The Prissani or Pyritzans ( pl, Pyrzyczanie) were a medieval tribe in Pomerania. They were first mentioned as "Prissani" with 70 civitas by the Bavarian Geographer, ca. 845.Johannes Hoops, Herbert Jankuhn, Heinrich Beck, Reallexikon der germanischen Altertumskunde Band 23, Walter de Gruyter, 2003, p.261, They are associated with the Pomeranians, and were based in the lower

Oder The Oder ( , ; Czech, Lower Sorbian and ; ) is a river in Central Europe. It is Poland's second-longest river in total length and third-longest within its borders after the Vistula and Warta. The Oder rises in the Czech Republic and flows thr ...

region around the modern town of

Pyrzyce Pyrzyce ( csb, Përzëca; formerly german: Pyritz) is a town in Pomerania, north-western Poland. As of 2007, it had 13,331 inhabitants. Pyrzycw is the capital of the Pyrzyce County in West Pomeranian Voivodeship (since 1999), which was previousl ...

(Pyritz).Jan M Piskorski, Pommern im Wandel der Zeiten, p.30, The mention in the Bavarian Geographer is the only written record referring to the tribe. In the late 10th century, the Polish dukes

Mieszko I Mieszko I (; – 25 May 992) was the first ruler of Poland and the founder of the first independent Polish state, the Duchy of Poland. His reign stretched from 960 to his death and he was a member of the Piast dynasty, a son of Siemomysł and ...

and Bolesław I Chrobry subdued parts of

Pomerania Pomerania ( pl, Pomorze; german: Pommern; Kashubian: ''Pòmòrskô''; sv, Pommern) is a historical region on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea in Central Europe, split between Poland and Germany. The western part of Pomerania belongs to ...

, but did not succeed to subdue the lower

region.Jan M Piskorski, Pommern im Wandel der Zeiten, p.31, In 1121/22, the Polish duke Bolesław III Wrymouth conquered the area along with the Duchy of Pomerania under

Wartislaw I Wartislaw I (''Warcisław I'') (around 1092 – August 9, 1135) was the first historical ruler of the Duchy of Pomerania and the founder of the Griffin dynasty. Most of the information about him comes from the writings on the life of Otto of Ba ...

.Jan M Piskorski, Pommern im Wandel der Zeiten, p.36, The tribe was subsequently Christianized, missionary

Otto of Bamberg Otto of Bamberg (1060 or 1061 – 30 June 1139) was a German missionary and papal legate who converted much of medieval Pomerania to Christianity. He was the bishop of Bamberg from 1102 until his death. He was canonized in 1189. Early life Th ...

celebrated the first mass baptism in

. A separate tribal identity, if upheld so far, vanished when it was integrated in the Duchy of Pomerania.

References

Lechites History of Pomerania West Slavic tribes {{europe-ethno-group-stub

See also

References