Polabian Slavs
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Polabian Slavs is a collective term applied to a number of Slavic tribes living along the Elbe, between the Baltic Sea to the north, Solau to the west and Sudetes to the south. The tribes settled the area late in the first millennium.
The Polabian Slavs were grouped in three basic tribal groups:
- Ranes
- Coldizi
- Wieletes (Redars and Czrezpienians)
- Obodrites (Obodrites and Wagrs)
- Lusatian Sorbs (Sorbians, Głomacze, Milczans and Lusatians)
Two latter groups were in 7th century subjugated by Franks and their lands were soon afterwards conquered by German bishops and nobles. They liberated themselves in the effect of a pagan uprising in 983, but were again subdued by the Germans in mid-12th century. Despite the forcible christianisation, the Slavic language was spoken by the descendants of Drewlians in the area of lower Labe until early 18th century.
In turn, the Lusatian Sorbs remained independent to a large extent. They were temporarily subdued by Charlemagne, but upon his death the links with the Franks were broken. In a series of bloody wars between 929 and 963 their lands were conquered by Henry the Fowler and his son Otto the Great and were incorporated into the German domain. By the 14th century the majority of Slavs living there had been germanised. However, the lands of the Milczans and Lusatians remained in the sphere of influence of Poland and Bohemia and the Slavic presence there prevailed into the 21st century.
Currently Polabian proper is extinct. However, both Lusatian languages are spoken by approximately 60,000 inhabitants of the region and the languages are regarded by the government of Germany as official languages of the region.
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