The arrival of the Croats – as it actually happened
The most widely cited source on the arrival of the Croats (on the historical scene, that is)* is De Administrando Imperio (Of the Administration of an Empire) written, supposedly, by well-intentioned but tragic Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII (Porphyrogenitus or purple-born) sometime between 948 and 952. The book survives in four manuscripts, seven printed editions in Greek, Latin, Russian, Croat and an edition in English from 1949 (no doubt there are German editions too) which also contains an extensive description of the interrelation among all of these.
In any event, the story of the Croats is told in chapters 29 and 30 and, to some extent, in 31. Although told in three different chapters, the story is roughly the same. We learn the following. Croats originally lived in White Croatia (by white the writer seems to indicate “unbaptized”) “beyond Turkey [and beyond Bavaria] and next to Francia”. Some Croats stayed and remain thralls to King Otto (presumably before he chose to call himself Emperor or perhaps the Byzantine author did not care). The name “Croats” means in the Slav language “those who occupy much territory.” Their Slav neighbors in the old country were “White Serbs” (i.e., Sorbs, the Serbs who stayed North). This roughly corresponds to some area above the Carpathians – probably around Cracow.
We also learn that from these White Croats there split five brothers and two sisters. The brothers’ names were Kloukas, Lobelos, Kosentzis, Mouchlo and Chrobatos. The sisters names were less imaginative: Touga and Bouga. They came down to Croatia and defeated the Avars who had earlier taken over the country from the Romani (i.e., the Byzantines). At first they continued to be subject to the Franks but then due to shabby treatment revolted and fought the Franks and won (under a leader (not certain whether this was Franks’ leader or Croats’) named Kotzilis. Then the Croats asked to be baptized by the Pope and so became Catholic. At some point they also asked for the “protection” of the Emperor Heraclius. Not sure whether this was immediately upon their arrival or at some later point.
There is also a story of how the Avars (in Chapter 30) or Avars but maybe Slavs (in Chapter 29) took the city of Salona. Essentially, from that city the Byzantines would go out raiding the country. When the Avars or Slavs came back from an expedition they noticed their villages plundered and waited to see who dun it. It turned out to be Byzantines who showed up for more spoils. Long story short, the Avars (or Slavs) took the Byzantine garb and rode back to Salusa taking it by surprise.
A number of things are, therefore, interesting about all of this:
First, this last story is roughly the same as the story of Lestek/Lech (the First) from the Chronicle of Kadlubek (and later Polish chronicles). It is, of course, possible that Kadlubek read De Administrando Imperio (not clear if he could read Greek but translators did exist). But, if not, then we have a quandary of how this legend came North. Is the story of Lech a younger one and perhaps some group of Croats returned back North bringing with it this story?
Second, the Croats come to Croatia from the North and are, therefore, not technically “southern” Slavs (ditto for the Serbs). But this is exactly the opposite the route chartered for the Slavs by Nestor (Slavs came North from Pannonia) and, much later, the Polish chronicles (e.g., Dlugosz having the Slavs come from Pannonia). We note however that there was a “White Serbia” and “White Croatia” in the North – so that the Croats could have come from there and stopped by Bohemia – dropped off Czech – and headed further down to present day Croatia/Serbia? (did they encounter any “original” Wends either in the North or in the Balkans/Alps?) While inconsistent with Nestor’s telling, this may not matter. We note that Nestor strove to derive Slavs (and indeed so have the various other later authors who spoke of Slavs as coming from the South) from the biblical Japhet – so in his telling Slavs must have come from the South (and indeed all Europeans) unless Noah were to have been placed in Europe – thus Nestor’s travel direction is one of necessity.
Third, Constantine has trouble separating Avars from Slavs (and elsewhere he calls Attila king of the Avars). Ok, this is less interesting.
Fourth, the Croat princes’ names do not look very Slavic or at least some of them do not.
Fifth, Chrobatos, the quintessential Croat’s name looks like Chrobry (i.e., Boleslaw Chrobry). Well, maybe.
Sixth, the story of brothers we also know from Nestor’s Chronicle where both Sczech (Czech?) and Chorbat are present as founders of Kiyev. See above for this point – are the three founders of Kiev the original founders of the “Rus”, Bohemia and Croatia?
Seventh, it is entirely unclear what happened to the White Croats – unlike the Sorbs no remaining population survived under that name though some Croats are later mentioned by Nestor somewhere around the Carpathians (as an interesting aside, the Avarii are mentioned by Ptolemy as living near the Carpathian mountains). So were these Serbs/Sorbs and Croats just passing through the Northern “Wendish” lands on their way to eastern Germany, Bohemia and Croatia? Are the northern Slavs (Wends) related to these? For example, how related were the Obotrites and Veleti (“many people” so “Vidovari”?) with the Sorbs of southern east Germany?
The dreaded Avar “Yellow Fire” being foiled by an evading Croatian princess (not clear if this is Touga or Bouga)
* Same for the Serbs (see chapter 32) but we will not consider them in this post.
