Editing Magdeburg (section)

===Early years===
[[File:Ankunft Ottos I. und Ediths in Magdeburg.jpg|left|thumb|Emperor [[Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor|Otto I]] and his wife Edith arrive near Magdeburg (Hugo Vogel 1898, Ständehaus Merseburg).]]
Founded by [[Charlemagne]] in 805 as Magadoburg (probably from [[Old High German]] ''magado'' for ''big'', ''mighty'' and ''burg'' for ''fortress''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.onomastik.com/on_geschichte_magdeburg.php |title=Magdeburg: Jungfrau oder Groß? Der Ortsname erklärt |publisher=Onomastik.com |access-date=24 July 2010 |language=de}}</ref>), the town was fortified in 919 by King [[Henry the Fowler]] against the [[Hungarian people|Magyars]] and [[Slavic peoples|Slavs]]. In 929 King [[Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor|Otto I]] granted the city to his English-born wife [[Eadgyth|Edith]] as [[dower]]. Queen Edith loved the town and often resided there;<ref name="Catholic">{{Catholic |wstitle=Magdeburg |inline=1 |volume=9 |first=Klemens |last=Löffler}}</ref> at her death she was buried in the crypt of the [[Benedictine]] abbey of [[Saint Maurice]], later rebuilt as the cathedral. In 937, Magdeburg was the seat of a royal assembly. Otto I repeatedly visited Magdeburg, establishing a convent here about 937<ref name=EB1911/> and was later buried in the cathedral. He granted the abbey the right to income from [[tithe]]s and to [[corvée]] labour from the surrounding countryside.

The [[Archbishopric of Magdeburg]] was founded in 968<ref name=EB1911/> at the [[synod]] of [[Ravenna]]; [[Adalbert (Archbishop of Magdeburg)|Adalbert of Magdeburg]] was consecrated as its first archbishop. The archbishopric under Adalbert included the bishoprics of [[Bishopric of Havelberg|Havelberg]], [[Prince-Bishopric of Brandenburg|Brandenburg]], [[Bishopric of Merseburg|Merseburg]], [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Dresden-Meissen|Meissen]] and [[Bishopric of Naumburg-Zeitz|Naumburg-Zeitz]]. The archbishops played a prominent role in the [[Ostsiedlung|German colonisation]] of the Slavic lands east of the [[Elbe]] river.

In 1035 Magdeburg received a patent giving the city the right to hold trade exhibitions and conventions. This formed the basis of [[German town law]] to become known as the [[Magdeburg rights]]. These laws were adopted and modified throughout Central and Eastern Europe. Visitors from many countries began to trade with Magdeburg. The town was burnt down in 1188.<ref name=EB1911/>

In the 13th century, Magdeburg became a member of the [[Hanseatic League]]. With more than 20,000 inhabitants Magdeburg was one of the largest cities in the [[Holy Roman Empire]]. The town had active maritime commerce on the west (towards [[Flanders]]), with the countries of the [[North Sea]], and maintained traffic and communication with the interior (for example [[Braunschweig]]).<ref name="Catholic"/>