the Vikings in West Flanders, after which Margrave Baldwin II may retake his county. The coast of Flanders was, in fact, part of Frisia and inhabited by (also) Frisians (check our blog post A Frontier known as watery mess: the coast of Flanders). Together with the two other battles at Norditi and Herispich, it was three strikes out for the Vikings in favour for the Frisians and the Franks.

Whether or not a big scheme of the Franks with the Frisians, according to the Gesta, the Vikings subsequently turned into angry white men. Humiliated and provoked as they were, they ransacked the known world, notably England and Scotland. Another anecdote is that around the year 896, princess Æthelflæd, daughter of King Ælfred the Great of the West-Saxons, marries Margrave Baldwin II, and around the same time King Ælfred has Frisians from Flanders to help him build and man his new navy. Everything in an effort to defend Wessex against the Vikings. Read our blog post ♪ They want you as a new recruit ♪ to learn more about this maritime cooperation between the English and the Frisians.

So, Frisians all over the place, killing and kicking out Vikings in the ninth century.

And sorry to say, what the Frisians and Franks were very capable of, took the Anglo-Saxons a bit longer. Vikings invaded England in 865 and established the Danelaw. It took the Anglo-Saxons until 1066 with the Battle of Stamford Bridge, with only a meagre 8,000 casualties, to get rid of the Vikings. Not realizing that while busy fighting at Stamford, they'd left the backdoor open, through which yet another Norseman came in with a large army. Already that same year. Indeed, William the Conqueror. England was back at square one.

Frisian Freedom myth

According to legend the Frisians east of the River Ems, were given the so-called 'freedom privileges' by King Charles the Fat after the Battle of Norditi. Privileges which meant they weren't subordinate to any other lord than the Holy Roman Emperor himself.

With their battle cry "Lewer doot as Slav", the Frisians charged at the Vikings, who must have been standing with their backs against the muddy waters. The Vikings fled to their ships, but in vain. Their ships were damaged, their rudders broken, and their sails set on fire. Apparently, the whole operation had been carefully planned by the Frisians. With the tide coming in, the Vikings were adrift at sea, defenceless against wind, waves, and water. Nobody made it home alive, all according to the freedom sagas.

This is all together a whole different freedom legend from the one that existed among their fellow Frisians living more to the west. They got their freedom privileges as a thank you for liberating the city of Rome. More about that freedom privilege in our blog post Magnus’ Choice. The Origins of the Frisian Freedom.

2. The Theel-Acht co-op

After Archbishop Rimbert and the Frisians jointly exorcised the northern pagans from their lands, the question was what to do with it. It was, as said, the area of the Hilgenrieder Bay. A bay that had silted up and offered good possibilities to reclaim it from the sea and turn it into fertile land. The Frisians rubbed their noses to the left, to the right, and up, and exclaimed: "That's it, we've got it!" They decided to govern these new lands in a cooperative and make good money out of it. Without knowing it probably, they founded the first farmers' cooperative in Europe. Its name: Theelacht or Theel-Acht. We believe it may even be the first in the world, but please correct us if we have exaggerated this historic fact unintentionally.

This initiative has parallels of risk-sharing with what happened in 1811 at the village of Achlum in the province of Friesland where Ulbe Piers Draisma founded an insurance company together with 39 other farmers after farmsteads had been struck by lightning too often. It became one of the oldest and most successful insurance companies: Achmea. Currently, a turnover of more than 20 billion euro. Read also our blog post "I did not have financial relations with that village".

The Theelacht is the legal entity that owns the so-called Theel lands. The first regulations, the so-called Theelrecht ‘Theel law’ was formulated in 1583. The regulation was recently revised in 1759, under the name Jus Theelachticum Redivivum. A book of 200 pages, and it still stands.

The Theel lands are a set of fixed, immovable lands belonging to the Theel-Acht, and can be leased. These are eight Theel lands, called Bezirke in the German language. They are: Linteler Theel, Gaster Theel, Trimser Theel, Ekeler Theel, Osthover Theel, Neugroder Theel, Hover Theel, and Eber Theel. At the end of the nineteenth century, the size of these lands amounted to around 4,650 Morgen, that is, the Hannover Morgen. A Morgen is a unit of measurement which equals around 1,200 hectares today.

A Theelachter is a member of the Theel-Acht descending from the founding families of the Theel-Acht.

The shareholders of the Theel-Acht were primarily hereditary, and only they're qualified to vote. These are called the arfburen 'heir neighbour/member'. Hereditary theel lands are inherited by the youngest son. Furthermore, if two families with each a theel land unite through marriage, it is regulated that an arfbur can only have one theel land. No accumulation of land, therefore. Shareholders can also buy themselves in, the so-called koopburen 'buy neighbour/member'. They, however, have no voting right.

Each theel land has its own theelbuch ‘theel book’. In spring and autumn, the shareholders meet in the illustrious theelkammer ‘theel room’. It is located on the ground floor of the old Rathhause ‘town hall’ of Norden. Here board members sit at the fire, smoke a stone pipe, have a good local craft beer, review the theel books, determine the height of the yearly ground canons, and, finally, decide on paying the shareholders.

