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Chapter 46: Heirs of Slovien Moravia
The two major Slavic realms on the Danube: Moravia and Bulgaria, would greatly decline during the 10th century. Although Moravia would continue to exist in a much diminished form, Bulgaria collapses totally.
As a result of Pecheneg incursion, the Bulgarian state vanishes completely. The lowland regions of Wallachia are overrun by Pecheneg clans; and a rump duchy of Ahtum is established in the region of the Banate; another Vlach duchy is established in Oltenia. This area is mostly populated by Vlachs, an Eastern Romance people, descended from the Romanized populations of the Moesian limes.
To its northeast is a natural mountain fortress, the Transylvanian basin. The area has been a target of frequent Pecheneg raids. Populated by mostly Slavic Bulgarians and Vlachs, this area is ruled by a certain Gelou as the principality of Ardeal.
Interestingly enough, the area ruled by Vlach principalities roughly corresponds to the area of the Roman province of Dacia under Trajan.
As for the Pechenegs themselves in my previously map thy were for some reason labelled as Oghuz Turks, which was incorrect as they belong to the OghuR branch of the Turkic languges, along with Bolghar, Khazar and Hunnic; the ancient tongues of the Turkic peoples of the Western Steppe.
Magyar settlement in the Carpathian basin would have effectively put an end to the ongoing development of the Slovien kingdom.
The Magyars were a Uralic people, with their closest cousins being the Khanty and the Mansi in the marshy Ob regions of western Siberia. Living to far south, they would adopt the nomadic steppe lifestyle, and migrate westwards, before establishing themselves in the Carpathian basin. The incoming Magyars would have been a collection of eight major tribes or clans: Gyarmat, Jenoe, Keszi, Kér, Kuert, Megyer, Nyék and Tarján. Moreover, they would be joined by the Turkic Kabar people, in the form of the clans of Berény, Oszlár,Oers, Tarkány, Varsány, Szabar, Kálisz,Kazar and Szekély.
Seven captains of the Magyars, from a medieval chronicle
And more romanticised depiction of the same event
The thinly populated regions between the Tisa and Danube rivers would fast become dominated by the incoming Magyars. The second major area of Magyar settlement would have been Pannonia. That region had been populated by Sloviens and Carantanians previously, and a few German and Pannonian settlements as well.
Even after the Magyar would have dominated the area since the 920s, a strong Slavic majority would be present in places such as Moson in the northwestern part of Pannonia. In fact, the entire area to the northwest of the Rába River would have stayed Slavic throughout the 10th century.
The Zala and Vas regions as well would have remained predominantly Slavic, being a continuation of Carantanian (1) settlement in Carinthia, Carniola and Styria.
Magyar settlements would also be relatively dense in the region between Pressburg, Bitra and the Danube River. The Lesser Pannonia plain would thus be settled by Magyars to a great degree, forcing the Slovien(2) populations into the Carpathian Highlands, to the upper reaches of the Váh and Hron Rivers.
Any surviving Avar population (in southeastern Lower Austria) would have been likely greatly assimilated either into the local Slovien populations, or have joined the incoming Magyars. Similarly, the Pannonian Romance speakers, previously dwelling at Balaton, at Sopiania (3), in some towns on the Danube River like Szentendre and Hainburg, and more importantly along the Amber road, in the regions of Scarbantia(4) and Neusiedler See. The majority of the Pannonians would have assimilated for the most part, although in the time of Kocel and Svätopluk it appears still that they would have lived in those areas and spoken the Latin dialect.
Even after the Magyar takeover, Scarbantia would continue to be a major cultural centre of the Pannonians; unfortunately for them, their major population core at Balaton Lake would have been overrun by the Magyars, with some of them remaining in the Vesprem Mountains and in the Zala region, where they would mix with Slavic population.
Anyhow, Magyar dominance in the Carpathian basin would mean that their principality would include most of Pannonia, Slavonia, the Alfold, and Crisana by the late 10th century. The Hungarian prince Géza woulda accept Christianity and his son Vajk would be baptised as Stephen. Although the realm would face pagan (Tengrii) revolts, especially in the Alfoeld, by the year 1000 Hungary would be proclaimed as Christian kingdom and Stephen would receive his crown from the Pope. The seat of the first Hungarian archbishopric would be at the location of the capital: as Esztergrom (Ostrihom) on the Danube very close to its bend.
Further northwards, the regions of Moravian and Slovakia, once the core of the Slovien realm, would have now greatly diminished struggling to survive. The Mojmirid dynasty would have been overthrown after the death Mojmir II.; they would have been succeeded by the House of Divinsky originating from the Upper Váh regions. The Divinskys would have consolidated most of Central, the northern parts of western Slovakia, and Moravia. Eastern Slovakia would have become an independent Duchy under the Laborecky house based in Zemplín.
Bohemia to the west would have become a tributary state to the German Empire under Otto I., The Czechs, the dominating tribe ruling the region of Prague would have used their links with Germany to consolidate their power against internal opposition. Earlier on, they would have taken control of Silesia and Cracovia; yet these areas would be incorporated into the merging Polish state.
