International Conference KNOWLEDGE-BASED ORGANIZATION Vol

International Conference KNOWLEDGE-BASED ORGANIZATION Vol. XXIV No 1 2018

EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL SECURITY DIMENSIONS OF EARLY SLAVIC STATHOODS IN THE TERRITORY OF SLOVAKIA

Juraj ŠIMKO

Armed Forces Academy of General Milan Rastislav Štefánik, Liptovský Mikuláš, Slovakia [email protected]

Abstract: The article deals with basic characteriristic of external and internal security of first slavic tribes settled in Middle Europe. It describes struggle against external enemies which were Avarian nomadic tribes in the 7th century. It also describes defense against East Francia in the 9th century, importance of fortificated settlements. It characterizes warrior groups as main element of defence. Third part focuses on basic elements of Gret Moravian´s internal security such as law codex named “Law codex for people”.

Keywords: Early slavic states, Great Moravia, Slavic tribes, Avars, Charlemagne, duke Svätopluk, early slavic law, slavic expansion.

1. Introduction historical sources, on the contrary, attest to This article indicates the dimensions of the the fact that the Slavs in the very beginning development of the external and internal of their existence in the geopolitical space security of our Slavic ancestors. It is based of the Middle Europe were active on research and an analysis of available participants of the processes leading to the written sources [1]. As it is a rather broad formation of state services, which we and wide topic, it is focused on the brief cannot call peaceful in any case. Slavs, that approach and characteristics of the studied were settled in the territory of today's subject. Despite of the extensive Slovakia, have become political archaeological research of Slavic settlement competitors of the surrounding state units, in the Slovak Republic area, the issue of whereby they were defending their way of securing the internal and external security life, customs, traditions, facilities of of the first Slavic state services deserves production and territory. more detailed processing. In addition to archaeological material Even today, Slovak society has to deal with pointing to a different culture of the newly the spreading myths of our Slavic arrived population, the contemporary ancestor’s nature, which depict the Slavs as written sources of the Nations retain the a dovelike nation, reaching for the weapon migratory current to which the Slavs have only at the time of the greatest threat. gone beyond. It follows, that the Slavs However, these are kind of the inhabited today's Slovak territory in the first romanticized ideas of tendentious authors half of the 6th century [2], at which the from the period of Slovak national revival sources of the previous 5th century do not (in 19th century). Researches based on mention Slavs by the descriptive

215 movements of different ethnicities in this upper base union in the middle Danube, area, that excludes the ancestry of the Slavs known as Samo's Empire. in our territory. Written sources, such as Fredegar's The settlement of the Slavic ethnicity in the Chronicle, inform us about the forms of neighbourhood of the Germanic tribes domination among Avaris and Slavs. They represented not only a new cultural element describe how Avars exploited the local stream, but also the formation of political- Slavic population, forcibly adopted military interactions accompanying the agricultural products, and also Avarian efforts of territorial expansion. In terms of warriors forced coexistence with Slavic them, the nomadic Avars start to penetrate women. From these forced relations came a to the Carpathian fold at the end of the 6th layer of population that was not accepted century and they try to put the local either by the Slavs and the Avars as well, as population under their control, which they were mix blooded. These mix blooded complicates the ethnic relations in this people were outside of the traditional region even more. This confirms that the family alliances, they were disinherited, and character of threads and challenges only military service was possible option affecting security, is derived from the wider for them. They fought in the toughest international context. This is characterized places, mostly as so-called befulci (subman, by the instability and uncertainty of the rightless warriors). Thus, an organized layer overall processes and the complaints of the of warriors grew up in the middle of the factors. [3] Slavic Peasant Society [4]. However, the origin of the Avarian Avarian violence resulted in the outbreak of khaganate did not affect all the Slavs. Only rebellion against Avarian domination, and the Slavs living on the northern edge of the its main military force, was the already avaricious domain were submitted. To the mentioned group of the warriors. The north of Avarian dominance, the density Franconian merchant Sam, who was a and extension of Slavic settlement and also foreigner, joined the rebellion, and was its economic strength expanded. There was chosen as a king due to the successful a breakdown of the Slavic society's tribal struggle of the Slavs. His empire became an establishment, even though they were important power-political element in the gradually taking over the model of a Carpathian fold in the years 623-658. company organization typical for Western Samo´s empire military force has grown so Europe, more precisely the Franconian much that the Serbian tribes of Dervan´s Empire. It is interesting, that during this princedom, and Czechs as well, have been process, Slavs, who gained their position in joined to it as cobelligerents. For the first the Carpathian fold before the Avaric time in the history of the Slavs settled in arrival, militarily helped Avaric to establish our territory, we can talk about the the khaganate. They actively participated in successful military actions by which main the Avarian-Byzantine wars or in the aim was the security of their own Avarian conflicts against the Franconian generations as well as expansion of their Empire. domain. In addition to the temporary elimination [5] 2. The Dimensions of the Development of of the Avarian threat over the Danubian the External Security among the Slavs in Slavs, this over based system had to face the Pre-Great Moravian Period further external threats. The rise of the Avarian despotism and intolerance caused a military potential of the Slavs and their wave of averse among the conquered Slavs. territorial expansion have come to against The result was the beginning of a Slavic to the Franconian Empire. In the year 631, the Franconian military struggle against

