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$Colombia and Latin America
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Re: OT: Precious metals and similar -- Samo --I was not familiar with this piece of eastern European Slavic history. Fascinating. Thanks P_H! Excerpts: Expansion of Samo's Kingdom
Samo also built a solid political leadership by forging alliances with several Wendish families: he is reported to have married at least twelve Wendish women who bore him 22 sons and 15 daughters. His involvement in long-distance trade secured him considerable wealth and high status. This status, however, did not secure his new kingdom against the powerful Franks on his border. The Franks were Christian, while the Slavs under Samo were pagan; this situation seemed to justify, to the Franks, their repeated invasion of Slavic lands under the pretense of conversion. Samo negotiated a treaty with Dagobert I, the Frankish king, but the peace would not last for long. ....... SAMO'S DEATH
Samo died in 658 CE, and the kingdom he had built died with him. Despite his influence, power, and wealth, none of his 22 sons succeeded him as a king. This may suggest that, within the political structure of the Slavs, rule was not inherited but granted based upon personal merit (as was known to be the case with the Avars prior to Bayan I's rule). Samo's sons seem to have lacked their father's skills, and no successor to the kingdom he founded is recorded. The Avars swiftly entered the territory occupied by the Slavs after Samo died and re-established their previous dominance over the people until their defeat by the Franks under Charlemagne in 796 CE. .... |
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