Braslav of Pannonian Croatia

Braslav ( 882–896) was a prince who ruled the Slavs in Lower Pannonia, in a territory located mostly in modern-day Croatia, between 884 and 896 as a vassal of Arnulf of Carinthia. He participated in the Frankish–Moravian War (882–84) and the Frankish invasion of Moravia (891–92). He was last mentioned when he was entrusted Pannonia by Arnulf in order to secure the Frankish frontier against the Hungarians, who subsequently overran all of Pannonia and continued into Italy.

Background In 882–84, a bloody war was fought between Arnulf of Carinthia and Svatopluk I of Moravia. The two agreed on peace in 884.

Life

A Slavic prince and ardent Frankish loyalist, A letter written by the margrave soon announced that the legates were returning from Svatopluk and the Moravians who had agreed "to give themselves in friendship". First Arnulf met with Braslav, the Slavic dux on the river Sava, next raised an army of Franconians, Bavarians and Alamanni, and also recruited Hungarians to join his campaign (for the latter recruitment, Ottonian authors blamed Arnulf for unleashing the Hungarians on Europe). Braslav participated in the 892 campaign. Arnulf entrusted Mosapurc (modern Zalavár, Hungary) and Pannonia to Braslav,

Legacy

He also undertook a pilgrimage to Cividale as his name is found in the Evangelistary of Cividale together with the name of his wife Ventescela.

Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, has been theorized as having been named after Braslav (Brezalauspurc, 907).