Einhardian geography and the tenth‐century Abodrites

The Abodrites, a Slavic people who lived in present‐day north‐eastern Germany, are only attested four times between 895 and 966. In this essay, I argue that most of these attestations derive not from an accurate rendering of historical events but from use of the geography of Einhard’s Vita Karoli ma...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Early medieval Europe 2022-05, Vol.30 (2), p.236-265
Main Author: Halsted, Chris
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
10th century
18th century
European history
Medieval period
Political power
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:The Abodrites, a Slavic people who lived in present‐day north‐eastern Germany, are only attested four times between 895 and 966. In this essay, I argue that most of these attestations derive not from an accurate rendering of historical events but from use of the geography of Einhard’s Vita Karoli magni to understand a changing political landscape. As best can be reconstructed, the tenth‐century Abodrites had greatly decreased political power and controlled a much smaller territory than their ninth‐century forebears or eleventh‐century successors.
ISSN:0963-9462
1468-0254
DOI:10.1111/emed.12537