Bavaria Slavica

Slavic toponyms (blue) in northeastern regions of modern Bavaria

Bavaria Slavica is a historiographical term used to denote northeastern regions of modern Bavaria, that were populated by Slavs during the Early Middle Ages. Slavic settlements were concentrated mostly in eastern parts of modern Upper Franconia and northern parts of modern Upper Palatinate, encompassing upper sections of the Main river basin. Thus, they are also known as Slavs of the Upper Main.[1]

Slavic migrations into those regions occurred in several stages, between the 6th and the 9th centuries, and then in the 10th and the 11th centuries. Belonging to the West Slavic branch of early Slavic migrations, the Slavs of Upper Main were known to their Germanic neighbors also as Wends, an exonym applied in Germanic languages to Slavs in general. They were neighbors to Slavic Bohemians and Sorbs to the east, and Germanic Bavarians in the south, Franks to the west, and Thuringians to the north. Already during the Merovingian era, and later in Carolingian times, Slavic tribes in the upper Main regions were gradually included into the Frankish sphere of influence, recognizing the supreme authority of Frankish rulers. From the 9th to the 11th centuries, the process of their Christianization and feudal subjugation was completed, and also followed by gradual Germanization. Throughout northeastern districts of modern Bavaria, in Upper Franconia and Upper Palatinate, many toponyms of Slavic origin were preserved up to present times.[2]

See also

References

  1. ^ Klír (2020): 193–273.
  2. ^ Klír (2017): 359–410.

Sources

allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bavaria_Slavica