Misplaced Pages

Pribina: Difference between revisions

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Browse history interactively← Previous editContent deleted Content addedVisualWikitext
Revision as of 20:38, 23 May 2011 editOmen1229 (talk | contribs)947 editsmNo edit summary← Previous edit Latest revision as of 21:46, 19 December 2024 edit undoDeniz of givet (talk | contribs)4 editsm Removed a joke from the page, this was not seriousTags: nowiki added Visual edit 
(137 intermediate revisions by 62 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|9th-century Slavic prince}}
]
{{for|the Croatian medieval nobleman|Pribina, Ban of Croatia}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name = Pribina
| image = KS 10 1944 reverse.JPG
| caption = Pribina (centre) depicted on the ] of the ] coin of the ]
| succession = ] (?)
| reign = &nbsp;825 &ndash;833|<nowiki>Mojmír I]]</nowiki>
| succession1 = ]
| reign1 = 846&ndash;861
| successor1 = ]
| issue = ]<br />Muntimerus Sclav.{{sfn|Wolfram|1979|p=179ff}}
| house = (?)
| father =
| mother =
| successor = ] ?
| birth_date = ''c.''&nbsp;800
| birth_place =
| death_date = 861
| death_place =
| date of burial =
| place of burial =
}}


'''Pribina''', also called ''Priwina'' or ''Privina'' by Frankish chronicles, was the ruler and ] of the ] before 833,<ref>{{cite book ] around 833]]
| last = Kirschbaum
| first = Stanislav J.
| authorlink = http://web.as.uky.edu/ssa/biblio/biblio_kirschbaum.htm
| title = A History of Slovakia: The Struggle for Survival
| publisher = ]; ]
| date = March 1995
| location = New York
| url = http://us.macmillan.com/ahistoryofslovakia
| isbn = 978-0-312-10403-0
| page = 25}}</ref> and established and ruled the ] from 839/840 to 861.<ref>{{cite book
| last = Bagnell Bury
| first = John
| title = The Cambridge Medieval History
| publisher = ]
| year = 1923
| location = Cambridge
| url = http://books.google.com/books?id=_9IHAAAAIAAJ&q=Balaton+Principality&dq=Balaton+Principality&pgis=1
| isbn =
| page = 211}}</ref>


'''Pribina''' (c. 800{{spaced ndash}}861) was a ] prince whose adventurous career, recorded in the '']'' (a historical work written in 870), illustrates the political volatility of the Franco&ndash;Slavic frontiers of his time.<ref>{{harvnb|Goldberg|2009|pp=16, 83–84}}</ref> Pribina was the first ruler of Slavic origin to build a ] church on Slavic territory in ], and also the first to accept baptism.<ref>Spiesz ''et al.'' 2006, p. 20.</ref>
The main written source describing his life is ''Libellus de conversione Bagoariorum et Carantanorum'' (i.e. ''Conversio''), created in Salzburg in the 870s. In addition, several buildings discovered by archaeologists in ] and ] are dated to the period of his life. The ''Con
1680
versio'' proves that the building of several churches in the region of ] was connected to his activities.


He was attacked and expelled from his homeland by ], ].<ref name='Curta 333'>{{harvnb|Curta|2006|p=333}}</ref> Pribina first fled to ], one of the border lords in ].<ref name='Curta 333'/> Thereafter he was wandering in ] and ] for several years.<ref name='Curta 333'/> Finally, in the late 830s, ], king of East Francia granted Pribina lands near ] (now in ]) where he set up his own principality under the king's suzerainty.<ref name='Curta 333'/><ref name='Kirschbaum 232'>{{harvnb|Kirschbaum|2007|p=232}}</ref> He died fighting against the ].<ref>{{harvnb|Goldberg|2009|p=267}}</ref>
==Life==
]
The ''Conversio'' mentions that he built a Christian church in his possession in ''Nitrava'' (], ]).<ref>'']: "Cui quondam'' Adalrammus ''archiepiscopus ultra Danubium in sua proprietate loco vocato'' Nitrava ''consecravit ecclesiam." ("For him, Archbishop'' Adalrammus ''consecrated a church over the Danube in his own possession, in a place called'' Nitrava'').''</ref> ] was located approximately in present-day Slovakia and parts of present-day Hungary. Historians are divided about the issue whether Pribina was still a pagan at that time. The church was consecrated by Bishop Adalram of ] in about 828. It was the first known church building of all Western and Eastern Slavs. The church may have served to Christian merchants living in Nitra or to Pribina's ]n wife. In addition, the construction of several castles is attributed to his period.


