Pribina

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Pribina, also called Priwina or Privina by Frankish chronicles, was the first known prince of the Principality of Nitra (?825-833) and of the Balaton Principality (?840-861).

The main written source describing his life is Libellus de conversione Bagoariorum et Carantanorum (i.e. Conversio), created in Salzburg in the 870s. In addition, several buildings discovered by archaeologists in Slovakia and Hungary are dated to the period of his reign.

Pribina originally ruled the Slavic/proto-Slovak Principality of Nitra, located approximately in present-day Slovakia and parts of present-day Hungary. He built a Christian church in his seat, Nitra. Historians are divided about the issue whether Pribina himself was still a pagan at that time. The church was consecrated by Bishop Adalram of Salzburg in c. 828. It was the first known church building of all Western and Eastern Slavs. The church may have served to Christian merchants living in Nitra or to Pribina's Bavarian wife. In addition, several castles were constructed in Pribina's realm.

In 833, Pribina was ousted from Nitra by the Moravian (Magvani) prince Mojmír I. Despite fierce resistance (documented by destruction of the castles in Pobedim and Čingov), the two states were finally unified by Mojmír I, forming the core of his Great Moravian Empire. Pribina with his family and retinue escaped to the Franks, but he left Eastern March after a dispute with its count Ratbod. His attempts to gain allies in Bulgaria and Croatia failed, so he returned to East Francia. He was baptized and reconciled with Ratbod. King Louis the German even granted him the Balaton Principality as a fief.

After Pribina's arrival to his new principality, he had numerous fortified settlements and churches built. The prince also founded a new capital, Blatnograd (or Blatnohrad, later called Mosapurc, Moosburg in present-day may call Zalavár). In 861, he supported East Francia in its struggle against Great Moravia and died in a battle against the Great Moravian prince Rastislav. He was succeeded by his son Koceľ.