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| Originally the Nakonids were just the rulers of the Abodrites, but under Nako they obtained dominance over the neighbouring Slavs: the ] with their capital at ], the ]ns with their chief cities of ] and ], the ] with their capital at ], and the ]. This Nakonid principality, the Abodrite Confederation as it is sometimes called, was composed of these and other smaller tribes each under its own chieftain, but with all recognising the overlordship of the Abodrite chief, perhaps because of they served as a buffer ('']'') between the more powerful ] and the more easterly Slavs, and they also had older relations with the ] to the west. The Abodrites had made a pact with ] as early as the ] in 798. | Originally the Nakonids were just the rulers of the Abodrites, but under Nako they obtained dominance over the neighbouring Slavs: the ] with their capital at ], the ]ns with their chief cities of ] and ], the ] with their capital at ], and the ]. This Nakonid principality, the Abodrite Confederation as it is sometimes called, was composed of these and other smaller tribes each under its own chieftain, but with all recognising the overlordship of the Abodrite chief, perhaps because of they served as a buffer ('']'') between the more powerful ] and the more easterly Slavs, and they also had older relations with the ] to the west. The Abodrites had made a pact with ] as early as the ] in 798. | ||
| The Nakonids contested supremacy of the Slavs of the Elbe and ] coast with the ] to the east and the ] to the south. The Polans under the ] drew many Slavs to their banner by offering a Christian alternative to Germany. The Nakonids probably turned to Christian ] to avoid the pressures of Saxon missionary work and the tithes and other taxes imposed by the Saxon Church. However, the other tibes each had their own favoured divinites (] in Wagria, ] in ], ] in ]) and clung to them strongly when Christianity was foisted upon them. The opposing influences of ] and ] is seen in that several Nakonids had both a Slavic name and a Saxon, Christian name. | The Nakonids contested supremacy of the Slavs of the Elbe and ] coast with the ] to the east and the ] to the south. The Polans under the ] drew many Slavs to their banner by offering a Christian alternative to Germany. The Nakonids probably turned to Christian ] to avoid the pressures of Saxon missionary work and the tithes and other taxes imposed by the Saxon Church. However, the other tibes each had their own favoured divinites (] in Wagria, ] in ], ] in ]) and clung to them strongly when Christianity was foisted upon them. The opposing influences of ] and ] is seen in that several Nakonids had both a Slavic name and a Saxon, Christian name. | ||
| Nako turned to Christianity after the defeat of the ] in 955. He established his seat at Mecklenburg. His sons ] and ] and grandsons ] and ] are mostly associated with the Slavic uprising of 983. All of them either abandoned Christianity or were "bad Christians" (at least for a time). Udo's successor, ], is perhaps the most famous member of the family. He was educated by the Church, but initially made war on the Saxons in revenge for his father's death (1028). He was captured and his lands and position given to ]. After a sojourn in ] and ], he returned to the Elbe region with a renewed sense of Christian purpose. He subdued the Veleti and the ] is said to have "feared him as king." Had he not died in a pagan uprising, "he would have brought all pagans to the Christian faith." His son ] subdued the ] and encouraged the missionary work of ]. Henry had four sons, but two predeceased him and the two who survived fought over the inheritance, dying in 1128 and 1129. | Nako turned to Christianity after the defeat of the ] in 955. He established his seat at Mecklenburg. His sons ] and ] and grandsons ] and ] are mostly associated with the Slavic uprising of 983. All of them either abandoned Christianity or were "bad Christians" (at least for a time). Udo's successor, ], is perhaps the most famous member of the family. He was educated by the Church, but initially made war on the Saxons in revenge for his father's death (1028). He was captured and his lands and position given to ]. After a sojourn in ] and ], he returned to the Elbe region with a renewed sense of Christian purpose. He subdued the Veleti and the ] is said to have "feared him as king." Had he not died in a pagan uprising, "he would have brought all pagans to the Christian faith." His son ] subdued the ] and encouraged the missionary work of ]. Henry had four sons, but two predeceased him and the two who survived fought over the inheritance, dying in 1128 and 1129. | ||
Revision as of 15:14, 31 August 2007
The Nakonids were the leading noble family of the Slavic peoples of the Elbe river in from about 960 until 1129. They were themselves of Abodrite origin and engineered the formation of a Slavic principality in the region. They went extinct in the male line in the early twelfth century.
