Rastislav of Moravia

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Rastislav
House of Mojmír
FatherBoso-Hosdius (?)
Czech and Slovak Orthodox Church
Feast11 May

Rastislav or Rostislav (

Byzantine Emperor Michael III in 863, translated the most important Christian liturgical books into Slavonic.[5] Rastislav was dethroned by his nephew Svatopluk I of Moravia, who handed him over to the Franks.[6] He was canonized by the Eastern Orthodox Church
in 1994 and is also known as Saint Rastislav.

Early life

According to the

Mojmir I, the first known ruler of Moravia.[7][8] His career before 846 is unknown,[note 1] but it is conceivable that he served as a hostage for his uncle at Louis the German's court.[7] The latter invaded Moravia in 846, deprived Mojmir I of his throne, and installed Rastislav as the new duke of Moravia.[9] Rastislav seems to have already been Christian when he became duke, but there is no doubt that he was baptized at the latest in 846 as part of the conditions for his support by the East Frankish king.[9][10]

Towards independence

In the first eight years of Rastislav's reign there is no report of Moravian rebellion, which suggests that he remained loyal to Louis the German.

Slavs (apparently the Moravians) and together attack Louis the German's kingdom.[12] In the course of the Bulgarian–Moravian attack, Louis the German deposed his prefect of the Eastland, Radbod, who soon allied with Rastislav.[12][13] The alliance suggests that, by this time, Rastislav felt secure enough to challenge Frankish overlordship.[14]

In 855 the East Frankish king gathered a large army to invade Moravia.[15][16] His army, however, foundered before the walls of one of Rastislav's strongholds, perhaps at Mikulčice (now in the Czech Republic) that seems to have been rebuilt in the previous years.[17] Unprepared for a prolonged siege, the king was forced to withdraw from the region.[18] As the king was retreating, his army defeated a large Moravian force that attacked his camp.[18] Nevertheless, Rastislav's army followed the Franks and pillaged many of their estates on the river Danube.[19]

King Louis took an army against the Moravians and their dux, Rastiz, who was rebelling against him, with little success. He returned without victory, preferring for the time being an enemy defended by strong fortifications, as it was said, rather than risk heavy losses to his own soldiers. However, his army plundered and burnt a great part of the province, and annihilated a not inconsiderable enemy force which attempted to storm the royal camp, but not without retaliation; after the king's return Rastiz and his men followed them and devastated the places near to the border across the Danube.

— 
Annals of Fulda (year 855)[20]

In 856 Louis the German turned over the command of the southeastern marches of his kingdom to his son, Carloman with the responsibility to hold the Moravians in check.[21] According to the Annals of Fulda, Carloman led a new expedition against Rastislav in 858, but this campaign was also a failure, for Rastislav remained defiant.[21] Carloman even struck an alliance with Rastislav against his father.[22]

Karlmann, son of Louis king of Germany, made an alliance with Rastiz, petty king (regulus) of the Wends, and defected from his father. With Rastiz's help he usurped a considerable part of his father's realm, as far as the River Inn.

— Annals of St-Bertin (year 861)[23]

Lower Pannonia, died fighting the Moravians in 861, which suggests that Carloman also had conceded this province to Rastislav.[24][25] In response to the ongoing rebellion of his son and Rastislav, Louis the German negotiated a counteralliance with Boris I of Bulgaria.[26] The king made it seem that he was leading a new campaign against Rastislav, but at the last moment he moved against Carloman, who thus had no choice but to surrender.[26]

Mission of Saints Cyril and Methodius

Saints Cyril (Constantine) and Methodius

In order to increase his maneuverability, Rastislav attempted to curtail the activities of the Frankish missionaries in his realm.[13] For this purpose, in around 862 he turned first to Rome.[27] Having met with no success, he then asked for "teachers" in Constantinople, in order to educate local Moravians as priests.[27] His embassy also emphasized the need for "teachers" capable of working in Slavic language.[28]

For Rastislav, the Prince of Moravia, through God's admonition, took counsel with his Moravian princes and appealed to Emperor Michael, saying: "Though our people have rejected paganism and observe Christian law, we do not have a teacher who can explain to us in our language the true Christian faith, so that other countries which look to us might emulate us. Therefore, O lord, send us such a bishop and teacher; for from you good law issues to all countries"

— The Life of Constantine[29]

Rastislav's request was granted when Constantine and Methodius, two brothers who had learned the Slavic dialect spoken in

Bishop Solomon of Constance to Rome where he described how the diocese of Passau had been "fragmented and brought to ruin" by the defection of the Moravians.[32]

Louis the German was also planning to launch a major campaign against Rastislav with the support of Boris I of Bulgaria.[33] Although at the last minute the latter pulled out of the campaign, Louis' new expedition against Rastislav was a success.[34] In August 864 Louis the German invaded Moravia, crossing the Danube to besiege the civitas Dowina (identified, although not unanimously, with Devín Castle in Slovakia).[35][36] The king apparently took Rastislav by surprise, and trapped him within the fortress.[36] Unable to escape the Frankish siege, Rastislav surrendered, turned over a numerous high-ranking hostages and swore a new oath of fidelity.[36]

The king's campaign, however, did not result in the subjugation of Rastislav.