== Early life ==
In 833, Pribina was expelled from Nitra by the Moravian (''Maravi'') duke ].<ref>{{cite book
According to a marginal notation to the ''Conversion'' that has by now been incorporated into its main text, Pribina's allodial lands were situated ''in Nitrava ultra Danuvium'' where Archbishop ] (821&ndash;836) consecrated a church,<ref name='Goldberg 84'>{{harvnb|Goldberg|2009|p=84}}</ref><ref name='Bowlus 105'>{{harvnb|Bowlus|1994|p=105}}</ref> Since ''Nitrava'' has been identified, although not unanimously, with modern Nitra in Slovakia, Pribina is considered to have ruled the large early medieval fortress excavated at that town.<ref name='Goldberg 84'/><ref name='Bowlus 105'/> The consecration of the church in ''Nitrava'' took place around 827, thus it was the first church in all ] whose existence is documented in writing.<ref name='Goldberg 84'/><ref>{{harvnb|Bartl|2002|p=17}}</ref> That the church was consecrated for Pribina himself (who, all the same, still remained a ]), or for his wife cannot be decided.<ref name='Vlasto 24'>{{harvnb|Vlasto|1970|p=24}}</ref><ref>Sommer ''et al.'' 2007, p. 221.</ref> She seems to have been a member of the ]n ] family.<ref name='Goldberg 84'/>
| last = Kirschbaum
| first = Stanislav J.
| authorlink = http://web.as.uky.edu/ssa/biblio/biblio_kirschbaum.htm
| title = A History of Slovakia: The Struggle for Survival
| publisher = ]; ]
| date = March 1995
| location = New York
| url = http://us.macmillan.com/ahistoryofslovakia
| isbn = 978-0-312-10403-0
| page = 84}}</ref> The destruction of the castles in ] and Čingov are attributed to his fierce resistance. Modern historians claim that his principality was finally unified to the principality of Mojmír I, forming the core of the latter's ]. Pribina went to count Ratbod who administered the Eastern March, and the count introduced him to king ]. He was baptised on the order of the king.<ref>'']: "In cuius spacio temporis quidam'' Priwina ''exulatus a'' Moimaro ''duce'' Maravorum ''supra Danubium venit ad'' Ratbodum''. Qui statim illum præsentavit domno regi nostro'' Hludowico'', et suo iussu fide instructus baptizatus est in ecclesia sancti Martini loco'' Treisma ''nuncupato, curte videlicet pertinenti ad sedem Iuvavensem." ("In his days, a certain'' Priwina'', who had been expelled by'' Moimarus'', duke of the'' Maravi ''living over the Danube, came to'' Ratbodus''. He introduced him to our Lord the King'' Hludowicus''; and, on the order of the king, he was educated and baptised in Saint Martin's Church in '' Treisma'', i.e., in a grange attached to the See of Salzburg.")''</ref>