The word theel derives from diel in the Mid Frisian language, deel in Dutch, and Teil in German, all meaning ‘lot’ or ‘part’. For instance, consider the nature reserve De Deelen in the province of Friesland: its name reflects the period when these peatlands were commercially exploited in deelen—that is, divided into parts, lots, or plots.

The word acht is of Old Frisian origin and relates to the idea of ‘wakefulness’ or attentiveness within a partnership of people. Compare the German word Achtung ‘attention’, the Dutch expression acht slaan op ‘to heed’, the Dutch roadside assistance service Wegenwacht, or Rembrandt van Rijn’s famous painting De Nachtwacht ‘The Nightwatch’. Such partnerships could exist in both informal and formal forms. The still-existing Deichacht Norden and Sielacht (in Old Frisian silfestene, with sil meaning ‘sluice’ and festene meaning ‘authority’) are examples of formally vested partnerships, holding official responsibility for the maintenance of dykes, sluices, waterways, and other vital infrastructure.

The Theel-Acht was pretty successful. It had significant assets at the end of the nineteenth century. These have been lost during the first decennia of the twentieth century due to hyperinflation and the money reforms of the ‘20s, and, of course, during the Second World War.

Currently, only two of the eight bizerke are still being administered by a theelachter. The other theel lands are in possession of non-theelachters. Of course, the Theel-Acht as such continues to have control over these lands if the owner wants to sell it. In that case the Theel-Acht has the preferent option to buy the land. Therefore, in practice the whole process of ownership transfer goes in close consultation with the Theel-Acht to this day.

At present, the Theel-Acht has about 450 hectares left of the 1,200 they still had around 1900. That is just enough for the maintenance of the Theelkammer and basic expenditures. Perhaps the local craft beer and tobacco, too.

Before going to bed

In sum, the Theel-Acht is still there after more than a millennium. However, it has become more of a club than the thriving economic co-operation it once was. And, that is excellent! Giving the good example of unwinding and stepping out of the rush and tempo of modern-day living.

Note 1 — Every year in high summer, a re-enactment party takes place at Grünstrand Norddeich close to the town of Norden. During the event the Battle of Norditi between the Frisians and the Norsemen is being revived. It is called Wikingerfest am Meer 'Vikings feast at sea'. Check their website for more information. Small point of criticism; the event should not focus on feasting Vikings but on feasting Frisians (in defeating Vikings).

Note 2 — There's one minority report about where the Battle of Norditi between the Frisians and the Norsemen took place, namely at the town of Northout near Nielles lès Ardennes in Belgium or at the town of Northout near Bayenghem lès Eperlecques in France (Delahaye 1999). We are not convinced that only a very vague resemblance of the place name with Norditi is enough to redraft history. Besides, no preference is given between the two Northouts as to where it all happened. Lastly, Archbishop Rimbert was working at Bremen and Hamburg, and certainly not in Belgium or France.

Rest assured we did not include this second note to provoke the Ostfriesen (again). We would not dare to. Please let them peacefully drink their beer and smoke their pipe at the hearth of the Theelkammer!

Suggested hiking

Hike, or cycle, the Wikinger Friesen Weg 'Vikings Frisians Way'. A trail of 175 kilometers that runs from west to east between the village of Sankt Peter Ording on the peninsula of Eiderstedt in Nordfriesland and the village of Maasholm in the east. So from the Wadden Sea to the Baltic Sea. For more informatie check the site of Schleswig-Holstein.

Suggested music

Beasty Boys, (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!) (1986)

Further reading

Delahaye, A., De ware kijk op. Deel II. Het eerste Millennium. Mythen van de Lage Landen (1999)

Emmius, U., Rerum frisicarum historia (1616)

Folkerts, R., Die Theelacht zu Norden. Ein seit 1100 Jahren auf genossenschaftlicher Basis geführter Familienverband (1986)

Freese, F., Lewer doot as Slav. Die Saga der Normannenschlacht im Jahr 884 in der Hilgenrieder Bucht bei Norden (1976)

Hillebrand, M., Wikingerfest am Meer kehrt nach Norddeich zurück (2022)

Lewis, S.M., Rodulf and Ubba. In search of a Frisian-Danish Viking (2018)

Rau, S. (ed.), Quellen zur karolingischen Reichsgeschichte III (1960)

Rieken, B., Nordsee ist Mordsee. Sturmfluten und ihre Bedeutung für die Mentalitätsgeschichte der Friesen (2005)

Schuyf, J., Heidense heiligdommen. Zichtbare sporen van een verloren verleden (2019)

Siefkes, W., Ostfriesche Sagen und sagenhafte Geschichten (1963)

Tschan, J. (transl.), History of the Archbishops of Bremen-Hamburg (2002)

Tuuk, van der L., Gjallar. Noormannen in de Lage Landen (website)

U2, Achtung Baby (1991)

Weertz, J., Napjesstenen of schalenstenen (Schalensteine – Cup Marks) (website)

Wiersma, J.P., Friesche mythen en sagen (1937)