Seaxnēat facts for kids
Seaxnēat (say it like "SACKS-nee-at") was an important god in the old stories of the Germanic peoples. He was especially known as a national god for the Saxons, a group of people who lived a long time ago in what is now Germany and England. Sometimes, his name is also spelled Saxnōt.
Where We Find Out About Seaxnēat
We know about Seaxnēat from very old writings. His name, spelled Seaxnēat, appears in old lists of family trees for the kings of Essex. Essex was an ancient kingdom in England.
His name also shows up as Saxnōt in an old text called the Old Saxon Baptismal Vow. This text lists him alongside other well-known gods like Uuoden (who we now call Woden) and Thunaer (who we know as Thor).
The family tree of the kings of Essex originally started with Seaxnēat. Later, people changed it to say that Seaxnēat was the son of Woden. The first king of Essex, Æscwine, appeared seven generations after Seaxnēat in this list:
- Woden
- Seaxnēat
- Gesecg
- Andsecg
- Swaeppa
- Sigefugel
- Bedca
- Offa
- Æscwine (who ruled around 527-587 AD)
What His Name Means
The name Seaxnēat likely comes from two old words. The first part, "seax", refers to a special knife. This knife was a symbol of the Saxon people.
The second part, (ge)-nēat, means "companion" or "friend". So, when you put them together, Seaxnēat can mean "sword-companion" or "knife-friend".
A famous expert named Jacob Grimm thought that Seaxnēat was the same god as Tiw. Tiw was another important god in Germanic stories.
More recently, a linguist named Heinrich Wagner suggested that the second part of Seaxnēat's name might be linked to a Celtic god called Nodens. He thought both names came from a root word meaning "to get" or "to make use of".
Similar Gods and Stories
Heinrich Wagner also saw interesting connections between Saxnot and the Celtic god Nodens. He also linked them to Nuada, a god from Irish mythology.
Here are some of the parallels he found:
- The word sax can mean a short sword. In Irish mythology, Nuada is known for carrying a bright, flashing sword.
- Seaxnēat is honored as an ancestor of the Saxon people. Similarly, Nuada is seen as a very important ancestor in Irish stories.
See also
- List of Germanic deities
- West Germanic deities