Whether Pribina held ''Nitrava'' as a lieutenant of Mojmir I, the first known ruler of Moravia, or he was – maybe the second or third – prince of ] is still debated by modern historians.<ref name='Vlasto 24'/><ref>Kirschbaum 2007, pp. 207., 232.</ref> The best source of his life,<ref name='SZŐKE'/> the '']'' never regarded him as ''dux'' (gentilis).<ref name='SZŐKE'>SZŐKE, Béla Miklós, , p. 2.</ref> Nevertheless, according to the ''Conversion'', he was "driven across the ] by Mojmir, duke of the Moravians" shortly after the defense of the ] in East Francia had been taken over by Ratpot in around 833.<ref name='Goldberg 84'/><ref>Bowlus 1994, pp. 101., 104., 106.</ref><ref name='Bartl 19'>{{harvnb|Bartl|2002|p=19}}</ref>
Pribina left Eastern March after a dispute with count Ratbod. He escaped, with his family and retinue, to the ], and tried to persuade Khan Malamir to attack the Franks. Having recently made peace with them, Malamir refused, so Pribina thence moved to the court of ]. Being technically under Ratbod's prefecture, Ratimir's harbouring of Pribina was tantamount to rebellion, so ]ish troops, led by count Ratbod, invaded his territories. Ratimir fled, whilst Pribina sought refuge with Salacho, the Bavarian margrave of ]. Having great sway with Louis the German, Salacho borkered a reconciliation between Pribina and Ratbod<ref>The Struggle for Empire. Kingship and Coflict under Louis the German. 917-976. Pg 83-85. E J Goldberg. ISBN 976-0-8014-3890-5</ref>. Louis gave Pribina extensive lands in '']'' -the region between the Raab, Danube and Drava rivers, centred on the ], as a ].<ref>'']: "Aliqua vero interim occasione percepta, rogantibus prædicti regis fidelibus præstavit rex'' Priwinæ ''aliquam inferioris Pannoniæ in beneficium partem circa fluvium qui dicitur'' Sala''" ("In the meantime, when an opportunity offered, the king, on the request of his above-mentioned faithful men, granted the parts of Lower Pannonia around the river called'' Sala ''to'' Priwina ''as a benefice").''</ref>


== Wanderings ==
After Pribina's arrival to his new property, he had a fortress built there; shortly afterwards, a settlement called Blatnograd (German Mosapurc or Moosburg, near today's ]) was developing around the fortress. He also had other ] and churches built. Pribina could strengthen his power by gathering people and expanding his territories. On 12 October 848, King ] granted him all the territories he had owned in benefice as a fief.<ref>'']: "...concessit illi in proprium totum quod prius habuit in beneficium.." ("''/The king/ ''...granted him the full possession of everything he had held as a benefice...")''.</ref>
Having been expelled, Pribina fled to Ratpot who presented him to Louis the German.<ref name='Bowlus 105'/> The king ordered that Pribina be baptized in the church of ] (]) and then serve with his followers in Ratpot's army.<ref name='Goldberg 84'/> Before long, however, Ratpot and Pribina fell out, and the latter, fearing for his life, fled with his son ] to the ].<ref name='Bowlus 104'>{{harvnb|Bowlus|1994|p=104}}</ref> However, ] had by that time made peace with East Francia, thus Pribina was unable to persuade him to act against the ].<ref name='Róna-Tas 243'>{{harvnb|Róna-Tas|1999|p=243}}</ref>
In 861, he supported East Francia in its struggle against Great Moravia and died in a battle against the Great Moravian prince ] (although some authors believe that he died at the hands of Carloman, during his rebellion against his father, Louis the German)<ref>Southeastern Europe in the Middle Ages, 500-1250.Florin Curta, Paul Stephenson. Pg 133-35</ref>. He was succeeded by his son ].


