SVÄTOPLUK AS A HISTORICAL FIGURE: AN ATTEMPT AT RECONSTRUCTION
SVÄTOPLUK AS A HISTORICAL FIGURE: AN ATTEMPT AT RECONSTRUCTION

Summary/Abstract: The article is part of a larger monograph on Svätopluk I, which maps Svätopluk I as a) a historical figure; b) European historiography on the most successful ruler of the Western Slavs in the 9th century, and c) the image (imago) of the ruler as retrospectively created by medieval writings across Europe. In this text, Martin Homza focuses on presenting Svätopluk as a historical figure based on existing sources and available metahistorical texts. During his reign, the first Moravian archbishopric and bishopric in Nitra were established. At the same time, a network of church administration was created, and Christianity gained significant ground in the rest of Europe, which had been pagan until then. This expansion was made possible by internal (political and economic stabilization of his personal power) and external factors, the most important of which was Svätopluk’s pragmatic policy towards the East Frankish rulers. This brought him not only multiple recognition of his de facto rule, but also acceptance into the wider Carolingian family. However, the most important recognition came from the papacy of the time, which accepted him (and with him his empire) as its only son – unicus filius – under its patronage. This was a historical precedent for the creation of what we now call Central Europe, and in the plans of the popes of the time, it was contrasted with the Regnum Teutonicorum and called the Kingdom of the Slavs – Regnum Sclavorum. However, these bold plans suffered in the last two years of Svätopluk’s reign when he allowed himself to be drawn into a military confrontation with his compater Arnulf, the East Frankish ruler. The unexpected death of Svätopluk I, the subsequent unfortunate reign of his sons, as well as the invasions of the Old Hungarian tribal confederation and the Bavarians, brought about the temporary collapse of this project. The restoration of the kingdom on the Middle Danube under the patronage of St. Peter, this time with a new dynasty, came around the year 1000.

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