The Obotrites were a confederation of West Slavic tribe that lived on the shores of the Baltic Sea on the areas of nowadays Mecklenburg and Holstein.
This provoked the nearby Slavic tribe of Veleti, which hated the Franks,[1] to assemble under their leader Dragovit, including the Linonen Slavs and the Danes.
An Engrian revolt followed in 796, but Charlemagne's personal presence and the aid of loyal Christian Saxons and Slavs (including Obotrites) immediately crushed it.
[7][8] In 808, Danish king Gudfred, after building the Danevirke (for the defence of a possible Frankish attack), crossed into Obotrite area at Reric (modern Wismar) and forced them to acknowledge him as their suzerain.
The port was part of a strategic trade route, and Gudfred destroyed the town and forced the merchants to resettle at Hedeby (in Danevirke).
[10] The Frankish subjects in the frontiers were quiet for a decade, then the Sorbs revolted in 816, and were quickly followed by the Obotrites, led by Slavomir, Thrasco's successor.