Subsequently, Pribina departed for ], the region ruled by a Slavic prince, ].<ref name='Bowlus 104'/> Since Lower Pannonia was part of Ratpot's prefecture, Ratimir's harboring of Pribina was tantamount to rebellion.<ref name='Goldberg 84'/> Therefore, in 838 Louis the German sent Ratpot at the head of a large Bavarian army to crush Ratimir, but Pribina and his followers took refuge with the count of ], Salacho.<ref name='Goldberg 84'/><ref name='Bowlus 104'/> In short time the latter brokered a reconciliation between Ratpot and Pribina.<ref name='Goldberg 84'/><ref name='Bowlus 104'/>
==Notes==

{{reflist}}
Louis the German now devised a plan to solve the ongoing instability in Lower Pannonia by making Pribina himself the new client ruler of that region.<ref name='Goldberg 84'/> On January 10, 846, at the request of his followers, the king granted Pribina lands near Lake Balaton on the river ] where he was to rule as Louis the German's faithful ''dux'' ("duke").<ref name='Goldberg 84'/><ref name='Bartl 19'/><ref name='Bowlus 104'/>

{{Quote|Having these events taken place, Ratpot took command of the borderlands' defense. In his day one Pribina driven across the Danube by Mojmir, duke of the Moravians came to Ratpot. Ratpot soon presented him to our lord and king, Louis. By order of the king Pribina was introduced to the faith and baptized in Saint Martin Church in a place called Traismauer, that is to say at a grange belonging to the Archbishopric of Salzburg. In time he was commended to Ratpot with whom he stayed for a time. Meanwhile, however, dissensions began to spring up between them. Feeling anxious about it, Pribina and his men, together with his son Kocil, fled for the land of the Bulgarians. Some time later he left the Bulgarians for'' dux ''Ratimar's territory. At that time king Louis sent Ratpot with a large force to expel prince Ratimar. Having no confidence in being able to defend himself, he took to flight together with his men who had escaped from the massacre. The above mentioned Pribina stopped, and crossed the river Sava, together with his men, where Count Salacho gave shelter to him and brought about his reconciliation with Ratbot. In time, as soon as the occasion arose, the king, at the request of his faithful men, gave Pribina as benefice the region of Lower Pannonia around the Zala River. He then began to live there, to build a fortress in a certain forest and swamp on the Zala River, gathered the surrounding peoples, and greatly thrived in that land. <For him, Archbishop Adalram had long ago consecrated a church on his estate at a place over the Danube called Nitrava.|]<ref>{{harvnb|Wolfram|1979|pp=50–53}}</ref>}}

== ''Dux'' in Lower Pannonia ==
] under Pribina's rule]]

Pribina's main duty was to gather the groups of Slavs who were fleeing from various directions, and to keep them loyal to the Franks.<ref name='Róna-Tas 243'/> For this purpose, he began to build in 846 a large fortress as his seat of power in the region of ], in a territory of modern ] surrounded by forests and swamps along the river ].<ref name='Bartl 19'/><ref name='Róna-Tas 243'/><ref name='Goldberg 85'>{{harvnb|Goldberg|2009|p=85}}</ref> His extremely well fortified castle that became known as ''Blatnohrad'' (''Blatnograd''){{sfn|Chropovský|1989|p=73}} or ''Moosburg'' ("Swamp Fortress") served as a bulwark both against the ] and the Moravians.<ref name='Bartl 19'/><ref name='Róna-Tas 243'/><ref name='Goldberg 85'/> Pribina's authority stretched from the ] river to the north, to ] to the southeast, and to ] to the West.<ref>{{harvnb|Luthar|2008|p=105}}</ref>

Pribina undertook to Christianize the local population and built churches in the region.<ref name='Kirschbaum 232'/> At his request, the archbishop of Salzburg consecrated a number of churches in Lower Pannonia, among them one at modern ].<ref>{{harvnb|Curta|2006|p=134}}</ref> Pribina also made a donation of three hundred homesteads and vineyards on a knee of the river Zala to the ], which was confirmed in 860 by Louis the German.<ref>{{harvnb|Bowlus|1994|p=134}}</ref>

Pribina seems to have played a prominent role in Louis the German's campaigns against Mojmir I of Moravia.<ref>{{harvnb|Goldberg|2009|p=139}}</ref> For example, in 846 the king made a generous gift of one hundred homesteads in the Bavarian marches to him, presumably in order to help supply Pribina's troops in the upcoming campaign.<ref>{{harvnb|Goldberg|2009|pp=139–140}}</ref> Moreover, in 847 Louis the German converted all Pribina's ]s near Lake Balaton, save those he held from the archbishop of Salzburg, into personal property in order to reward him for his loyal service, presumably in the recent campaigns against the ]ns and the Moravians.<ref>{{harvnb|Goldberg|2009|p=142}}</ref>

