Samos EMPIRE Avars Also known as Obri The

Samo‘s EMPIRE

Avars • Also known as Obri • The Avar Khaganate was a khanate established in the Pannonian Basin region in 6 th century by the Avars, a nomadic people of uncertain origins 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 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

Samo’s Empire(623 -658) • Samo = Frankish trader • The Avars first arrived in the Pannonian Basin and subdued the local Slavs in the 560 s. Samo may have been one of the merchants who supplied arms to the Slavs for their regular revolts. • Samo gained the trust of the Slavic tribes – Samo became king(rex) • Samo‘s Empire=1 st Political tribal union of Slavs • Central Europe

Samo’s Empire(623 -658) He led forces in several victorious campaigns against Frankish armies - Battle of Wogastisburg, 631 - Samo‘s victory over the Frankish army under Dagobert I After his death- Avars and Slavs lived in peace, symbiosis with Slavs The defeat of the Avars by the Franks under Charlemagne at the beginning of 9 th century, after which the Avars quickly ceased to exist. Contemporary source: Chronicle of Fredegar