Charenza

Charenza is the name of a historical Slavic fortress on the island of Rügen.

Name

The name Charenza (also Karentia, maternity leave) is said to derive from the personal name " Chareta ". Another theory comes from the word " Koreta " from what is on German roots.

History

Charenza was princely seat and Tempelort the Ranen. Here were the sanctuaries of the Slavic gods Rugievit, Porevit and Porenut. In addition, it served as a refuge.

In 1168 the Danes conquered under Waldemar I. the Jaromarsburg at Cape Arkona. At the initiative of the Danish Bishop Absalon of Roskilde Charenza surrendered after negotiations with the princes rügischen Tezlaw and Jaromar few days later without a fight. The temples were destroyed and there were mass baptisms take place. The Terran princes retained their possession, but were vassals of the Danish king. Absalon secured so for Denmark against its former allies, the Pomeranian dukes Bogislaw and Casimir I. supremacy on Rügen. The rügischen princes laid later headquartered at the Rugard.

The Danish king donated money for 12 churches on Rügen, among other things, for the 1232 with the village Gagern enfeoffed " capelle nostre in Charenz ". 1234 was awarded in Charenza by Wizlaw I. the city of Stralsund, the Lubeck city law. 1237 Charenza is mentioned for the last time in a document.

Location

Until now certain that the hillfort at Garz (geographic location: 54 ° 18 ' 51 " N, 13 ° 20' 50 " O54.31416666666713.347222222222 ) the place of Charenza described in the writings of Saxo Grammaticus and Helmold of Bosau was. According to a new hypothesis, however, is Charenza with the Castle Wall at Venz in the municipality of Trent (Rügen) (geographic location: 54 ° 30 '7 "N, 13 ° 19 ' 0" O54.50194444444413.316666666667 ) equated. Substance is this, inter alia, with the different meaning of the name Garz ( " small castle " ) and Charenza. Furthermore, the proximity to the Cape Arkona is better suited to the times specified in the " Gesta Danorum " Saxo Grammaticus of. Even in the 14th century, a place called Gharense was mentioned in the parish Gingst.