The Tree of Thor. Destruction of the tree of Thor in Hesse, Germany by St. Boniface in 724CE

The destruction of the tree of Thor and its associated grove, an important pagan centre for worship in Hesse, Germany by St. Boniface was arguably the start of the large-scale conversion of the Germans by either peaceful means or by force by Charles Martel, Charlemagne and others. Boniface was elevated to the status of 'apostle of Germany' for this act and others in destroying paganism in large areas of the country.

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Chapters
00:00 Intro
01:14 I’d prefer embracing my ancestors in hell
02:19 The sacred groves
04:26 Frankish expansion
06:38 The use of persuasion and force to convert
08:14 The life of Boniface
16:47 Destroying the tree of Thor
18:11 Did the pagans convert en masse?
19:14 The reticence of pagans to instigate violence
20:07 The end of Boniface
20:41 The site now
21:23 Summing up



Images
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...\_by\_Emil\_Doepler.jpg
Emil Doepler, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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After Heinrich Maria von Hess, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
Alois Dirnberger, PD by age., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi....\_Boniface\_cuts\_down\_Thor%27s\_Oak\_by\_Charles\_Robinson.jpg
Charles Robinson (1870–1937), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...\_Nicolai\_Arbo-Olav\_Tryggvasons\_ankomst\_til\_Norge.jpg
Peter Nicolai Arbo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...\_Nicolai\_Arbo\_-\_Valkyrjen\_-\_Nasjonalmuseet\_-\_NG.M.00259.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...\_painting\_by\_Max\_Friedrich\_Koch\_-\_Donar-Thor.jpg
Max Koch, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Peter Nicolai Arbo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...\_door\_Gustaaf\_van\_de\_Wall\_Pern%C3%A9.jpg
Gustaaf van de Wall Perné, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...\_Donareiche.jpg
Bernhard Rode, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...\_van\_Bonifatius.jpg
Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Daderot, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...\_of\_Saint\_Kilian\_-\_Alte\_Mainbr%C3%BCcke,\_W%C3%BCrzburg\_-\_DSC02929.JPG
Arnaud 25, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...\_Martel\_01.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...\_Eder.png
Lencer, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...\_3570\_B%C3%BCraburg.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...\_Boniface\_leaves\_England\_1.jpg
Card contains reproduction of painting by Johann Hess, 19th c. artist, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
JGALoewi, CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b..., via Wikimedia Commons
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...\_Boniface\_-\_Baptising-Martyrdom\_-\_Sacramentary\_of\_Fulda\_-\_11Century.jpg Illustration from the Sacramentary of Fulda (Fuldaer Sakramentar), fol. 126 v. See here for more information on the manuscript.
Giogo, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...\_de\_Charles\_Martel\_-\_J.B.Debay.jpg