Early Middle Ages

What do you know about the Slavs on our territory in the Early Middle Ages?

The first Slavs appeared on our territory in about the second half of the 6th century AD and a century later they established the Empire of Samo. The Empire broke up after the death of Samo. The next polity of the Slavs was Great Moravia (833–906/907), which above all under Duke Svatopluk became the most powerful Empire in East-Central Europe.

 

What about the Slavs and Chotěbuz?

The Slavs arrived at the locality of Chotěbuz-Podobora in about the mid-8th century, that is about 1,200 years after the decline of the Hallstatt Period settlement. At that time, Chotěbuz belonged to a larger group of strongholds including Skočov, Landek, Kylešovice, Hradec, or the most important Lubom. Chotěbuz counted among smaller hillforts within this group, which were built to protect the main centre at Lubom.

How long the Slavs have lived here?

The Slavs lived a tranquil life in the hillfort at Chotěbuz for about hundred years, until they were attacked by military troops of the mighty Great Moravian Empire. This army went to a campaign in the 880s against the tribal union of the Wislans and passed through our hillfort at Chotěbuz as well. This is evidenced, for example, by the finds of arrowheads, charred grain or a horse skeleton. The other hillforts in the neighbourhood also were invaded and destroyed. Our hillfort, however, was spared from total destruction because it was situated in a good strategic position and enabled Great Moravia to take control of the local part of Silesia.

 

When the life in the hillfort came to its end?

Great Moravia, with which our hillfort was linked, collapsed as a result of internal problems and the Magyar incursions in the mid-10th century. But unlike Great Moravia, Chotěbuz-Podobora did not decline completely, which is evidenced by archaeological objects of daily use from the time after the mid-10th century, found in the hillfort. The site, however, has never achieved its previous significance again. People gradually abandoned the place and moved to the nearby settlement on the Castle Hill. A hillfort was built there which became the base of later castle and town of Ciezsyn. The settlement at Chotěbuz thus definitely declined in about the mid-11th century by a gradual abandonment of the place.