Lutici

Lutician Federation
10th century – 1168
A black bull's head, the symbol supposedly associated with Redarians and their capital Rethra
Status	Independent federation of Polabian Slavic tribes
Capital	none, only political/religious centre: Rethra or Radgosc (until 12th cent.) Arkona (since 12th cent.–1168)
Common languages	Polabian Slavic
Religion	Polabian[a] Slavic paganism, the known major cults: Svarozhich/Radegast in Rethra-Radgosc Svetovid in Arkona, Rügen Gerovit in Havelberg Rugiewit with Porenut and Porewit in Charenza, Rügen Triglav in Brennabor Chernoglav in Jasmund, Rügen Pripegala (disputed) folk polytheism of minor cults (unnamed twins gods near Tollensesee etc) Chernobog according to Helmold Roman Catholicism (missionaries, some nobles)
Government	Petty monarchies and pagan theocracies
no sole ruler/leadera
Legislature	Popular assembly of social elites
History
• Formed	10th century
• Conquest of Rethra, collapse	12th century
• Conquest of Arkona by Danes	1168
Preceded by Succeeded by Confederation of the Veleti Billung March (Duchy of Saxony) Rani of Rügen Holy Roman Empire ∟Northern March ∟March of Brandenburg ∟Duchy of Saxony ∟March of Lusatia
Today part of	Germany
^ In addition to tribal princes/chiefs and pagan high priests as local rulers.

The Lutici or Liutizi^[1] (known by various spelling variants) were a federation of West Slavic Polabian tribes, who between the 10th and 12th centuries lived in what is now northeastern Germany. Four tribes made up the core of the federation: the Redarians (Redari, Redarii), Circipanians (Circipani), Kessinians (Kessini, Kycini, Chizzini) and Tollensians (Tholenzi). At least in part, the Lutici were a continuation of the Veleti. In contrast to the former and the neighboring peoples, the Lutici were not led by a Christian monarch or duke, rather power was asserted through consensus formed in central assemblies of the social elites, and the Lutici worshipped nature and several deities. The political and religious center was Radgosc (also referred to by several other names, e.g. Riedegost or Rethra).

The Lutici were first recorded by written sources in the context of the uprising of 983, by which they annihilated the rule of the Holy Roman Empire in the Billung and Northern Marches. Hostilities continued until 997. Thereafter, tensions with the empire eased, and in 1003 the Lutici entered an alliance with the emperor against duke Bolesław I of Poland. However, by 1033 the alliance broke apart, and a German–Lutician war broke out that lasted until 1035, when the Lutici became tributaries of the empire again, but otherwise retained their independence. A civil war between the core tribes began the decline of the Lutici in 1056/57. The neighboring Obodrites intervened and subdued the northwestern faction.

In 1066, the Lutici succeeded in stirring up a revolt against the Obodrite elites, in the course of which John, the bishop of Mecklenburg, was captured and sacrificed at Radgosc. As a consequence, the bishop of Halberstadt and the emperor sacked and destroyed Radgosc in subsequent campaigns, and its role as the leading pagan cult site was taken over by the Swantewit temple at Arkona. Another civil war in the 1070s led to a further decline of the Lutician federation, who then were unable to resist conquests and looting by their neighbors in the following decades.

During the first half of the 12th century, the settlement area of the Lutici was partitioned between Obodrite principalities, the later Duchy of Mecklenburg (west), the re-constituted Northern March, which became the Margraviate of Brandenburg (south), and the Duchy of Pomerania (east). The Lutici were converted to Christianity, and in the 13th century were assimilated by German settlers and became part of the German people during the Ostsiedlung.

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