There is some uncertainty about Pribina's death.<ref name='Róna-Tas 244'>{{harvnb|Róna-Tas|1999|p=244}}</ref> He may have been killed in a battle with the Moravians who supported Louis the German's son, ] in a revolt against the king, or he may have been captured and handed over to the Moravians by Carloman.<ref name='Róna-Tas 244'/><ref>{{harvnb|Bartl|2002|p=20}}</ref> His son, Koceľ was installed as the ruler of Lower Pannonia in 864 by Louis the German.<ref>{{harvnb|Goldberg|2009|pp=273–274}}</ref>


==See also== ==See also==
*] *]
*] *]

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

== Sources ==
* {{cite book | last=Bartl | first=Július | title=Slovak History: Chronology & Lexicon | publisher=Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers | date=2002 | isbn=0-86516-444-4}}
* {{cite book | last=Bowlus | first=Charles R. | title=Franks, Moravians, and Magyars: The Struggle for the Middle Danube, 788–907 | publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press | publication-place=Philadelphia (Pa.) | date=1994 | isbn=0-8122-3276-3}}
* {{citation|last=Chropovský|first=Bohuslav|title=The Slavs: Their Significance, Political and Cultural History|year=1989|publisher=Orbis Press Agency|place=Prague}}
* {{cite book | last=Curta | first=Florin | title=Southeastern Europe in the Middle Ages, 500-1250 | publisher=Cambridge University Press | publication-place=Cambridge New York | date=2006-08-31 | isbn=978-0-521-89452-4}}
* {{cite book | last=Goldberg | first=Eric J. | title=Struggle for Empire: Kingship and Conflict under Louis the German, 817-876 | publisher=Conjunctions of Religion and P | publication-place=Ithaca London | date=2009 |orig-date=2006 |url=https://archive.org/details/struggleforempir0000gold |url-access=registration | isbn=978-0-8014-7529-0}}
* {{cite book | last=Kirschbaum | first=Stanislav J. | title=Historical Dictionary of Slovakia | publisher=Scarecrow press | publication-place=Lanham (Md.) | date=2007 | isbn=978-0-8108-5535-9}}
* {{cite book | last=Luthar | first=Oto | title=The Land Between: A History of Slovenia | publisher=Peter Lang | publication-place=Frankfurt am Main Bern Wien | date=2008 | isbn=978-3-631-57011-1}}
* {{cite book | last=Róna-Tas | first=András | title=Hungarians and Europe in the Early Middle Ages: An Introduction to Early Hungarian History | publisher=Central European Univ. Press | publication-place=Budapest New York | date=1999 | isbn=978-963-9116-48-1}}
*Sommer, Petr; Třeštík, Dušan; Žemlička, Josef; Opačić, Zoë (2007). ''Bohemia and Moravia''. ''In:'' Berend, Nora (2007); ''Christianization and the Rise of Christian Monarchy: Scandinavia, Central Europe and Rus’, c. 900&ndash;1200''; Cambridge University Press; {{ISBN|978-0-521-87616-2}}.
*Spiesz, Anton; Caplovic, Dusan; Bolchazy, Ladislaus J. (2006). ''Illustrated Slovak History: A Struggle for Sovereignty in Central Europe''. Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers, Inc. {{ISBN|978-0-86516-426-0}}.
* {{cite book | last=Vlasto | first=A. P. | title=The Entry of the Slavs Into Christendom: An Introduction to the Medieval History of the Slavs | publisher=CUP Archive | publication-place=London | date=1970-10-02 | isbn=0-521-07459-2}}
* {{cite book | last=Wolfram | first=Herwig | title=Conversio Bagoariorum et Carantanorum: Das Weissbuch der Salzburger Kirche über die erfolgreiche Mission in Karantanien und Pannonien | publisher=Böhlau | publication-place=Wien | date=1979 | isbn=978-3-205-08361-0 | language=de}}

== Further reading ==
* Szőke, Béla Miklós (2021). '''' Mainz: Verlag des Römisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseums, {{ISBN|978-3-88467-308-9}}, pp. 187–239.


