Places of major Slavic resistance towards Christendom - Historum

čarević · August 17th, 2012, 09:18 PM

Pagania: Dinaric region of southern Dalmatia taken by Southern Slavs, where they were good at piracy. They lasted pagans two hundred years more than the rest of the Slavs of the south. But they ceased to be recognized as a standalone tribe after their Christianization in IX century and the Venetian crackdown in the X century. Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus said: "Pagani are descended from unbaptized Serbs" and that "The Pagani are so called because they did not accept baptism at the time when all the Serbs were baptized."

Slavs began overrunning the Balkans in the 6th century. Slavic tibes took control of the lower Neretva, few years later after the destruction of the flourished Roman city of narona, in 639 AD. At their settlement in the area, the Slavs built a new town on the ruins of once Narona, erecting a monument to their Slavic god Swiatowid on the ruins of Roman temples.

The Narentines remained pagan until 873, when Byzantine admiral Nicetas Ooryphas persuaded them to accept baptism. The Slavic god Swiatowid was transformed into the Christian saint Vitus. They left a legacy to the latter nation.

Pagania

Pagania or Narentia became a stronghold for pagans in the Balkans, similarly to Baltic Western Slavs in Rügen (Roman Arkona).

Cape Arkona: The last tronghold of the Slavs, being from the Rani tribe. They used the place known as Jaromasburg to give cult to their god Swiatowid from the VI – XII centuries. A danish king pledged them to adopt Christianity, but once he was gone, they continued to praise their god. Later they came again, attacked the Rani, detroyed their temple and burned the Swiatowid statue, where Christian churches were placed.

Jaromarsburg

Cape_Arkona

There is a good Metal band named Arkona, which is from Russia. Check it out If you care.

- Is there any other known or well-known place of high resistance against Christendom, in what Slavic tribes respects?
- They take Christianity just because they were obligated to?

Aside the topic;

- Which tribe was the most resilient to be Christianized in Europe?

**Mosquito** · August 18th, 2012, 12:05 PM

The Elbe Slavs who were living in the current east Germany. It were powerful pagan tribes and there were many attempts to christianise them. Unfortunatelly in the 13th century there was a struggle for power between them which turned into civil war. The Germans used this opportunity to conquer, christianise and Germanise them.

In Poland between year 1030 and 1040 was a great pagan revolt. It was probably leaded by semi-legendary but on the other hand described in many chronicles son of king Mieszko II, who turned against christianity, plundered and burned churches and monasteries, murdered priests and monks. He is called "Bolesław the Forgotten". About year 1040 the other son of the king came back to Poland from Germany and with the help of Germans defeated pagans and killed Bolesław.

čarević · August 18th, 2012, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mosquito

The Elbe Slavs who were living in the current east Germany. It were powerful pagan tribes and there were many attempts to christianise them. Unfortunatelly in the 13th century there was a struggle for power between them which turned into civil war. The Germans used this opportunity to conquer, christianise and Germanise them.

In Poland between year 1030 and 1040 was a great pagan revolt. It was probably leaded by semi-legendary but on the other hand described in many chronicles son of king Mieszko II, who turned against christianity, plundered and burned churches and monasteries, murdered priests and monks. He is called "Bolesław the Forgotten". About year 1040 the other son of the king came back to Poland from Germany and with the help of Germans defeated pagans and killed Bolesław.

Do you know why this necessity of "Christianise" the "savages"?
Was all that a mere form of conquest amongst native European tribes?
What do this "Christianization" implies? What good has it gave to the submitted ones?

When you refer to "germanize", what do you mean exactly? That they were forcing Slavs to adopt the cultural legacy of the Roman Empire?

I know after all this subjugation, the people under mandatum of the Emperors and Popes were used as manpower to collect valued items in the name of the holy church, and then carried to the Vatican.

In fact, later in the Roman Empire, "Germanic" people was used as warriors and so were the high ranks, this because their bravery in battle. I've heard the Roman Emperors of the Italic peninsula were decreasing for being less combative and more tendig to cowardice. I would like to know If this is somehow (or just plain) truth.