Slavomír

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Priest Slavomír was an interim ruler of the Great Moravian Empire in 871.

In 870, the Frankish king Louis the German supported a rebellion of Svatopluk I (Prince of Nitra) against his uncle and sovereign Rastislav (Prince of Great Moravia). Rastislav was captured, handed over to the Franks and blinded. But the Frankish allies decided to occupy the Moravian part of the Empire, which was coveted by Svatopluk. After his protests, they imprisoned Svatopluk and tried to conquer the whole country.

This attempt resulted in an uprising led by a priest and aristocrat called Slavomír, who was elected a new leader of Great Moravia. The Franks quickly released their former ally Svatopluk and sent him with a strong Bavarian contingent back to Great Moravia. Despite rich gifts and promises from the Frankish king, Svatopluk clandestinely contacted Slavomír, who in turn submitted to the legitimate prince. Svatopluk took over the command of Great Moravian forces, ambushed the Bavarian army and after a decisive victory liberated the whole country.