Editing Carantanians (section)

== Historical background ==
{{see also|Slavic settlement of the Eastern Alps}}
[[File:Steink02hq.jpg|thumb|Location of the Prince's Stone near Karnburg]]
After the disintegration of [[Samo]]'s realm, Alpine Slavs established the Principality of [[Carantania]] in the [[Eastern Alps]], which was independent from around 660 to around 745, when it fell under the Bavarian zone of influence and was later incorporated in the [[Frankish Empire]]. The formation of the principality and a period of peace made possible the emergence in the 8th century of so-called Carantanian culture.{{sfn|Sedov|2013|p=386–388}} Until around 820, it was ruled as a semi-independent tribal polity. After the anti-Frankish rebellion of [[Ljudevit Posavski]], which was partially supported by Carantanians, the Carantanian principality was transformed into a Frankish [[March (territory)|march]], and later emerged as the feudal [[Duchy of Carinthia]]. In the 10th century the Carantanians were significantly influenced by the [[Bijelo Brdo culture]] of the [[Pannonian Slavs]].{{sfn|Sedov|2013|p=389}}

Carantanians were the first [[Slavs|Slavic]] people to accept [[Christianity]] from the West. They were mostly Christianized by [[Irish people|Irish]] missionaries sent by the [[Archdiocese of Salzburg]], among them [[Modestus (Apostle of Carantania)|Modestus]], known as the "Apostle of Carantanians". This process was later described in the memorandum known as the ''[[Conversio Bagoariorum et Carantanorum]]'',{{sfn|Sedov|2013|p=390}} which is thought to have over-emphasized the role of the Church of Salzburg in the Christianization process over similar efforts of the [[Patriarchate of Aquileia (Episcopal)|Patriarchate of Aquileia]]. Several rebellions of the Carantanians against the Christianisations occurred in the late 8th century, which later served as the source of inspiration of the Slovenian Romantic poet [[France Prešeren]] in his [[epic poetry|epic]]-[[lyric poetry|lyric]] poem ''[[The Baptism on the Savica]]''. They were also mentioned in ''[[Primary Chronicle]]'' from the 12th century, which alongside other historical sources and archaeological culture, indicates there were perceived as a well-formed Slavic ethnic group.{{sfn|Sedov|2013|p=390}} However, with the loss of their independence, their name by the end of the 9th century lost ethnic meaning in favor of the territorial community.{{sfn|Sedov|2013|p=391}} Part of them became [[Germanisation|Germanized]] and [[Romanization (cultural)|Romanized]], while the remaining descendants who preserved their Slavic identity and language are known today as [[Slovenes]].{{sfn|Sedov|2013|p=391}}