User:Artemis Andromeda/sandbox/Dragovit

domination According to Frankish written sources, Dragowit ruled over the area of the Wilz sub-tribes, which stretched eastwards from the central Elbe over the Prignitz in a curve north to the Baltic Sea. The center of his rule was the civitas Dragawiti in the Peene area, a castle with a settlement whose location is assumed today to be in Vorwerk near Demmin in Western Pomerania.[1] According to the Metz annals, his legitimacy as ruler of the Wilz tribal association was derived from an appointment by a princeps carolus, who was understood to mean either Charlemagne[2] or Karl Martell[3]. This dominion also extended to the Elbe Slavic tribes of the Bethenzer, Smeldinger and Linones, whose tribal areas pushed like a wedge between those of the Abodrites in the north and the Sorbs in the south and in the west with the Elbe touched the young Frankish dominion in Saxony.

demise According to the Frankish conception of an imperial border on the Elbe and pacified adjoining dominions, the area of the Elbe Slavic sub-tribes, which were politically associated with the Wilz king Dragowit, had to be subjugated. But Dragowit played such a leading role for these Elbe Slavic tribes in 789 that Charlemagne felt compelled in 789 to advance far to the east as part of a large-scale army operation in order to take action against him in the Peene area and to force his public submission. While the Abodrites and Sorbs penetrated the Wilzen area in two army columns to secure the Elbe crossing of the Saxon-Franconian army near Lenzen or south of the Havel estuary, the Frisians sailed up the Elbe to support the river crossing from the water. On the Slavic side of the Elbe, the combined army under Karl's leadership defeated the Wilz tribes, captured their princes and continued with the prisoners along the Müritz to the fortress of Dragowits, who towered over all other Wilz tribal princes in terms of "noble birth, reputation and age".

Dragowits fortress was besieged until he surrendered in the face of overwhelming odds. He emerged from the castle with his followers in an acknowledgment of defeat. Dragowit swore allegiance to Karl, provided hostages and promised tribute payments. Only now, after witnessing their king's submission, did the captured princes of the conquered sub-tribes submit.

Prawdopodobnie w 738 poparł Karola Młota w walce z Sasami. W 789 toczył wojnę z Karolem Wielkim (wspieranego przez Sasów, Fryzów, Obodrytów i Serbów), w wyniku której podporządkował się Frankom. Zjednoczył on pod swym panowaniem następujące ludy słowiańskie: Nieletyków, Doszan, Mintga, Moryków, Doleńców, Błoto, Międzyrzecze, Czrezpienian i Chyżan.