== External links == == External links ==
* *
*


{{Dukes of Pannonia}}
{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see ]. -->
| NAME =
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH =
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH = 860
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
]
]
]
]
]
]
]


{{Authority control}}
]

]
]
]
] ]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]

Latest revision as of 21:46, 19 December 2024

9th-century Slavic prince For the Croatian medieval nobleman, see Pribina, Ban of Croatia.
Pribina
Pribina (centre) depicted on the reverse of the 10 koruna coin of the Slovak Republic
Prince of Nitra (?)
Reign 825 –833
SuccessorMojmir I of Moravia ?
Duke of Lower Pannonia
Reign846–861
SuccessorKoceľ
Bornc. 800
Died861
IssueKoceľ
Muntimerus Sclav.
House(?)
One view about the borders of the Principality of Nitra around 833

Pribina (c. 800 – 861) was a Slavic prince whose adventurous career, recorded in the Conversion of the Bavarians and the Carantanians (a historical work written in 870), illustrates the political volatility of the Franco–Slavic frontiers of his time. Pribina was the first ruler of Slavic origin to build a Christian church on Slavic territory in Nitra, and also the first to accept baptism.

He was attacked and expelled from his homeland by Mojmir I, duke of Moravia. Pribina first fled to Ratpot, one of the border lords in East Francia. Thereafter he was wandering in Central and Southeastern Europe for several years. Finally, in the late 830s, Louis the German, king of East Francia granted Pribina lands near Lake Balaton (now in Hungary) where he set up his own principality under the king's suzerainty. He died fighting against the Moravians.

Early life

According to a marginal notation to the Conversion that has by now been incorporated into its main text, Pribina's allodial lands were situated in Nitrava ultra Danuvium where Archbishop Adalram of Salzburg (821–836) consecrated a church, Since Nitrava has been identified, although not unanimously, with modern Nitra in Slovakia, Pribina is considered to have ruled the large early medieval fortress excavated at that town. The consecration of the church in Nitrava took place around 827, thus it was the first church in all Eastern Europe whose existence is documented in writing. That the church was consecrated for Pribina himself (who, all the same, still remained a catechumen), or for his wife cannot be decided. She seems to have been a member of the Bavarian Wilhelminer family.

Whether Pribina held Nitrava as a lieutenant of Mojmir I, the first known ruler of Moravia, or he was – maybe the second or third – prince of an independent Slavic principality is still debated by modern historians. The best source of his life, the Conversio Bagoariorum et Carantanorum never regarded him as dux (gentilis). Nevertheless, according to the Conversion, he was "driven across the Danube by Mojmir, duke of the Moravians" shortly after the defense of the eastern marches in East Francia had been taken over by Ratpot in around 833.

Wanderings

Having been expelled, Pribina fled to Ratpot who presented him to Louis the German. The king ordered that Pribina be baptized in the church of Traismauer (Austria) and then serve with his followers in Ratpot's army. Before long, however, Ratpot and Pribina fell out, and the latter, fearing for his life, fled with his son Koceľ to the First Bulgarian Empire. However, Malamir of Bulgaria had by that time made peace with East Francia, thus Pribina was unable to persuade him to act against the Franks.

Subsequently, Pribina departed for Lower Pannonia, the region ruled by a Slavic prince, Ratimir. Since Lower Pannonia was part of Ratpot's prefecture, Ratimir's harboring of Pribina was tantamount to rebellion. Therefore, in 838 Louis the German sent Ratpot at the head of a large Bavarian army to crush Ratimir, but Pribina and his followers took refuge with the count of Carniola, Salacho. In short time the latter brokered a reconciliation between Ratpot and Pribina.

