Herstelle

Early Middle Ages

In the middle of November of 797, King Charlemagne departed from the city of Aachen and made his way into Saxony. He set up his camp on the side of the Weser, and gave it the name Heristelli. Charlemagne celebrated both Christmas and Easter at Heristelli and received a small number of envoys there, including one from the Avars.

In the spring of 798, the Saxons from beyond the Elbe murdered some royal officials that had been sent to Charlemagne, as well as a royal envoy of the Danish King Sigfred. Following this attack, Charlemagne leaves Heristelli and travels north to Minden. There, he crosses the Weser and sets out on a military campaign that takes him as far as the Elbe. After the successful conclusion of this campaign, Charlemagne returns to Aachen.

High Middle Ages

In the 11th century, Herstelle appears to have been a farming settlement, with at least one fishery. It had five "Vorwerk" (farmsteads or manorial buildings) belonging to it: Wergis, Thesle, Brecal, Heinriadassen, and Buffesen. It has been documented in numerous property transactions with the Church of Paderborn. The Bishop of Paderborn, Evergis, is stated to have had an estate there in the 12th century. By 1171, there was also a documented church in Herstelle.

Topography

Herstelle lies in the river valley of the Weser at approximately 101 metres above sealevel, with the surrounding terrain rising around 200 metres to the south-west at Haarbruck, and around 400 metres to the north-east at Solling.