Beginnings of His Rule
By the time Svatopluk first appeared in a Frankish source (in the Annals of Fulda) in 869, he had ruled his own "realm" (regnum) within Moravia. His principality's seat was "Rastislav's old city" (urbs antique Rastizi). It may have been located either at Staré Město (Czech Republic) whose name literally means "old city" in Czech, or at Nitra (Slovakia), but it has also been identified with Sirmium (Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia).
Svatopluk's "realm" was invaded and plundered in 869 by Bavarian troops led by Carloman, the eldest son of Louis the German, king of East Francia. At the same time Franconian and Alamannian troops attacked Rastislav's territories under the leadership of the king's youngest son, Charles the Bald. Although the two armies soon returned, Svatopluk entered into clandestine negotiations with Carloman and agreed to commend himself and his principality to Carloman.
Having learnt of this agreement, Rastislav became furious and set a trap for his nephew, inviting him to a banquet, where he intended to murder Svatopluk. The latter, however, was warned of his uncle's conspiracy, thus he could ambush and took prisoner Rastislav whom he even handed over to Carloman. Subsequently, Rastislav was sent to Bavaria under guard, while Carloman annexed his realm outright.
Zwentibald, Rastiz's nephew, took thought to his own interests, and commended himself and the kingdom he held to Carloman. Rastiz was furious at this and laid ambushes in secret for his nephew; he plotted to strangle him at a banquet when he was not suspecting any attack. But by the grace of God he was freed of the peril of death. For before those who were to kill him had entered the house, he was warned by one who knew of the plot, and set out as if to go hawking, and so evaded the ambush laid for him. Rastiz saw that his plot was revealed and followed after his nephew with soldiers to capture him. But by the just judgment of God he was caught in the snare he had set, for he was captured by his nephew, bound and brought to Carloman, who sent him under guard of soldiers to Bavaria least he should escape and had him kept in prison until he could be brought to the king's presence. —Annals of Fulda (year 870)As a reward for capturing Rastislav, Carloman allowed Svatopluk to retain his principality, but the rest of Moravia was placed under the control of two Frankish lords, William and Engilschalk. Carloman's forces also captured Methodius whom Pope Hadrian II had earlier appointed archbishop of Sirmium with jurisdiction over the realms ruled by Rastislav and Svatopluk. Early in 871 Carloman also imprisoned Svatopluk on unspecified charges of infidelity which may be connected to the rebellion of Carloman's younger brothers, Louis the Younger and Charles the Bald. Believing that Svatopluk was dead, the Moravians selected another member of their ruling family named Slavomír and made him their ruler.
Read more about this topic: Svatopluk I
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