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Samo's reign is marked, which the Slavs beginning of the 9th century, proved to be a managed to break off (the famous battle at vigorous element. Paradoxically, avarian Wogastisburg), and in the following period oppression and interference of the they carried out robber rides to Franconian Empire did not cause its neighbouring Thuringia. Although we do not extinction; on the contrary, in our area, in have reports about the detailed way in which these dimensions, stronger alliances are we can defend ourselves against external created, opening up into the first nucleus of threats, it is possible to assume a level of state system. military organization based on reports of military missions to neighbouring regions, 3. Dimensions of the Development of providing not only defences but also attacks. External Security of Slavs in the Great There is a legitimate presumption that Sam Moravian Period could create a military group, high-quality In the process of gradual assimilation of the armed forces, that formed the core of his avarian ethnics in the Carpathian area and a military force [6]. stronger effort to expand of the Franconian After Samo's death, his empire collapsed Empire to the east, the Moravian and and the influence of the Avarian khaganate Nitrian princedom gradually came to the intensified. In the last quarter of the 7th forefront. The power of the counties of century, a certain Slavic and Avarian course depended on their military power as symbiosis was manifested, while the Slavic the main attribute of the external and society was able to maintain its autonomous internal security of the territorial unit. In position [7]. Gradual Avarian assimilation our environment, hillforts have begun to be was only one of the manifestations of built, with numerous functions related to development. On the other side, the strong production, trade, defence and to the pressure was on the Avarian khaganate by organization of political power. From these the Franconian Empire. In the years 791- settlements, the Slavic leaders of the most 796, Avars suffered severe defeats in the powerful governing layer could gradually battles among Charlemagne´s armies, and consolidate their territory and strengthen Avarian power in the Carpathian area was their power. rapidly being weaken. The latest report The Middle Age timeliness of the written about Avars comes from the year 822. sources records a total of sixty-five military This development was mainly used by the events related to the great Moravia. There Slavs, who gradually occupied the avarian are six references to internal divisions, positions. Against the background of the sixteen references to the military expansion demise of the Avaris' estates, preconditions of Great Moravia, twenty-three to the were created for the state-law process of the defence of their own territory and eleven to over-Danubian Slavs and Moravians. the truce [9]. This calculation is definitely The growing military power of the Slavs, not definitive, it is assumed that not every coupled with the gradual liquidation of the event has been recorded by the author, or Avaric domination, was a pretext for the only a portion of the surviving sources are military engagement of Karl the Great in available from a number of irretrievably the battles among the Slavs. The original lost. Only the reports describing the merger avarian neighborhood of the Slavs caused of Nitrian with the Moravian Principality the unification process, and probably leading to the creation of Great Moravia in military alliances. This increases the special the year 833 can be interpreted as a position of the riding retainer as a guarantee competitive struggle between the two most of the position of the leading layer of powerful Slavic representatives of the society and of the basic part of the military present power. A similar character of the organization [8]. Slavic ethnicity, in the expansion is also evident from the

