Royal Frankish Annals

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Royal Frankish Annals (Latin: Annales Regni Francorum) are annals written for the early Frankish kings, covering the years 741 to 829. At least three different authors were involved in their compilation, including Frankish historian Einhard (c.770 - 840). They are among the most important sources for the political and military history of the reign of Charlemagne.

1 Parts regarding Croats and Serbs
2 Bibliography
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] Parts regarding Croats and Serbs

In the part about events in the 9th century, it states among other things, that Ljudevit Posavski, the chief of Panonian Croatia attacked Borna, chief of Dalmatian Croatia. In 822, Borna forced Ljudevit's army back to Panonia and turned to Italy, which sent an army to finish off Ljudevit for good. Einhardt then says that, fearing the Italian army, Ljudevit came to the Serbs who Einhardt says control the greater part of Dalmatia. It is presumed that Einhardt means that Ljudevit attacked a neighbouring Serb chief because Eainhardt says that Ljudevit killed the Serb chieftain whose domain he "went to". (Monumenta Germaniae hist., T. 1., s. 209). Ljudevit died in 823, surviving the army sent to crush him, presumably with territory gained from the Serb chieftain he is said to have deposed . Ratimir then ruled Panonian Croatia.

The document is contested between some historians. Serb historians say it makes reference to Serb presence in Dalmatia, what was once the province of Dalmatia, which stretched from the Sava to the Adriatic and did include Bosnia. It also implies that Croat control of parts of Bosnia came through military conquest in the early 9th century starting with Ljudevit in 822 AD and was not the result of random settlement during the 7th century. It is also the only document which gives insight into the a precise border between Serbs and Croats before 820 and seems to confirm what Constantine VII Porphyrogenitos says of the settlement of the Serbs in Bosnia in the 7th century in De administrando imperio. Some Croat and Bosniak historians do not accept the document as valid evidence, claiming that it sounds implausible on the grounds that Avars and Pechenegs are confused for Slavs, although it apparently referred to more than just Slavs.

Position of Dalmatia in the Roman Empire

Quote:

"An army was sent from Italy to end Ljudevit's war, but before it arrived Ljudevit left Sisak (Sisica) and went to the Serbs (Sorabi), who it is said live in the greater part of Dalmatia, he then killed through trickery the chief who took him in and tied his domain to his own. He still sent his emissaries to the emperor's army and promised to appear before the emperor. When the autumn hunt passed, the emperor passed the Rhine for the winter to a place called Frankenfurt and there convoked a general assembly to debate many important things for the progress of the eastern parts of his kingdom with the best people he had sent to administer these areas. On that assembly, the emissaries brought him gifts from all of the eastern Slavs, the Abroditi, Serbs (Sorabi), Bohemians, Moravians, Pechenegs and Avars who lived in Panonia."