Braslav ( 882–896) was a prince who ruled the
Slavs in Lower Pannonia
Early Slavs settled in the eastern and southern parts of the former Roman province of Pannonia. The term ''Lower Pannonia'' ( la, Pannonia inferior, hu, Alsó-pannoniai grófság, sh-Latn-Cyrl, Donja Panonija, Доња Панонија, sl, Sp ...
, in a territory located mostly in modern-day
Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capit ...
, between 884 and 896 as a vassal of
Arnulf of Carinthia. He participated in the
Frankish–Moravian War (882–84) and the Frankish invasion of Moravia (891–92). He was last mentioned when he was entrusted Pannonia by Arnulf in order to secure the Frankish frontier against the Hungarians (896), who subsequently
overran all of Pannonia and continued into Italy.
Background
In 882–84,
a bloody war was fought between
Arnulf of Carinthia and
Svatopluk I of Moravia, during which Pannonia and the
Danube
The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , p ...
suffered the most. Svatopluk is said to have "slaughtered" and "destroyed much with fire and sword".
The two agreed on peace in 884.
Life
![Territory governed by Braslav](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/Territory_governed_by_Braslav.png)
A Slavic prince
and ardent Frankish loyalist,
according to the ''
Frankish Annals'', Braslav was the "Duke of Lower Pannonia" (). He ruled a province from the
Drava to the
Sava
The Sava (; , ; sr-cyr, Сава, hu, Száva) is a river in Central and Southeast Europe, a right-bank and the longest tributary of the Danube. It flows through Slovenia, Croatia and along its border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and finally t ...
(modern-day
Slavonia
Slavonia (; hr, Slavonija) is, with Dalmatia, Croatia proper, and Istria, one of the four historical regions of Croatia. Taking up the east of the country, it roughly corresponds with five Croatian counties: Brod-Posavina, Osijek-Baran ...
).
He took part in the
884 Frankish–Moravian peace treaty reached at
Tulln
Tulln an der Donau () is a historic town in the Austrian state of Lower Austria, the administrative seat of Tulln District. Because of its abundance of parks and gardens, Tulln is often referred to as ''Blumenstadt'' ("City of Flowers"), and "The C ...
.
Sometime during 891, according to the ''
Annals of Fulda'', Arnulf sent an embassy led by
margrave Arbo to Moravia in order to renew the peace.
A letter written by the margrave soon announced that the legates were returning from Svatopluk and the Moravians who had agreed "to give themselves in friendship".
Svatopluk, however, broke his pledges, thus Arnulf decided to invade Moravia in 891. First Arnulf met with Braslav, the Slavic ''dux'' on the river
Sava
The Sava (; , ; sr-cyr, Сава, hu, Száva) is a river in Central and Southeast Europe, a right-bank and the longest tributary of the Danube. It flows through Slovenia, Croatia and along its border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and finally t ...
, next raised an army of
Franconians
Franconia (german: Franken, ; Franconian dialect: ''Franggn'' ; bar, Frankn) is a region of Germany, characterised by its culture and Franconian dialect (German: ''Fränkisch'').
The three administrative regions of Lower, Middle and Upper F ...
,
Bavarians and
Alamanni, and also recruited Hungarians to join his campaign (for the latter recruitment,
Ottonian authors blamed Arnulf for
unleashing the Hungarians on Europe). Braslav participated in the 892 campaign.
After Svatopluk's death in 894, the Hungarians ravaged Pannonia, becoming enemies of Arnulf, threatening Frankish Pannonia.
The critical situation came after the Hungarians had occupied the Pannonian basin between the
Tisza
The Tisza, Tysa or Tisa, is one of the major rivers of Central and Eastern Europe. Once, it was called "the most Hungarian river" because it flowed entirely within the Kingdom of Hungary. Today, it crosses several national borders.
The Tisza be ...
and
Danube
The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , p ...
.
Thus, in 895
or 896,
Arnulf entrusted ''Mosapurc'' (modern
Zalavár
Zalavár is a village in Hungary, located in Zala County. It is located around southwest of Lake Balaton.
Name
According to written sources the settlement was called 'Mosapurc' in the 9th century, "''Mosapurc regia civitate''". It was also know ...
, Hungary) and Pannonia to Braslav,
thereby strengthening the defense of his southeastern frontier.
Arnulf and Braslav could not stop the Hungarians,
and Pannonia was subsequently overrun by the Hungarians. Braslav was last mentioned in a source dating to 898, at which time the Hungarians with a great army had breached into Italy for the first time, having crossed the Slavic lands.
Legacy
Bratislava, the capital of
Slovakia
Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the s ...
, has been theorized as having been named after Braslav (
Brezalauspurc, 907).
There are references to Braslav as a Croatian duke in modern Croatian historiography.
References
Sources
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Braslav Of Pannonia
9th-century Slavs
9th-century people from East Francia
9th century in Croatia
History of Slavonia
History of Syrmia
9th century in Serbia
Medieval Slovenia
9th century in Hungary
Slavic warriors