Bohemia by now would have been Christianized; the Bishopric of Prague would be subordinate to the Archbishopric of Mainz.
Further north, there would have been the various Polabian tribes, mainly the Obotrites and the Veleti. The Obodrites would be based in the region of Mecklenburg; the Veleti or the Lutices in the region of Brandenburg further south. Although they had been subjugated by the Germnas in the form of the establishment of the Billungian March and the Northern March, the Polabian tribes would rise in the Great Slav Rising – resulting in the collapse of Christian institutions in the region, and the expulsion or murder of any German settlers in the region. Thus, the Obodrite and Veleti realms would become again independent Polabian duchies.
Viking jewellery from 10th century Pommerania. Contact with the Norse was still very intense .
On the eastern side of the Oder River, we have the emergent state of Pomerania, by now still a pagan realm. The Pommeranians were involved in piracy in the Baltic Sea. Pommerania would have been subdued by Mieszko, yet upon his death it would reassume its independence with the exception of Danzig, which would remain under Polish rule.
To the southeast of Pommerania was the emergent Polish state. The initial core of the Polish state was the region of Greater Poland, around the Warthe River and the town of Gniezdno. This realm would be expanded to include Silesia, Cracovia and Mazovia under the rule of Mieszko I., who would have ruled during the greater part of the 10th century.
Mieszko I.
Mieszko I. is thus known for laying the foundations of the Polish state, and would also accept Christianity from the west. He would be succeeded by his son, Boleslaw Chrabry or Boleslaw the Bold. Boleslaw the Bold was an energetic ruler; let us just say for now that he would accept Chrisitainty, receive the royal crown from the Pope and an archbishopric would be set up at Gniezdno.
East of the Vistula estuary was the region of Prussia, populated by pagan Baltic tribes of whom the most important confederations were the Pruthenes and Yotvingians. Other tribes in the southern Baltic area would include the Skalvians and the Galindians. The Pruthenian tribal confederation was now beginning to consolidate, and with trade contacts with the Norse, the society begins to reform a little, while population grows.
The Baltic peoples. This map appears to have been pretty valid by 10th century as well
Further to the north, there are powerful tribal chiefdom of the Lithuanians, expanding westwards into the territory of the Samogitians. To their north, the Curonians have picked up some Viking influence and Curonian pirates become very well a threat to any merchants trading in the Baltic. On the Daugava River basin, the Latgalians are gradually expanding northwards, into Livonian lands. The capital fortress of the Latgalians would have been Jersika; and during the 10th century, some sources claim that there has been some large-scale socio-political transformation, and the Principality of Jersika could very well be considered to be an early feudal state.
(1) Early Slovene
(2) Early Slovak
(3) Pécs
(4) Sopron/Odenburg
As a result of Pecheneg incursion, the Bulgarian state vanishes completely. The lowland regions of Wallachia are overrun by Pecheneg clans; and a rump duchy of Ahtum is established in the region of the Banate; another Vlach duchy is established in Oltenia. This area is mostly populated by Vlachs, an Eastern Romance people, descended from the Romanized populations of the Moesian limes.
To its northeast is a natural mountain fortress, the Transylvanian basin. The area has been a target of frequent Pecheneg raids. Populated by mostly Slavic Bulgarians and Vlachs, this area is ruled by a certain Gelou as the principality of Ardeal.
Interestingly enough, the area ruled by Vlach principalities roughly corresponds to the area of the Roman province of Dacia under Trajan.
As for the Pechenegs themselves in my previously map thy were for some reason labelled as Oghuz Turks, which was incorrect as they belong to the OghuR branch of the Turkic languges, along with Bolghar, Khazar and Hunnic; the ancient tongues of the Turkic peoples of the Western Steppe.
Magyar settlement in the Carpathian basin would have effectively put an end to the ongoing development of the Slovien kingdom.
The Magyars were a Uralic people, with their closest cousins being the Khanty and the Mansi in the marshy Ob regions of western Siberia. Living to far south, they would adopt the nomadic steppe lifestyle, and migrate westwards, before establishing themselves in the Carpathian basin. The incoming Magyars would have been a collection of eight major tribes or clans: Gyarmat, Jenoe, Keszi, Kér, Kuert, Megyer, Nyék and Tarján. Moreover, they would be joined by the Turkic Kabar people, in the form of the clans of Berény, Oszlár,Oers, Tarkány, Varsány, Szabar, Kálisz,Kazar and Szekély.
Seven captains of the Magyars, from a medieval chronicle
And more romanticised depiction of the same event
The thinly populated regions between the Tisa and Danube rivers would fast become dominated by the incoming Magyars. The second major area of Magyar settlement would have been Pannonia. That region had been populated by Sloviens and Carantanians previously, and a few German and Pannonian settlements as well.
Even after the Magyar would have dominated the area since the 920s, a strong Slavic majority would be present in places such as Moson in the northwestern part of Pannonia. In fact, the entire area to the northwest of the Rába River would have stayed Slavic throughout the 10th century.
The Zala and Vas regions as well would have remained predominantly Slavic, being a continuation of Carantanian (1) settlement in Carinthia, Carniola and Styria.
