Dragovit

Dragovit (Dragowit) was a king (rex Wiltorum) of the Wiltzes (Veleti). It is thought that Dragovit began his rule ca. 740.^[1]

Because of their constant hatred and hostility toward the Franks,^[2] 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, Obodrite¹, Saxon and Sorbian¹ reinforcements, Charlemagne managed to cross the Elbe River, advancing toward the Havel River into Veleti territory. Outnumbered, Dragovit, in 789, was forced to pledge loyalty to the Franks and surrender hostages.^[3] Among others, Dragovit was also forced to pay a tribute and accept the influence of Christian missionaries among his people.^[4]

His capital was a fortification known as civitas Dragowiti (City of Dragovit). Its location is hypothesised to be either at Brandenburg an der Havel^[5] or Demmin.^[1]

Notes

• ^1 Obodrites and Sorbs are also of Slavic stock.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Slawenfürsten" (in German). http://slawenburgen.npage.de/slawenf%C3%BCrsten_79930717.html. 
2. ^ Schenker, Alexander M. (1901). An Introduction to Slavic Philology. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. p. 46. http://yalepress.yale.edu/yupbooks/pdf/0300058462.pdf. 
3. ^ Riché, Pierre (1993). The Carolingians: A Family Who Forged Europe. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 110. http://books.google.com/books?id=Tcjy7bCmFL0C. 
4. ^ Oman, Sir Charles William Chadwick (1901). Dark Ages, 476-918 (Fourth ed.). London: Rivingtons. p. 360. http://books.google.com/books?id=XVexAAAAIAAJ. 
5. ^ "Dragowit: Fürst der Wilzen" (in German). http://www.genealogie-mittelalter.de/heveller_fuersten/dragowit_fuerst_der_wilzen_798/dragowit_fuerst_der_wilzen.html.