Rastislav

Prince Rastislav

Rastislav ("Rastic", in modern Czech Rostislav) (died after 870) was the second prince of Great Moravia between 846 and 870.

Life

After Mojmír's death in 846 was Rastislav designated by Eastern Francia king Louis the German to become the head of Great Moravia. He assumed that Rastislav will cooperate with him just as his predecessor did.

After internal consolidation Rastislav tried to restrict polititical influence of Eastern Francia. In 855 was Great Moravia attacked by Louis's army, however the attack was not successful.

Eastern Francia was spreading it's influence through Frankish priests, who preached in Latin so in 862 Rastislav asked Byzantine emperor Michael III to send a bishop and teachers, who would bring the Evangelium to the Slavic peoples in their own language. The emperor decided to send two wisdoms - Cyril and Methodius who laid the foundation of the Slavonic script, and thus of Slavonic literature (see e.g. Glagolitic alphabet).

In 864 Louis the German again attacked Rastislav, this time seccessfuly. Rastislav had to recognize supremacy of Eastern Frankish Realm over his kingdom.

In 870 after growing disagreement between Rastislav and his nephew Svatopluk, the latter made a deal with Carloman of Bavaria (Louis's son) to exchange Rastislav for the promise that he will rule Great Moravia. Louis the German blinded Rastislav and jailed him in one of Bavarian monasteries, where he died in that same year.

The origin of his name

The form of his name ("rast-") is evidence for the fact that he was born somewhere in what is today central Slovakia.

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