The Karantanians– Early Medieval People between the East and the West

Abstract

The Carantanians were a Slavic defined people living in the early Middle Ages. Their ethnogenesis, as well as the beginnings of their political organization, date from the second quarter of the 7th century. Initialy affected by the Avar influences from the east, in mid-8th century Carantania became politically subjected to the Bavarians and the Franks respectively, which in turn brought about an increasing influence of the west. Depostion of the last Carantanian duke in 828 denoted the end of the Carantanian statehood, and, subsequently, Carantanian ethnic identy. As a margraviate of the Frankish empire, Carantania was fully integrated into the Frankish state and its juridical system.