The Nakonids derive their name — a modern invention — from the earlierst attestable ruler of the dynasty, Nako, who fought the expansionist tendencies of the German kingdom in the mid and late tenth century before being defeated and converted to Christianity. The Nakonids leaders were alternate between being lapsed Christians (mali christiani) and ardent missionaries of the Slavs who were the prime movers of the Germanisation and Christianisation of the Elbean Slavs.
The German historian Stoob, in his retranslation of the chronicle of Helmold, derived the first genealogy of the Nakonids. Besides Helmold, Adam of Bremen, Thietmar of Merseburg, and Saxo Grammaticus are important sources for Nakonid history. Despite these sources, uncertainty exists concerning the nature of the Nakonid rule over their people. Historiographers sometimes call them Samtherrscher or Oberherrscher, meaning "overlords". The primary sources, in Latin, use the various titles regulus (subking), dux (duke), and tyrannus (tyrant or usurper) to describe them. When Canute Lavard was granted lordship over the Abodrites in 1128 by the Emperor Lothair II, he took the Slavic title knes.
Originally the Nakonids were just the rulers of the Abodrites, but under Nako they obtained dominance over the neighbouring Slavs: the Wagrii with their capital at Starigard, the Polabians with their chief cities of Liubice and Ratzeburg, the Linones with their capital at Lenzen, and the Warnabi. This Nakonid principality, the Abodrite Confederation as it is sometimes called, was composed of these and other smaller tribes each under its own chieftain, but with all recognising the overlordship of the Abodrite chief, perhaps because of they served as a buffer (Limes Saxoniae) between the more powerful Saxons and the more easterly Slavs, and they also had older relations with the Franks to the west. The Abodrites had made a pact with Charlemagne as early as the Battle of the Sventanafeld in 798.
The Nakonids contested supremacy of the Slavs of the Elbe and Baltic coast with the Veleti to the east and the Polani to the south. The Polans under the Piasts drew many Slavs to their banner by offering a Christian alternative to Germany. The Nakonids probably turned to Christian Denmark to avoid the pressures of Saxon missionary work and the tithes and other taxes imposed by the Saxon Church. However, the other tibes each had their own favoured divinites (Prove in Wagria, Radegast in Mecklenburg, Swantewit in Rugia) and clung to them strongly when Christianity was foisted upon them. The opposing influences of Slavic paganism and Saxon Christianity is seen in that several Nakonids had both a Slavic name and a Saxon, Christian name.
Nako turned to Christianity after the defeat of the Battle of Recknitz in 955. He established his seat at Mecklenburg. His sons Mstivoj and Mstidrag and grandsons Mstislaw and Udo are mostly associated with the Slavic uprising of 983. All of them either abandoned Christianity or were "bad Christians" (at least for a time). Udo's successor, Gottschalk, is perhaps the most famous member of the family. He was educated by the Church, but initially made war on the Saxons in revenge for his father's death (1028). He was captured and his lands and position given to Ratibor. After a sojourn in Scandinavia and England, he returned to the Elbe region with a renewed sense of Christian purpose. He subdued the Veleti and the Diocese of Bremen is said to have "feared him as king." Had he not died in a pagan uprising, "he would have brought all pagans to the Christian faith." His son Henry subdued the Rani and encouraged the missionary work of Vicelinus. Henry had four sons, but two predeceased him and the two who survived fought over the inheritance, dying in 1128 and 1129.
Sources
- Thompson, James Westfall (1928). Feudal Germany, Volume II. New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing.
- Gwatkin, H. M., Whitney, J. P. (ed) et al. The Cambridge Medieval History: Volume III. Cambridge University Press, 1926.
- Adam of Bremen, History of Hamburg's Bishops, short online text. English.