Copyright ©2014 jassa.org, All Rights Reserved
Pingback: Alfred’s “Orosius” & Its North European Geography | In Nomine Jassa
Pingback: De Administrando Imperio & All of its Slavs – Part I | In Nomine Jassa
“unlike the Sorbs no remaining population survived under that name or is mentioned in any of the sources.”
This claim is incorrect. A lot of sources mention them, including Nestor’s Chronicle; there’re just no survivors today.
You’re right. Have to revise that.
There are still Croats in Slovakia, Czechia and northwestern Hungary.
Descendants could be part of the Moravians.
it is important to be careful in analysis of different chapters. For example, in DAI chapter 29, it is about the time before Croats arrived.Only chapters 30 and 31 are about Croats. What is in common to 30 and 31 is following: Croats came to Roman province of Dalmatia as fighters against Avars. In one of chapters the role of emperor Heraklios (610-641) is huge. This chapter is used as a source for the time of arrival of Croats.Other chapter was written by another writer and by mentioning king Otto (10th century) we can see that the source for the story in this chapter is different: there is no trace of emperor Heraklios in this chapter. As I said previously, the only thing in common for this two chapters (30 and 31) is: Croats arrived in Dalmatia and fought against Avars. When it goes about other Croats, except of those in Adriatic-Dinaric region, very high credibility is to be find in chronicle of Nestor (11th/12th century), in general list of tribes in area of Kievska Rus, where Croats are mentioned between Radimichi and Duliebi/Voliniany; the same order of tribes/protonationes is for date 907, and finally under year 993 when “Ide Volodimer na Hr’vate. Hrvatskija vojna …”. So, we can not ignore the fact that Hrvati were in period from 8th to the end of 10th century one of 8 major tribes in territory of modern Ukraina. Ukrainian archeologists are connecting this Croats with area to the south of city Loviv (Lawow)around ancient city Galič/Halič and upper Dniester region and with Podolia and maybe to the Rivno (Rovno, in Croatian: Ravno). Ther is site of Stilsko, large settlement that was destroyed somewhere in time consisting with “hrvatskija vojna ” from Nestor’s work. According to the linguists, from Max Vasmer to contemporary as Ranko Matasović, the etnonym “Hrvat” is not explainable through Slavic languages, but through Iranian group to which belonged Sarmatian languages. Matasović in his work has proved that name “Hrvat” is according to he laws of comparative linguistics possibly derived from Alanian word “hurvatu” in meaning of”guard, keeper, guardian”. Today descendends of ancient Alani are Osseti or Ossetians in Russian Federation. Alani or some other Sarmatian people arrived to Carpathians and further to Europe with Hunnic invasion, or escaping in front of them or forced to go with them. We know from Roman sources that in 2nd and 3rd century AD group of Sarmatians was living in plains of todays Hungary between Danube and Tissa river, Yaziges Metanastae and other group was around Danube delta, Roksolani. Later, part of Alani went to Spain with Vandals and as we know that king Odoaker (Audoachari) in 5th century invaded with an army of Alani the Germanic tribe of Rugii across the Danube river. Most probably, some Sarmatian group gave its name to the Slavic population in territory of modern Ukraina. Linguists point among other matters in general that suffix -at, as in Sarmat, Sauromat, Hrvat is common in Indo-iranic branch of languages. Also, we have to point it out that in Tanais Tablets , cca. 200 AD, there is name Horaothos and 2times Horouathos, in classical Greek alphabet, what should be read as “Horwath-os” having typically Greek suffix -os. The half of names in “Tanais tablets” are evidently Greek and others are belonging to some language from Iranian branch with very often Arda- what resemble to the Persian ancient Arta – and often are suffixes -ak . Also, I made research in internet about last name derived from ethnic “Hrvat”… most often is form: Horvat. In Croatia there is cca. 8000 individuals having this last name, mostly in the north of modern Croatia (this region was untill the 1550-ies known as “Slavonia” < from Latin Sclavonia; it was a separate province with its own laws and Parliament and nobility; and because of Osmalic Turks and their conquest "reliquiae reliquiarum regni Slavoniae et Chroatie" were joined together in one kingdom and one Parliament named "Croatia" [Kroatsia] in Latin. In the south from Kupa and sava rivers in Dalmatia and Lika regions there is last name Horvat absent because that was original area of Croatian settlement in middle ages before Ottoman/Osmanlic invasion. Also, in neighbouring country Slovenija, there is cca. 13 000 individuals with last name Horvat, what is proof of migrations in time of Turkish conquest. Also, there is cca. near 2000 individuals in Czech and in Slovakia with last names Chorvat, Charvat. In Poland, it seems there is cca. 500 individuals with last name Horwat. In Russia I found cca. 250 individuals from Tatarstan in north to the Caucasus (Kabardin Republic) in south (region between Black and Caspian sea), And my surprise was great when I found cca. 260 individuals with last name Horvat in Turkic Uzbekistan. I didn't find information for Iran because of technical issues. also, there is last name Horvat and similar in Ukraina and even in Brest in southwest Belarus, I found cca. 70 individuals with last name Karvat.