217 conquerors battles against Vislans, Czechs was placed as a permanently armed and the Lusatian Serbs. This was probably contingent in the castle centers. The second, an attempt to increase the number of potentially and, where necessary, a larger exploited populations as a basic economic part of the armed forces was military source along with the profit of agricultural alertness that consisted of the lower classes land and material resources (eg. ores). The of the population [10]. The Great Moravia population of the same ethnicity can lead us was rightly considered to be a major player to the idea that these disasters were easier in European politics at the time of or justifiable by improving the protection of Svätopluk's reign, the evidence is that it their own territory, by increasing the possessed a large number of armies. In military potential as well as by increasing order to ensure his position, Svätopluk took the working capacity of the population. In several spill-over operations into the area in any case, the dominion of such a territory order to break its supply or eliminate the became a source of instability and tension, space from which it could be threatened by and a power ruler could have taken the adversary. The Fuldean´s annals tell us advantage of the situation. about his expedition into Pannonia in the A similar instability was characteristic by year 884: "He had such a large number of the Great Moravian rulers themselves. The people to see that his army was going exiled Prince of Nitra, Pribina, fought (and through a spot from sun to dusk." [11]. apparently died in battle) against Mojmir's Based on this record, the number of armies successor Rastislav. Rastislav, according to is estimated to be at least 25,000 foot troops dramatic circumstances, was delivered by and 8,000 cavalry along with supply his nephew Svätopluk to the Franconian wagons [12]. hands and died in prison. Great Moravia gained a more stable 4. The Internal Security Dimensions of position of the reign of Svätopluk I. when it the Slavs in the Great Moravian Period became the Central European Power. Besides the need to ensure external Svätopluk was politically linked with the security, the stability of the Great Moravian most important Czech prince of the Přemysl society was primarily involved in ensuring family. The peace treaty with Louis the internal order. The main attribute of German in the year 874, allowed him to enforcement was the armed power of the conduct discharges into surrounding Slavic ruler, in this case his armed escort - the countries. Until the year 890, he put under military squadron. It provided the oversight control the Vislan´s princedom, took the of the obligations of the population. They rule over Bohemians, put under the control included donating "gifts" to the prince. It the Croats in Lower Silesia and the Wend was basically about taking away part of the Slavs. The princes were able to put up a products of economic activity to ensure the relatively mighty military force into the life of the prince. Other duties included the fight - in the defence and in the outposts to building and maintenance of fortifications. foreign territory. The organizational basis We do not have many documents to use was the main unit of the territorial economy stable legal standards to ensure internal and the military-political divisions – so security. It is assumed that in Great called the castle system. Moravia there was a certain form of legal A military squadron was a stable military order based on ordinary law. With the element with a relatively steady number of progressive Christianization of the Slavic warriors. The owners of these cooperatives society, the principles based on Christian were economically supplied by the prince. morality are gradually being applied. The One of the traditional rewards was the Cyril and Methodius Mission represents not sharing of corrupts. Part of the retainers only the spreading of Christianity, but in

218 connection with this process, the writes in his book, The Book of Precious strengthening of the monarch's power is also Titles (Kitab Al-A´alak and Nafísa), "If the tied up in intentions such as there is one Lord thieves are caught in the kingdom of Slavs, in heaven, so there is one Lord on earth. their ruler send them to be hang out or send It is obvious that the stability of Great them to “Džíra” - the most outlying Moravia has long been questioned, province of his empire " [15]. According to especially in the light of the fact that every J. Paulíni, this is a hardly identifiable title. competitive struggle of domestic Slavic P. Kónya gives one of the possible powers became not only a cause but also a explanations, who describes the hilly area welcome means of interfering with its created by the accumulation of sandy sands internal affairs by the East-Franconian in the central part of the Great Danube Empire. It is necessary to emphasize that it lowland, between the Danube and Tisa was not just military interventions, but in rivers on the territory of today's Hungary, the time of "peace" the efforts to penetrate according to the geographical into politics from East-Franconian clergy characteristics of the historical territory of continued. A specific example is the Hungary. This place was very poorly attempt to discredit Archbishop Method, populated for its poor and barren soil until while Method's imprisonment was also the beginning of the 10th century, but criticized by Pope John VIII. [13]. according to this it was called the "Džíra". In the craft of paganism, along with the Moravians sent criminals there because for expansion of Christianity in the Slavic punishment. [16] The word "Džíra" could population, there is a significant importance be explained as a backcountry place, so of a new power structure that equips clergy called the ideal place for the isolation of the by legal codification. The document known antisocial elements. [17]. as the Law of Judgment for the People (Zakon sudnyj ljudem) is considered as the 5. Conclusion oldest Slavic written monument. Originally, Slavic ethnic group has gone through a this document was classified as an old- significant change since the establishment Russian or old-Bulgarian written of the Slavs in our territory until the end of monument. The latest researches have the Great Moravia. The basic dimensions of shown its connection with the Cyril- the development of the external and internal methodian mission, even though it has not security of the Slavs in the pre-Moravian been used in Great Moravia for too long. period was the decomposition of the tribal Svätopluk received through the Method establishment running over against special codex from Pope John VIII - so- background the Avarian threat. The defense called Extended Dioniziad [14]. of their territory enters this process before In addition to the Judiciary Codex or the the expansive policy of the French Empire. Dioniziad, period merchants and travelers In the Great Moravian period, being also inform us about the legal customs and culminant in the form of a state unit called habits of the Slavs. These are much more in the historical sources as the Great attractive than legal articles that access Moravia, new sources were created for specific examples of the usage of the law. securing the safety - the systems of the For illustration, it is possible to state that hillforts as a center of defense, but also the the sentenced person was granted the exile administration of the territory and its own punishment, respectively forced residence army with its external and internal role. The in a remote and unpopular region. This Slavic army itself was an important element statement is derived from the testimony of in securing external security. Its elite part - Arab-Persian encyclopedist and geographer the military squad also played an important Abu Ali Ahmad ibn Umar ibn Rust, who role in ensuring internal security.

