Battle of Wogastisburg
Encyclopedia
According to the contemporary Chronicle of Fredegar
, the battle of Wogastisburg was a battle between Slavs (Sclav, cognomento Winidi) under King Samo
and Franks
under King Dagobert I
in 631. The Frankish armies were advancing the area of Slavic tribal union in three streams - Alamanni
, Lombards
, and Austrasian Franks
. The first two were quite successful, but the main fighting force was defeated in a three-day battle near Wogastisburg.
The site of the battle cannot be successfully located because the source, Fredegar's chronicle, gives no geographical specifications. Thus a lot of places claim to be connected with the battle (usually based on linguistic parallels and some excavations), such as Rubín
hill near Podbořany
(Bohemia
), Úhošť
hill near Kadaň
(Bohemia
), Bratislava
(Slovakia
), Trenčín
(Slovakia
), Beckov
(Slovakia
), Váh river
= Voga (Slovakia
), Staffelberg
near Bad Staffelstein
(Bavaria
), Burk
near Forchheim
(Oberfranken), Vienna
, and other places along the middle Danube
etc.
In fact, there is no conclusive evidence for any of these locations and it is even possible that the term Wogastisburg referred only to a kind of a temporary encampment rather than a permanent settlement, in which case establishing a definite location would be impossible.
Chronicle of Fredegar
The Chronicle of Fredegar is a chronicle that is a primary source of events in Frankish Gaul from 584 to around 641. Later authors continued the history to the coronation of Charlemagne and his brother Carloman on 9 October 768....
, the battle of Wogastisburg was a battle between Slavs (Sclav, cognomento Winidi) under King Samo
Samo
Samo was a Frankish merchant from the "Senonian country" , probably modern Soignies, Belgium or Sens, France. He was the first ruler of the Slavs whose name is known, and established one of the earliest Slav states, a supra-tribal union usually called Samo's empire, realm, kingdom, or tribal...
and Franks
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
under King Dagobert I
Dagobert I
Dagobert I was the king of Austrasia , king of all the Franks , and king of Neustria and Burgundy . He was the last Merovingian dynast to wield any real royal power...
in 631. The Frankish armies were advancing the area of Slavic tribal union in three streams - Alamanni
Alamanni
The Alamanni, Allemanni, or Alemanni were originally an alliance of Germanic tribes located around the upper Rhine river . One of the earliest references to them is the cognomen Alamannicus assumed by Roman Emperor Caracalla, who ruled the Roman Empire from 211 to 217 and claimed thereby to be...
, Lombards
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
, and Austrasian Franks
Austrasia
Austrasia formed the northeastern portion of the Kingdom of the Merovingian Franks, comprising parts of the territory of present-day eastern France, western Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Metz served as its capital, although some Austrasian kings ruled from Rheims, Trier, and...
. The first two were quite successful, but the main fighting force was defeated in a three-day battle near Wogastisburg.
The site of the battle cannot be successfully located because the source, Fredegar's chronicle, gives no geographical specifications. Thus a lot of places claim to be connected with the battle (usually based on linguistic parallels and some excavations), such as Rubín
Rubin
Rubin can refer to the following people:Surnames* Alan Rubin, American musician* Andrejs Rubins* Arthur Rubin , American mathematician...
hill near Podbořany
Podborany
Podbořany is a town in the Czech Republic in the province of Bohemia. Primarily agricultural, the surrounding area is known for producing hops. Franz Kafka spent several months in convalescence in the nearby village of Siřem after tuberculosis was diagnosed....
(Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
), Úhošť
Úhošt
Úhošť is a hill near Kadaň, Czech Republic between the villages Brodce and Pokutice. The hill is part of Doupov Mountains. It reaches the elevation of 592 metres and has the area of 282 acres . It has been ranked among Czech National Natural Reservations since 1974...
hill near Kadaň
Kadan
Kadaň , is a city in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic.The city lies on the banks of the river Ohře. Although it is situated in an industrial part of the Czech Republic there is no major industry within the city and people usually work in offices or have to commute. There are two...
(Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
), Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
(Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
), Trenčín
Trencín
Trenčín is a city in western Slovakia of the central Váh River valley near the Czech border, around from Bratislava. It has a population of more than 56,000, which makes it the ninth largest municipality of the country and is the seat of the Trenčín Region and the Trenčín District...
(Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
), Beckov
Beckov
Beckov is a village and municipality in Nové Mesto nad Váhom District in the Trenčín Region of western Slovakia.-History:In historical records the village was first mentioned in 1208...
(Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
), Váh river
Váh
The Váh is the longest river in entire Slovakia. A left tributary of the Danube river, the Váh is 406 km long, including its Čierny Váh branch...
= Voga (Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
), Staffelberg
Staffelberg
Staffelberg is a mountain of Bavaria, Germany. It is part of the Franconian Switzerland and one of the most important landmarks in Franconia. First settlements date from the neolithic Stone Age. Romans, Celts and Franconians followed. Nowadays, it is a famous tourists' attraction - not only because...
near Bad Staffelstein
Bad Staffelstein
Bad Staffelstein is a small town in the Bavarian Administrative Region of Upper Franconia in Germany. It is known for the beautiful landscape that surrounds it, which has been given the name "Gottesgarten am Obermain"...
(Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
), Burk
Burk
Burk may refer to:* Burk, Bavaria, a municipality in the district of Ansbach, Bavaria, Germany* Burk, a city district of Bautzen, Saxony* Burk, a neighborhood of Forchheim , Bavaria-See also:*Burking, a particular form of smothering...
near Forchheim
Forchheim (Oberfranken)
Forchheim is a large town in Upper Franconia in northern Bavaria, and also the seat of the administrative district of Forchheim. Forchheim is a former royal city, and is sometimes called the “Gateway to the Franconian Switzerland”, as the region is known. Its population, as of October 2008, was...
(Oberfranken), Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, and other places along the middle Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
etc.
In fact, there is no conclusive evidence for any of these locations and it is even possible that the term Wogastisburg referred only to a kind of a temporary encampment rather than a permanent settlement, in which case establishing a definite location would be impossible.