Obotrites

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Obotritic confederation
8th century–1167
A black bull's head, the alleged symbol of the Obotrites and their princes (chieftains) Arms of the House of Nikloting, princes of the Obotritic confederation
Main territory of the Obotritic confederation
Expansion of the Obotritic confederation under Prince Thrasco († 809) after victory over the Nordalbingian Saxons
Status	Independent confederation of Polabian Slavic tribes
Capital	Veligard or Veligrad (German: Michelenburg)
Common languages	Polabian, Old Saxon
Religion	Polabian[a] Slavic paganism, the known major cults: Prove in Stargard, Wagria Podaga in Plön, Wagria Zhiva according to Helmold Svarozhich/Radegast according to Helmold folk polytheism of minor cults Chernobog according to Helmold Saxon paganism (Nordalbingian Saxons) Chalcedonian Christianity (missionaries, some nobles)
Government	Hereditary monarchy (Principality)
Prince
• ?–ca. 795 (first)	Witzlaus
• 1160–1167 (last)	Pribislav
History
• Formed	8th century
• Accepted Saxon suzerainty	1167
Preceded by Succeeded by Polabian Slavs Nordalbingia (Duchy of Saxony) Billung March (Duchy of Saxony) Holy Roman Empire ∟Principality of Mecklenburg ∟Duchy of Saxony Kingdom of Denmark
Today part of	Germany

The Obotrites (Latin: Obotriti, Abodritorum, Abodritos…) or Obodrites, also spelled Abodrites (German: Abodriten), were a confederation of medieval West Slavic tribes within the territory of modern Mecklenburg and Holstein in northern Germany (see Polabian Slavs).^[1] For decades, they were allies of Charlemagne in his wars against the Germanic Saxons and the Slavic Veleti. The Obotrites under Prince Thrasco defeated the Saxons in the Battle of Bornhöved (798). The still-Pagan Saxons were dispersed by the emperor, and the part of their former land in Holstein north of Elbe was awarded to the Obotrites in 804, as a reward for their victory. This however was soon reverted through an invasion of the Danes. The Obotrite regnal style was abolished in 1167, when Pribislav was restored to power by Duke Henry the Lion, as Prince of Mecklenburg, thereby founding the Germanized House of Mecklenburg.

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