Obotrites

The Obotrites (German: Abodriten, Polish: Obodryci) were a group of Slavic peoples related to the Wends. In the 6th century they settled in the regions later known as Mecklenburg and Holstein in what is now north-eastern Germany. Because of their links to other neighbouring Slavic ethnic groups they are regarded as a sub-group of Polabian Slavs. The Obotrites are also known in English as Abodrites or Obodrites, and were similar to the Wagrians.

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The Obotrites were involved in wars (800-1200) with Danish kings seeking supremacy in the Baltic region. In the meantime, German missionaries had converted the Obotrites to Christianity.

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The Obotrites alternately fought with and were tributary to the Frankish kings and their successors in the East. At times they collected tributes from the Danes and Saxons. In common with other Slavic groups, they were often described by Frankish sources as Wends.

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Finally in 1170 they acknowledged the suzerainty of the Holy Roman Empire. After that the region underwent rapid Germanisation. However, up to the late 15th century, most villagers in the Obotrite area were still speaking Slavic dialects (Polabian language); but some time after that their language changed to German.

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The German poet Johann Heinrich Voss (1751-1826) born in Mecklenburg-Strelitz, liked to identify himself as an Obotrite to emphasize his Slavic heritage. Obodrits were sufficiently remote and obscure to appeal to the nascent ethnic identifications of Romanticism.

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German: German may mean:...

Polish: Polish () may refer to:...

Slavic peoples: The Slavic peoples are the most numerous ethnic and linguistic body of peoples currently living in Europe. They are defined by speaking Slavic languages and reside chiefly in Central and Eastern Europe, but are also found in Asia. The idea that the Slavic people have more in common than their origin...