Summary: Great Moravian Empire
***Moravia blocks further Frankish penetration into Eastern Europe, and especially expansion into Poland from the south****
In 855, Louis again invades Bohemia and Moravia, assisted by troops from White Serbia. Anti-Frankish chieftain, Slavitah of Bohemia takes refuge in the court of Rastislav. (I mention this because, although my book does not mention it, this may have been part of the reason Bohemia federated with Great Moravia, as an invasion of Bohemia by Great Moravia is not mentioned.) A peace treaty is signed in 859, and Louis and his allies retire.
****Cyrus and Methodius compose the Glagolitsa, the basis of the Slavic alphabet used in Serbia, Bulgaria, and Russia****
Svatopluk also opposes the work of Methodius, and turns him over to the German ecclesiatical authorities, where he was imprisoned. Methodius escapes to Rome, and is confirmed by Pope John VIII. He returns to Moravia and dies in 885. After his death, Pope Stephen V, in response to requests from the German clergy, bans the slavic liturgy. Methodius' disciple leave Moravia, and take the Cyrillic alphabet to Bulgaria, where it is accepted and established.
Svatopluk expands the Great Moravian Empire by conquering Pannonia, Silesia, White Croatia, and White Serbia. He dies in 894, and is succeded by his sons, Mojmir II, Rastislav II, and Preslav. These fight among themselves, weakening the Great Moravian Empire. In 895, Bohemia leaves Great Moravia and moves toward friendlier relationships with Bavaria.
During the 890's Arnulf of Bavaria, seeking to expand eastward at the expense of Great Moravia, invites the Magyars into Pannonia. The Magyars have recently been defeating while attempting to cross the Danube into the southern Balkans by a Byzantine Army assisted by the Magyar's constant enemy, the Pechengs. The Pechengs had earlier driven the Magyars out of southern Ukraine. The Magyars, a nomadic people, begin raiding into Great Moravia.
After the Magyar's initial military success, Arnulf allies himself with Great Moravia to expel the Magyars from Pannonia, but with no success. In 907, the allied armies are defeated at the Battle of Bratislava, and shortly thereafter, the Magyars seize Velehrad, and Great Moravia ceases to exist. The area of the Empire reverts to local tribal control.