Pope Hadrian II approved their Slavic translations of the Scriptures, consecrated their Slavic disciples as priests, and even allowed them to sing the Slavic liturgy in Rome's churches.[41][42]

Last years

Map of Moravia under Rastislav
Moravia under Rastislav (in green)

Early in 868 Louis the German's son Carloman fought two successful engagements against Rastislav and returned with plunder.

Koceľ.[31][45]

Svatopluk, in the meantime, entered into negotiations with Carloman without Rastislav's knowledge, and accepted Carloman's lordship over his person and his realm.[46] Rastislav was "beside himself with rage" when he learned of his nephew's betrayal, and arranged for assassins to strangle Svatopluk at a banquet.[47] The latter, however, was warned of the plan and evaded death by pretending to go hawking.[47] When Rastislav set out with his soldiers to hunt down his nephew, Svatopluk captured his uncle and sent him in bonds to Carloman.[48]

Rastislav was dispatched under guard to

Czech and Slovak Orthodox Church in Prešov.[53]

/Louis the German/ set around November 1 for Bavaria, where he held a meeting with his men. He ordered Rastiz to be brought before him bound with a heavy chain. Rastiz was condemned, by the judgment of the Franks and Bavarians and Slavs who had come there from various places to bring gifts to the king, to death; but the king only ordered his eyes to be put out.

See also

Notes

References

  1. ^ Havlík 2013, p. 362
  2. ^ Spiesz et al. 2006, p. 20.
  3. ^ Goldberg 2006, p. 138
  4. ^ Spiesz et al. 2006, pp. 20-21.
  5. ^ Spiesz et al. 2006, p. 22.
  6. ^ Spiesz et al. 2006, p. 21.
  7. ^ a b c Goldberg 2006, p. 140
  8. ^ Reuter 1992, p. 25
  9. ^ a b Bowlus 1995, p. 104
  10. ^ Vlasto 1970, p. 24
  11. ^ Kirschbaum 2005, pp. 26–27
  12. ^ a b Goldberg 2006, p. 242
  13. ^ a b c Kirschbaum 2005, p. 27
  14. ^ Goldberg 2006, p. 243
  15. ^ Goldberg 2006, pp. 243–244
  16. ^ Bowlus 1995, p. 115
  17. ^ Goldberg 2006, pp. 244–245
  18. ^ a b Goldberg 2006, p. 245
  19. ^ Goldberg 2006, p. 246
  20. ^ Reuter 1992, p. 37
  21. ^ a b Bowlus 1995, p. 119
  22. ^ Goldberg 2006, p. 266
  23. ^ Nelson 1991, pp. 94., 262.
  24. ^ Goldberg 2006, pp. 266–267
  25. ^ Bowlus 1995, p. 125
  26. ^ a b Goldberg 2006, p. 269
  27. ^ a b c Sommer et al. 2007, p. 222.
  28. ^ Vlasto 1970, pp. 27–28
  29. ^ Kantor 1983, p. 65
  30. ^ Barford 2001, pp. 109–110
  31. ^ a b Kirschbaum 2005, p. 31
  32. ^ Goldberg 2006, pp. 271–272
  33. ^ Goldberg 2006, p. 271
  34. ^ Goldberg 2006, p. 272
  35. ^ Bowlus 1995, p. 140
  36. ^ a b c Goldberg 2006, p. 273
  37. ^ Bowlus 1995, p. 154
  38. ^ Bowlus 1995, pp. 154–155
  39. ^ Goldberg 2006, p. 275
  40. ^ Goldberg 2006, pp. 280–281
  41. ^ Goldberg 2006, p. 281
  42. ^ Spiesz et al. 2006, p. 23.
  43. ^ a b c Goldberg 2006, p. 284
  44. ^ Bowlus 1995, p. 161
  45. ^ Goldberg 2006, p. 282
  46. ^ Bowlus 1995, p. 164
  47. ^ a b Goldberg 2006, p. 286
  48. ^ Goldberg 2006, pp. 286–288
  49. ^ Goldberg 2006, p. 288
  50. ^ Goldberg 2006, pp. 299–300
  51. ^ Goldberg 2006, p. 300
  52. ^ Kirschbaum 2005, p. 238
  53. ^ Maříková-Kubková, Jana. "7". The Slavs, Great Moravia and Us: Canonisation of Prince Rastislav. Academia.edu. p. 75. Retrieved 2013-10-31.
  54. ^ Reuter 1992, p. 64

Sources

Preceded by
Mojmír I
Duke of the Moravians
846–870
Succeeded by
Svatopluk I