Magyar settlements would also be relatively dense in the region between Pressburg, Bitra and the Danube River. The Lesser Pannonia plain would thus be settled by Magyars to a great degree, forcing the Slovien(2) populations into the Carpathian Highlands, to the upper reaches of the Váh and Hron Rivers.
Any surviving Avar population (in southeastern Lower Austria) would have been likely greatly assimilated either into the local Slovien populations, or have joined the incoming Magyars. Similarly, the Pannonian Romance speakers, previously dwelling at Balaton, at Sopiania (3), in some towns on the Danube River like Szentendre and Hainburg, and more importantly along the Amber road, in the regions of Scarbantia(4) and Neusiedler See. The majority of the Pannonians would have assimilated for the most part, although in the time of Kocel and Svätopluk it appears still that they would have lived in those areas and spoken the Latin dialect.
Even after the Magyar takeover, Scarbantia would continue to be a major cultural centre of the Pannonians; unfortunately for them, their major population core at Balaton Lake would have been overrun by the Magyars, with some of them remaining in the Vesprem Mountains and in the Zala region, where they would mix with Slavic population.
Anyhow, Magyar dominance in the Carpathian basin would mean that their principality would include most of Pannonia, Slavonia, the Alfold, and Crisana by the late 10th century. The Hungarian prince Géza woulda accept Christianity and his son Vajk would be baptised as Stephen. Although the realm would face pagan (Tengrii) revolts, especially in the Alfoeld, by the year 1000 Hungary would be proclaimed as Christian kingdom and Stephen would receive his crown from the Pope. The seat of the first Hungarian archbishopric would be at the location of the capital: as Esztergrom (Ostrihom) on the Danube very close to its bend.
Further northwards, the regions of Moravian and Slovakia, once the core of the Slovien realm, would have now greatly diminished struggling to survive. The Mojmirid dynasty would have been overthrown after the death Mojmir II.; they would have been succeeded by the House of Divinsky originating from the Upper Váh regions. The Divinskys would have consolidated most of Central, the northern parts of western Slovakia, and Moravia. Eastern Slovakia would have become an independent Duchy under the Laborecky house based in Zemplín.
Bohemia to the west would have become a tributary state to the German Empire under Otto I., The Czechs, the dominating tribe ruling the region of Prague would have used their links with Germany to consolidate their power against internal opposition. Earlier on, they would have taken control of Silesia and Cracovia; yet these areas would be incorporated into the merging Polish state.
Bohemia by now would have been Christianized; the Bishopric of Prague would be subordinate to the Archbishopric of Mainz.
Further north, there would have been the various Polabian tribes, mainly the Obotrites and the Veleti. The Obodrites would be based in the region of Mecklenburg; the Veleti or the Lutices in the region of Brandenburg further south. Although they had been subjugated by the Germnas in the form of the establishment of the Billungian March and the Northern March, the Polabian tribes would rise in the Great Slav Rising – resulting in the collapse of Christian institutions in the region, and the expulsion or murder of any German settlers in the region. Thus, the Obodrite and Veleti realms would become again independent Polabian duchies.
Viking jewellery from 10th century Pommerania. Contact with the Norse was still very intense .
On the eastern side of the Oder River, we have the emergent state of Pomerania, by now still a pagan realm. The Pommeranians were involved in piracy in the Baltic Sea. Pommerania would have been subdued by Mieszko, yet upon his death it would reassume its independence with the exception of Danzig, which would remain under Polish rule.
To the southeast of Pommerania was the emergent Polish state. The initial core of the Polish state was the region of Greater Poland, around the Warthe River and the town of Gniezdno. This realm would be expanded to include Silesia, Cracovia and Mazovia under the rule of Mieszko I., who would have ruled during the greater part of the 10th century.
Mieszko I.
Mieszko I. is thus known for laying the foundations of the Polish state, and would also accept Christianity from the west. He would be succeeded by his son, Boleslaw Chrabry or Boleslaw the Bold. Boleslaw the Bold was an energetic ruler; let us just say for now that he would accept Chrisitainty, receive the royal crown from the Pope and an archbishopric would be set up at Gniezdno.
East of the Vistula estuary was the region of Prussia, populated by pagan Baltic tribes of whom the most important confederations were the Pruthenes and Yotvingians. Other tribes in the southern Baltic area would include the Skalvians and the Galindians. The Pruthenian tribal confederation was now beginning to consolidate, and with trade contacts with the Norse, the society begins to reform a little, while population grows.
The Baltic peoples. This map appears to have been pretty valid by 10th century as well
Further to the north, there are powerful tribal chiefdom of the Lithuanians, expanding westwards into the territory of the Samogitians. To their north, the Curonians have picked up some Viking influence and Curonian pirates become very well a threat to any merchants trading in the Baltic. On the Daugava River basin, the Latgalians are gradually expanding northwards, into Livonian lands. The capital fortress of the Latgalians would have been Jersika; and during the 10th century, some sources claim that there has been some large-scale socio-political transformation, and the Principality of Jersika could very well be considered to be an early feudal state.
(1) Early Slovene
(2) Early Slovak
(3) Pécs
(4) Sopron/Odenburg
- Tomislav Addai
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