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Obviously, this process was not Understanding and analyse of this process straightforward. It was influenced by the will help to complete the vision about the destructive tendencies, in the form of an development of the society of our Slavic internal power struggle, which have been ancestors, who have become a compact part strengthened from outside to reach the of European society and culture. political, ideological expansion.

References [1] Published in the edition: “Sources for Military History of Slovakia”, In Slovak: Segeš, V., Šeďová B., Pramene k vojenským dejinám Slovenska I/1, Bratislava, Vojenský historický ústav, 2010. [2] Fusek, G., Najstaršie slovanské osídlenie Slovenska, In: Historická revue, No. 12, 2016, p.15. [3] Majchút I., Hrnčiar M.: Measures and activities of the Slovak republic to reserve the current external security threats, In: Decisions in situations of endangerment : interdisciplinarity of the decision making process. Wroclaw : The General Tadeusz Kosciuszko Military Academy of Land Forces (MALF), 2017, p. 147. [4] Segeš, V., Šeďová B., Pramene k vojenským dejinám Slovenska I/1, p. 112. [5] The term is temporaral because the Avarian threat has not been permanently removed by the military actions of the Sam´s Empire. The destruction of the avarian domain occurred later, under the Charlemagne´s expedition. [6] Klučina, P., Člověk, zbraň a zbroj v obraze doby,Praha, Naše vojsko, 1984, p. 38. [7] Segeš, V., Šeďová B., Pramene k vojenským dejinám Slovenska I/1, p. 112. [8] Klein, B., Ruttkay, A., Marsina.R. Vojenské dejiny Slovenska I, Bratislava, Ministerstvo obrany Slovenskej Republiky, 1993, p. 66 [9] ibid, p. 68 [10] Segeš, V., Šeďová. B. Pramene k vojenským dejinám Slovenska I/1, p. 117. [11] ibid, p. 222 [12] Choc. P, S mečem i štítem, Praha, Naše vojsko, 1967, p. 58-59 [13] Pope John VIII. in the letter to the Pontifical Legate, Bishop Paul instructs him to communicate with the Archbishop of Salzburg and the Passover Archbishop, and commits him to interpret them as follows: "You have convicted the bishop without a canonical sentence; ... you jailed and tortured him… he was three years repelled from the bishop's table. " In: Segeš, V., Šeďová, B. Pramene k vojenským dejinám Slovenska, p. 252. [14] Segeš, V., Šeďová. B. Pramene k vojenským dejinám Slovenska I/1, p. 117 [15] ibid, p. 270 [16] Kónya, P. a kol. Dejiny Uhorska, Prešov, Vydavateľstvo Prešovskej univerzity, 2013, p.11. [17] The word “Džíra” [d͡ ʒi:ra] in east Slovakian dialects means “hole”. In Slovak language this word is a synonym for ugly, dirty place.

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