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Obotritic confederation | |||||||||||||||||||
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| 8th century–1167 | |||||||||||||||||||
 A black bull's head, the alleged symbol of the Obotrites and their princes (chieftains)  Arms of theHouse of Nikloting, princes of the Obotritic confederation | |||||||||||||||||||
 Main territory of the Obotritic confederation | |||||||||||||||||||
 Expansion of the Obotritic confederation under PrinceThrasco († 809)after victory over theNordalbingianSaxons | |||||||||||||||||||
| Status | Independentconfederation ofPolabian Slavic tribes | ||||||||||||||||||
| Capital | Veligard or Veligrad(German:Michelenburg) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Common languages | Polabian,Old Saxon | ||||||||||||||||||
| Religion | Polabian[a]Slavic paganism, the known major cults:
Chalcedonian Christianity(missionaries, some nobles) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Government | Hereditary monarchy (Principality) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Prince | |||||||||||||||||||
• ?–ca. 795 (first) | Witzlaus | ||||||||||||||||||
• 1160–1167 (last) | Pribislav | ||||||||||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||||||||||
• Formed | 8th century | ||||||||||||||||||
• Accepted Saxon suzerainty | 1167 | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Today part of | Germany | ||||||||||||||||||
TheObotrites (Latin:Obotriti,Abodritorum,Abodritos) orObodrites, also spelledAbodrites (German:Abodriten), were aconfederation of medievalWest Slavic tribes within the territory of modernMecklenburg andHolstein in northernGermany (seePolabian Slavs).[1] For decades, they were allies ofCharlemagne in his wars against the GermanicSaxons and the SlavicVeleti. The Obotrites under PrinceThrasco defeated theSaxons in theBattle of Bornhöved (798). The still-Pagan Saxons were dispersed by the emperor, and the part of their former land inHolstein north ofElbe was awarded to the Obotrites in 804, as a reward for their victory. This however was soon reverted through an invasion of theDanes. The Obotrite regnal style was abolished in 1167, whenPribislav was restored to power by DukeHenry the Lion, as Prince of Mecklenburg, thereby founding the GermanizedHouse of Mecklenburg.
Obotrites / Abodrites is widely analysed from the Slavic root *bodr- ‘cheerful, lively, brave; vigorous; alert’ (cf. Bulg. бодър, Rus. бодрый, Pol.bodry (arch.), OCS бодръ). As an ethnonym, Bodriči/Obodrity ≈ “the spirited/brave ones” or “the encouraged ones,” with o- as a common Slavic prefix and -it-/-ič- a people-name suffix.[2]
TheBavarian Geographer, an anonymous medieval document compiled inRegensburg in 830, contains a list of the tribes in Central Eastern Europe to the east of the Elbe. The list includes the Nortabtrezi (Obotrites) - with 53civitates.Adam of Bremen referred to them as theReregi because of their lucrative trade emporiumReric. In common with other Slavic groups, they were often described by Germanic sources asWends.
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The main tribes of the Obotritic confederation were:[3]
Other tribes associated with the confederation include:[3]
As allies of theCarolingian kings and the empire of theirOttonian successors, the Obotrites fought from 808 to 1200 against thekings of Denmark, who wished to rule theBaltic region independently of the empire. When opportunities arose, for instance upon the death of an emperor, they would seek to seize power; and in 983Hamburg was destroyed by the Obotrites under their king,Mstivoj. At times they levied tribute from theDanes andSaxons. Under the leadership ofNiklot, they resisted a Christian assault during theWendish Crusade.
German missionaries such asVicelinus converted the Obotrites toChristianity. In 1170 they acknowledged the suzerainty of theHoly Roman Empire, leading toGermanisation and assimilation over the following centuries. However, up to the late 15th century most villagers in the Obotritic area were still speaking Slavic dialects (Polabian language), although subsequently their language was displaced byGerman. The Polabian language survived until the beginning of the 19th century in Hanoverian Wendland, eastern Lower Saxony (bordering modern Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania).[4]The ruling clan of the Obotrites kept its power throughout the Germanisation and ruled their country (except during a short interruption inThirty Years' War) asHouse of Mecklenburg until the end of monarchies in Germany inNovember Revolution 1918. Previously, the Obodrites were dominated by theNaconids; Eastern (Far) Pomerania was ruled by thePomeranian House (Grifichi).
| Ruler | Reign | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Witzlaus | ?–ca. 795 | |
| Thrasco | ?–ca. 795–810 | |
| Slavomir | ?–810–819 | Ally of the Frankish Empire. In 816, he joined the rebellion of theSorbs. Eventually captured and abandoned by his own people, being replaced by Ceadrag in 818. |
| Ceadrag | 819–after 826 | Ally of the Frankish Empire. He rebelled against the Franks with alliance with the Danes, but later was reconciled with Franks. |
| Selibur | ||
| Nako | 954–966 | Nako and his brother Stoigniew were defeated at theRaxa river (955) byOtto I, after which Stoigniew was beheaded and Nako accepted Christianity, resulting in thirty years of peace. |
| Mstivoj and Mstidrag | 966–995 | Sons of Nako. They abandoned Christianity and revolted against the Germans (Great Slav Rising). |
| Mieceslas III | 919–999 | in 995 defeated byOtto III, Holy Roman Emperor. |
| Mstislav | 996–1018 | |
| Udo or Przybigniew | 1018–1028 | |
| Ratibor | 1028–1043 | |
| Gottschalk | 1043 to 1066 | |
| Budivoj | 1066 and 1069 | |
| Kruto | 1066–1069 and 1069–1093 | |
| Henry | 1093–1127 | |
| Canute & Sviatopolk | 1127–1128 | |
| Sviatopolk | 1128–1129 | |
| Zwinike | 1129–1129 | |
| Canute | 1129–1131 | Great-great-great-great-grandson of Mstivoj |
| Niklot | 1131–1160 | Born around 1090. Also ruled the subdued Polabian Slav tribes ofKessinians andCircipanians. |
| Pribislav | 1160–1167 | Last Obotrite prince. Accepted Saxon suzerainty in 1167. |
The rulers of Obotrite lands were later thedukes and grand dukes of Mecklenburg.
Works related toGeographus Bavarus at Wikisource
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