Louis the German now devised a plan to solve the ongoing instability in Lower Pannonia by making Pribina himself the new client ruler of that region. On January 10, 846, at the request of his followers, the king granted Pribina lands near Lake Balaton on the river Zala where he was to rule as Louis the German's faithful dux ("duke").

Having these events taken place, Ratpot took command of the borderlands' defense. In his day one Pribina driven across the Danube by Mojmir, duke of the Moravians came to Ratpot. Ratpot soon presented him to our lord and king, Louis. By order of the king Pribina was introduced to the faith and baptized in Saint Martin Church in a place called Traismauer, that is to say at a grange belonging to the Archbishopric of Salzburg. In time he was commended to Ratpot with whom he stayed for a time. Meanwhile, however, dissensions began to spring up between them. Feeling anxious about it, Pribina and his men, together with his son Kocil, fled for the land of the Bulgarians. Some time later he left the Bulgarians for dux Ratimar's territory. At that time king Louis sent Ratpot with a large force to expel prince Ratimar. Having no confidence in being able to defend himself, he took to flight together with his men who had escaped from the massacre. The above mentioned Pribina stopped, and crossed the river Sava, together with his men, where Count Salacho gave shelter to him and brought about his reconciliation with Ratbot. In time, as soon as the occasion arose, the king, at the request of his faithful men, gave Pribina as benefice the region of Lower Pannonia around the Zala River. He then began to live there, to build a fortress in a certain forest and swamp on the Zala River, gathered the surrounding peoples, and greatly thrived in that land. <For him, Archbishop Adalram had long ago consecrated a church on his estate at a place over the Danube called Nitrava.

— Conversion of the Bavarians and the Carantanians

Dux in Lower Pannonia

Map of Pribina's lands
Principality of Lower Pannonia under Pribina's rule

Pribina's main duty was to gather the groups of Slavs who were fleeing from various directions, and to keep them loyal to the Franks. For this purpose, he began to build in 846 a large fortress as his seat of power in the region of Lake Balaton, in a territory of modern Zalavár surrounded by forests and swamps along the river Zala. His extremely well fortified castle that became known as Blatnohrad (Blatnograd) or Moosburg ("Swamp Fortress") served as a bulwark both against the Bulgarians and the Moravians. Pribina's authority stretched from the Rába river to the north, to Pécs to the southeast, and to Ptuj to the West.

Pribina undertook to Christianize the local population and built churches in the region. At his request, the archbishop of Salzburg consecrated a number of churches in Lower Pannonia, among them one at modern Pécs. Pribina also made a donation of three hundred homesteads and vineyards on a knee of the river Zala to the monastery of Niederaltaich, which was confirmed in 860 by Louis the German.

Pribina seems to have played a prominent role in Louis the German's campaigns against Mojmir I of Moravia. For example, in 846 the king made a generous gift of one hundred homesteads in the Bavarian marches to him, presumably in order to help supply Pribina's troops in the upcoming campaign. Moreover, in 847 Louis the German converted all Pribina's benefices near Lake Balaton, save those he held from the archbishop of Salzburg, into personal property in order to reward him for his loyal service, presumably in the recent campaigns against the Bohemians and the Moravians.

There is some uncertainty about Pribina's death. He may have been killed in a battle with the Moravians who supported Louis the German's son, Carloman in a revolt against the king, or he may have been captured and handed over to the Moravians by Carloman. His son, Koceľ was installed as the ruler of Lower Pannonia in 864 by Louis the German.

