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Samo

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This article is about the Slavic king. For other uses, seeSamo (disambiguation).

Samo
Rex Sclavorum( "King of the Slavs" )
Alleged mural of Samo in aMoravian rotunda
Reign623–658
PredecessorTitle established
SuccessorTitle dismantled
Bornc.600
"Senonian country" (Senonago), probably modernSoigniesorSens
Diedc.658
SpouseAt least twelveWendishnoblewomen

Samo(c. 600–c. 658) founded the first recorded political union ofSlavic tribes,known asSamo's Empire( "realm", "kingdom", or "tribal union" ), ruling from 623 until his death in 658. According toFredegarius,the only contemporary source, Samo was aFrankishmerchant[1]who unified several Slavic tribes against robber raids and violence by nearby settledAvars,showing such bravery and command skills in battle that he was elected "King of the Slavs" (Latin:rex Sclavorum). In 631, Samo successfully defended his realm against theFrankish Kingdomin the three-dayBattle of Wogastisburg.

Reign[edit]

Borders of Slav territories under Samo, 631

The dates for Samo's rule are based on Fredegar, who says that he went to the Slavs in the fortieth year ofChlothar II(i.e., 623–24) and reigned for thirty five years.[2]The interpretation that places the start of Samo's reign in the year of Fredegar's arrival has been questioned on the basis that theWendswould have most likely rebelled after the defeat of theAvarkhaganat theFirst Siege of Constantinoplein 626.[2]The Avars first arrived in thePannonian Basinand subdued the local Slavs in the 560s. Samo may have been one of the merchants who supplied arms to the Slavs for their frequent revolts. Whether he became king during a revolt of 623–24 or during one that inevitably followed the Avar defeat in 626, he definitely took advantage of the latter to solidify his position.[2]A string of victories over the Avars proved hisutilitas(usefulness) to his subjects and secured his election asrex(king).[3]Samo went on to secure his throne by marriage into the major Wendish families, wedding at least twelve women and fathering twenty-two sons and fifteen daughters.[4]

Each year, the Huns [Avars] came to the Slavs, to spend the winter with them; then they took the wives and daughters of the Slavs and slept with them, and among the other mistreatments [already mentioned] the Slavs were also forced to pay levies to the Huns. But the sons of the Huns, who were [then] raised with the wives and daughters of these Wends [Slavs] could not finally endure this oppression anymore and refused obedience to the Huns and began, as already mentioned, a rebellion. When now the Wendish army went against the Huns, the [aforementioned] merchant Samo accompanied the same. And so the Samo’s bravery proved itself in wonderful ways and a huge mass of Huns fell to the sword of the Wends.

— Chronicle of Fredegar,Book IV, Section 48, written circa 642

The most well-documented event of Samo's career was his victory over the Frankish royal army underDagobert Iin 631 or 632. Provoked to action by a "violent quarrel in the Pannonian kingdom of the Avars or Huns" during his ninth year (631–32), Dagobert led three armies against the Wends, the largest being his ownAustrasianarmy.[5]The Franks were routed nearWogastisburg(Latincastrum Vogastisburg), an unidentified location meaning "fortress/castle of Vogast." The majority of the besieging armies were slaughtered, while the rest of the troops fled, leaving weapons and other equipment lying on the ground. In the aftermath of the Wendish victory, Samo invaded FrankishThuringiaseveral times and undertook looting raids there.[6]TheSorbianprinceDervanabandoned the Franks and "placed himself and his people under Samo's realm".[7]

In 641, the rebelliousduke of Thuringia,Radulf,sought an alliance with Samo against his sovereign,Sigebert III.[2]Samo also maintained long-distance trade relationships.[4]On his death, however, his title was not inherited by his sons.[7]Ultimately, Samo can be credited with forging aWendishidentity by speaking on behalf of the community that recognised his authority.[8]

Main sources[edit]

The main source of written information on Samo and his empire is theFredegarii Chronicon,a Frankish chronicle written in the mid-7th century (c. 660). Though theories of multiple authorship once abounded, the notion of a single Fredegar is now common scholarly fare.[9]The last or only Fredegar was the author of a brief account of theWendsincluding the best, and only contemporary, information on Samo. According to Fredegar, "Samo [was] a Frank by birth [or nation] from thepago Senonago",which could be present-daySoigniesinBelgiumor present-daySensinFrance.Although he was of Frankish origin, Samo demanded that an ambassador (Sicharius) ofDagobert I(King of the Franks) put on Slavic clothes before entering his castle.

The Avar settlement area in the Carpathian Basin from the 7th to the 9th century, according to Éva Garam

All other sources for Samo are derived from Fredegar and are much more recent. TheGesta Dagoberti I regis Francorum( "Deeds of King Dagobert I of the Franks" ) was written in the first third of the 9th century. TheConversio Bagoariorum et Carantanorum( "Conversion of the Bavarians and Karantanians" ) fromSalzburg(the Bavarian ecclesiastic centre), written in 871–72, is a very tendentious source, as its name suggests. According mainly to theConversio,Samo was a Karantanian merchant.

The sources Fredegar used to compile his Wendish account are unknown. A few scholars have attacked the entire account as fictitious, but Fredegar displays a critical attitude and a knowledge of detail that suggest otherwise.[10]It is possible that he had an eyewitness in the person of Sicharius, the ambassador ofDagobert Ito the Slavs.[9]According to Fredegar, the "Wends" had long been subjects andbefulciof theAvars.Befulciis a term, cognate with the wordfulcfreefound in theEdict of Rothari,signifying "entrusted [to guard]", from theOld Germanrootfelhan, falh, fulgumandMiddle Germanbevelhen.[10]Fredegar appears to have envisaged the Wends as a military unit of the Avar host. He probably based his account on "native" Wendish accounts.[10]Fredegar records the story of theorigo gentis(origin of the people) of the Wends. The Wends were Slavs, but Samo was the only king of theWends,at least according to Fredegar.[10]

It has also been suggested that Fredegar's sources may have been the reports of Christian missionaries, especially disciples ofColumbanusand theAbbey of Luxeuil.[10]If this is correct, it may explain why he is remarkably free of typical stereotypes of heathen Slavs, and why he was familiar with the Wends as a specifically pagan nation.[10]

Popular literature[edit]

Few written works have their storyline taking place during Samo's Empire. One of them is the 2018 bookFire Worshipers,by Vladimír Olej.[11]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^Lexikon des Mittelalters.Verlag J.B. Metzler, Vol. 7, cols 1342-1343
  2. ^abcdCurta, 109.
  3. ^Curta, 330.
  4. ^abCurta, 331.
  5. ^Curta, 109 n102.
  6. ^Kronika tzv. Fredegara scholastika
  7. ^abCurta, 331 n39.
  8. ^Curta, 343.
  9. ^abCurta, 59.
  10. ^abcdefCurta, 60.
  11. ^Olej, Vladimír: Fire Worshipers, 2018,ISBN9788097235512

References[edit]

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