Opolans
Opolans (Polish: Opolanie; Czech: Opolané; German: Opolanen; Latin: Opolini) were the West Slavic tribe that lived in the region of upper Odra. Their main settlement (gord) was Opole. They were mentioned in the Bavarian Geographer, under the Latin name Opolini, as one of the seven tribes living in Silesia (Silesian tribes). The other six were: Dziadoszanie, Golęszyce, Ślężanie, Trzebowianie, Bobrzanie and Lupiglaa (often identified with Głubczyce).[1][2]
The name Opolans derives from a Slavic term opole, that meant a specific form of self-government used among the West Slavs. Early medieval opole transformed into an administrative governing form used in Early Medieval Poland mainly to collect taxes.
According to the Geographer Opolans possessed 20 gords in what was later known as Upper Silesia such as Opole and Toszek. Presumably their place of cult was the Saint Anna mountain. Opolanie's territories were conquered by Great Moravia in 875 and were probably incorporated into the Přemyslid Bohemia in the first half of the 10th century. In 990 Opolans' territories were incorporated into the first Polish state. Due to this fact they are usually treated as part of the Polish tribes.
References
- ^ "Opolanie, Encyklopedia PWN: źródło wiarygodnej i rzetelnej wiedzy". encyklopedia.pwn.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2023-08-18.
- ^ Gosciniak, Alexander (2015). Wojny Na Terytorium Sląska: 1000 - 1815. Tom 1 (in Polish). Alexander Gosciniak. ISBN 978-83-930386-5-7.
Further reading
- Ryszard Emmerling, Urszula Zajączkowska: Oppeln. Die Hauptstadt der Wojewodschaft Oppeln. Schlesischer Verlag ADAN, Opole 2003, ISBN 83-915371-3-7
- Stefan Mizia: Geschichte Schlesiens – ein Abriß.Verlag Rzeka, Wrocław 1999, ISBN 83-906558-6-1
See also
- CS1 Polish-language sources (pl)
- Articles with short description
- Short description matches Wikidata
- Articles containing Polish-language text
- Articles containing Czech-language text
- Articles containing German-language text
- Articles containing Latin-language text
- History of Opole
- Early medieval Poland
- Slavic ethnic groups
- Silesian tribes
- All stub articles
- Polish history stubs