Dragovit ( la, Drogoviz) was a
pagan
Paganism (from classical Latin ''pāgānus'' "rural", "rustic", later "civilian") is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Judaism. ...
ruler (
prince or
chief
Chief may refer to:
Title or rank
Military and law enforcement
* Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force
* Chief of police, the head of a police department
* Chief of the boa ...
) of the
Veleti ( la, rex Wiltorum; "
king of the
Wiltzes
The Veleti, also known as Wilzi, Wielzians, and Wiltzes, were a group of medieval Lechitic tribes within the territory of Hither Pomerania, related to Polabian Slavs. They had formed together the Confederation of the Veleti, a loose monarchic ...
"). It is thought that Dragovit began his rule c. 740.
Because of their constant hatred and hostility toward the
Franks, in the late 8th century, Frankish king
Charlemagne organised campaigns against the Veleti, and fellow
Slavic tribe of the
Linonen. With the aid of
Frisian,
Obodrite,
Saxon
The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic
*
*
*
*
peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the Nor ...
and
Sorbian reinforcements, Charlemagne managed to cross the
Elbe River, advancing toward the
Havel River
The Havel () is a river in northeastern Germany, flowing through the States of Germany, states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Brandenburg, Berlin and Saxony-Anhalt. It is a right tributary of the Elbe and long. However, the direct distance from it ...
into Veleti territory. Outnumbered, Dragovit, in 789, was forced to pledge loyalty to the Franks and surrender hostages. Among others, Dragovit was also forced to pay a tribute and accept the influence of Christian missionaries among his people.
His capital was a fortification known as ''civitas Dragowiti'' (City of Dragovit). Its location is hypothesised to be either at
Brandenburg an der Havel or
Demmin.
Notes
* Obodrites and Sorbs are also of Slavic stock.
References
{{Authority control
8th-century Slavs
Lechites
Year of birth unknown
Year of death unknown
Slavic warriors