See also

References

  1. Wolfram 1979, p. 179ff.
  2. Goldberg 2009, pp. 16, 83–84
  3. Spiesz et al. 2006, p. 20.
  4. ^ Curta 2006, p. 333
  5. ^ Kirschbaum 2007, p. 232
  6. Goldberg 2009, p. 267
  7. ^ Goldberg 2009, p. 84
  8. ^ Bowlus 1994, p. 105
  9. Bartl 2002, p. 17
  10. ^ Vlasto 1970, p. 24
  11. Sommer et al. 2007, p. 221.
  12. Kirschbaum 2007, pp. 207., 232.
  13. ^ SZŐKE, Béla Miklós, A KÁRPÁT-MEDENCE A KAROLING-KORBAN ÉS A MAGYAR HONFOGLALÁS, p. 2.
  14. Bowlus 1994, pp. 101., 104., 106.
  15. ^ Bartl 2002, p. 19
  16. ^ Bowlus 1994, p. 104
  17. ^ Róna-Tas 1999, p. 243
  18. Wolfram 1979, pp. 50–53
  19. ^ Goldberg 2009, p. 85
  20. Chropovský 1989, p. 73.
  21. Luthar 2008, p. 105
  22. Curta 2006, p. 134
  23. Bowlus 1994, p. 134
  24. Goldberg 2009, p. 139
  25. Goldberg 2009, pp. 139–140
  26. Goldberg 2009, p. 142
  27. ^ Róna-Tas 1999, p. 244
  28. Bartl 2002, p. 20
  29. Goldberg 2009, pp. 273–274

Sources

  • Bartl, Július (2002). Slovak History: Chronology & Lexicon. Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers. ISBN 0-86516-444-4.
  • Bowlus, Charles R. (1994). Franks, Moravians, and Magyars: The Struggle for the Middle Danube, 788–907. Philadelphia (Pa.): University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 0-8122-3276-3.
  • Chropovský, Bohuslav (1989), The Slavs: Their Significance, Political and Cultural History, Prague: Orbis Press Agency
  • Curta, Florin (2006-08-31). Southeastern Europe in the Middle Ages, 500-1250. Cambridge New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-89452-4.
  • Goldberg, Eric J. (2009) . Struggle for Empire: Kingship and Conflict under Louis the German, 817-876. Ithaca London: Conjunctions of Religion and P. ISBN 978-0-8014-7529-0.
  • Kirschbaum, Stanislav J. (2007). Historical Dictionary of Slovakia. Lanham (Md.): Scarecrow press. ISBN 978-0-8108-5535-9.
  • Luthar, Oto (2008). The Land Between: A History of Slovenia. Frankfurt am Main Bern Wien: Peter Lang. ISBN 978-3-631-57011-1.
  • Róna-Tas, András (1999). Hungarians and Europe in the Early Middle Ages: An Introduction to Early Hungarian History. Budapest New York: Central European Univ. Press. ISBN 978-963-9116-48-1.
  • Sommer, Petr; Třeštík, Dušan; Žemlička, Josef; Opačić, Zoë (2007). Bohemia and Moravia. In: Berend, Nora (2007); Christianization and the Rise of Christian Monarchy: Scandinavia, Central Europe and Rus’, c. 900–1200; Cambridge University Press; ISBN 978-0-521-87616-2.
  • Spiesz, Anton; Caplovic, Dusan; Bolchazy, Ladislaus J. (2006). Illustrated Slovak History: A Struggle for Sovereignty in Central Europe. Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers, Inc. ISBN 978-0-86516-426-0.
  • Vlasto, A. P. (1970-10-02). The Entry of the Slavs Into Christendom: An Introduction to the Medieval History of the Slavs. London: CUP Archive. ISBN 0-521-07459-2.
  • Wolfram, Herwig (1979). Conversio Bagoariorum et Carantanorum: Das Weissbuch der Salzburger Kirche über die erfolgreiche Mission in Karantanien und Pannonien (in German). Wien: Böhlau. ISBN 978-3-205-08361-0.

Further reading

External links

Rulers of Slavs in Lower Pannonia
Primarily south of the Drava
Primarily north of the Drava
See also: Early medieval Croatian dukes
Categories: