The settlement of theEastern Alps region byearly Slavs took place during the 6th to 8th centuries CE. It formed part of the southward expansion of early Slavs which would result in theSouth Slavic group, and would ultimately result in theethnogenesis of present-daySlovenes.The Eastern Alpine territories concerned comprise modern-daySlovenia,Eastern Friuli, in modern-day northeast Italy, and large parts of modern-dayAustria (Carinthia,Styria,East Tyrol,Lower Austria andUpper Austria).
Themigration of Slavic peoples from theirhomeland began in roughly the late 6th to early 7th century,[1] asGermanic peoples startedmoving into the territory of theRoman Empire. The migrations were stimulated by the arrival ofHuns into Eastern Europe. The Germanic peoples subsequently fought for control over territories in the eastern part of the disintegrating Roman Empire. Slavic tribes were part of various tribal alliances with the Germanic (Lombards,Gepids) and Eurasian (Avar,Bulgar) peoples.[2]
The prevailing view on the Slavic settlement of the Eastern Alps is based mostly on evidence deduced from archeological remains (many of which have been discovered due to the extensive highway constructions in post-1991Slovenia),[3] ethnographic traces (patterns of rural settlement and land cultivation), as well as on the ascertainments of historical linguistics (including toponymy). Besides, it is fully confirmed by the relatively few available contemporary mentionings and early historical sources (such asHistoria Langobardorum byPaulus Diaconus[4] or letters fromPope Gregory I[5]). Another important evidence of Slavic advances is the progressive decline of ancient Christian dioceses in the respective areas. Alpine Slavs, includingCarantanians, mainly originate from Slavs ofPrague-Korchak culture.[6] In the 10th century were significantly influenced byBijelo Brdo culture of thePannonian Slavs.[7]
The first phase of Slavic settlement in the Eastern Alps region is dated around the year 550 and originated in the area of modern-dayMoravia (i.e., the West Slavic speaking branch).[8] From there, Slavic peoples moved southward into the territory of the former Roman province ofNoricum (modern-dayUpper andLower Austria regions). Subsequently, they progressed along the valleys of Alpine rivers towards theKarawanks range and towards the settlement of Poetovio (modern-dayPtuj), where the decline of the local diocese is recorded before 577.
The second phase of Slavic settlement came from the south and took place after theretreat of Lombards into Northern Italy in 568. The Lombards agreed to cede the relinquished territory to their new allies, theAvars, who at that time were the overlords of Slavs. Avars first appeared in Europe around 560 when they reached lowerDanube. In 567 the Avars and Lombards jointly defeated theGepids. After the Lombards moved to Italy in 568, the Avars became the nominal rulers of both thePannonian plain (which they had conquered by 582) and the adjacent Eastern Alps region. The Slavic-Avar progress towards the Eastern Alps is traceable on the basis of synodal records of theAquileian metropolitan church which speak of the decline of ancient dioceses (Emona, Celeia, Poetovio, Aguntum, Teurnia, Virunum, Scarabantia) in the respective area.[3][8][9] In 588 the Slavs reached the area of the UpperSava River and in 591 they arrived to the UpperDrava region where they soon fought with the Bavarians who were led by kingTassilo I. In 592 the Bavarians won, but in 595 the Slavic-Avar army gained victory and thus consolidated the boundary between theFrankish andAvar territories. Between 599 and 600 the Slavs pushed through Istria and the Karst region towards Italy.[2]
Driven byGerman colonization of Austria[broken anchor], Slavs settled the entireKras and theGail valley between 600 and the 8th century. From there, they penetratedFriuli in Val Canale and in the secondary valleys (Dogna, Val Raccolana, Val Resia), going even in the valleys of rivers Degano, But andTagliamento. Other areas from which Slavs penetrated were the valleys of riversIsonzo andVipava, where they entered in the eighth century. In this area they had already appeared during the Slavic-Avar raids of early 600. Finally there were raids and clashes caused by Slavic bands in the valleys of riversTorre andNatisone up to 720.[10] The attempt by Slavs to penetrate violently westward probably ended after they had been defeated by theLombards at Lauriana, in 720. Subsequently, Slavic settlers were invited by thepatriarchs of Aquileia to repopulate the areas of Middle and Lower Friuli to the riverLivenza, devastated by theMagyar incursions.[10]
Avar domination over the Slavs persisted until mid 620s. In 623 the Slavs, led by Frankish merchantSamo, rebelled against the Avars. In 626 the Avars were ultimately defeated atConstantinople, after which Samo became the ruler of the first historically known Slavic polity, Samo's Tribal Union, which persisted until his death in 658. Subsequently, a smaller Slavic principality emerged around 660, known asCarantania, and was absorbed into theFrankish Empire in 745.
After settling in the Eastern Alps region, Slavs subsequently subjugated and assimilated the Celtic and IllyrianRomanised population, which had dwelt in the territory of the formerNoricum and parts ofPannonina province and in their cities. In late Antiquity, the original population evaded Slavic settlers by moving into remote and elevated places, usually hills, where they built fortifications; such examples areAjdna in theKarawanks mountain ridge and Rifnik near modern-dayCelje. However, recent archeological research shows that even certain well-fortified cities in the lower lying areas managed to protect themselves from the invaders. Part of the native population escaped into Italy and to the cities along theAdriatic coast, among them Civitas Nova (modern-dayNovigrad).
Slavs referred to the Romanised aborigines asVlahi orLahi. Certain place names in modern-day Slovenia, such asLaško, Laški rovt, Lahovče, and others, bear witness to this. Also, a number of river names in modern-day Slovenia, likeSava,Drava,Soča, as well as the geographic nameCarniola (SlovenianKranjska) were adopted from the Romanised aborigines.
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