Saxony
Saxony appears in the Gesta Danorum as a territory whose rulers repeatedly clash with Danish kings.
Saxony appears in the Gesta Danorum as a territory whose rulers repeatedly clash with Danish kings. In Book Four, the narrative turns on the impatience of the King of Saxony, of whom it is said "it would have beseemed to wait for the old man's death, and not demand his throne; for it was somewhat better to succeed to the dead than to rob the living" (Gesta Danorum, Book Four). Uffe went to the confrontation "unattended, while the Prince of Saxony was followed by a champion famous for his strength" (Gesta Danorum, Book Four). In Book Nine, vengeance drives a further campaign against Saxony, deemed "the refuge of his foes and the retreat of Harald" (Gesta Danorum, Book Nine).
The three citations from the Gesta Danorum present Saxony in two narrative contexts, both involving Danish-Saxon conflict. The Book Four material frames the Saxon king as morally culpable for his impatience, while elevating Uffe's solitary courage against a champion-backed prince. The Book Nine citation shifts to a different conflict entirely, where Saxony serves as a haven for enemies. Together they establish Saxony as a recurring antagonist territory in Saxo's telling of Danish history.
Appears in: Places, Entities in Gesta Danorum (Books I-IX), Norse Tradition