In this book Dr. Dragnea offers important new insight into the integration of the Slavic peoples into Western Christendom from the 10th century until the end of the 12th century. Through several chapters the reader is provided with an introduction to the most important sources and central historical developments. Furthermore, the book delves into important themes such as the questions of ethnicity, power, religion and societal structures among the Slavs, as well as the main motives behind the Western Christian mission and military expansion into the Slavic lands, culminating with the introduction of actual crusades in the early 12th century.Carsten Selch Jensen, Dean of the Faculty of Theology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.What did it mean in the High Middle Ages, to be Christianized? Mihai Dragnea studies the Slavic peoples east of the Elbe River to demonstrate the multifaceted nature of this process. He is able to exemplify how clear-cut dividing lines have led to the misconception that clearly defined camps confronted each other in the twelfth-century Slavic Land and Pomerania. A new and multifaceted study of the relations between mission and the Crusades opens up important perspectives that can serve as inspiration for the study of both "peaceful" and "violent" missions in the Middle Ages in other European regions.Anti Selart, Institute of History and Archaeology, University of Tartu, Estonia.This monograph presents a groundbreaking and essential reevaluation of medieval Slavic identity, effectively dismantling long-held assumptions rooted in nineteenth-century ethno-romanticism. It convincingly argues that ‘paganism’ was largely a literary construct created by Christian clerics, who used biblical motifs such as disobedience, rebellion, and apostasy. Rather than seeking an authentic pagan sacrum, the study analyzes clerical writings to reveal how theological concepts were used to legitimize political subjugation and warfare against Slavic groups beyond the Elbe. By examining how such rhetoric justified conquest and conflict—often framed as a ‘holy war’ and an ‘act of vengeance’—the book is vital for understanding the political and ideological roots of conversion in the medieval Baltic.Sabine H. Walther, University of Bonn, Germany.The monograph of Mihai Dragnea presents a panorama of the history of the Slavs beyond the Elbe from the 10th to the 12th century and their relationship with the Christian world. We are observing the political consolidation of Slavic tribes before they were baptized, the efforts of Christian missionaries preaching the word of God among the Slavs and the political expansion of various political entities belonging to the Holy Roman Empire. During the 12th century, the idea of the holy war played an increasingly important role in this area.Maria Starnawska, Institute of History, University of Siedlce, Poland.The book presents a complex and often overlooked chapter of medieval European history – the transformation of pagan Slavic societies that settled beyond the Elbe River into part of Christian Latin Europe, not only through Christianization, but also through wars, politics, and colonization. The book will enrich understanding of Europe’s religious and cultural evolution.Peter Ivanič, Director of the Institute for Research of Constantine and Methodius' Cultural Heritage, Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, Slovakia.The monograph discusses various aspects of the religious identity of the Slavs beyond the Elbe. Based on a thorough analysis of sources, as well as references to and discussion of existing historiography, the author explains how complex and ambiguous this process was. It identifies three stages in the entire process of Christianisation of the Slavs. The first stage was individual missionary activity, often supported by Slavic rulers. The second stage was collective missionary activity, coordinated by dioceses, with support for missionaries from the military. The third stage was decisive and involved the involvement of religious orders and the support of the papacy. Missionary work was based on sermons, communication between missionaries and the Slavs, and their reaction to the imposition of conversion. The book covers many topics and will be of interest to Slavic researchers, students, and certainly also to enthusiasts of early medieval history.Beata Możejko, University of Gdańsk, Poland.Mihai Dragnea’s monograph offers a precise and holistic analysis of the Christianization of the Western Slavs on the left bank of the Elbe River (present-day Germany) in the High Middle Ages. He demonstrates how theological argument, political rhetoric, and military conquest converged in shaping Christian identity and defining “paganism” as biblical disobedience, rebellion, and idolatry. By linking the final phase of conversion to the evolution of (German) crusading ideology, Dragnea provides a rigorously argued study that illuminates the dynamics of interlinguistic and interreligious contacts and significantly advances our understanding of religious and cultural integration in medieval Europe.Simon Malmenvall, Faculty of Theology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljiana.Mihai Dragnea has set himself ambitious task: he presents the history of the Christianisation of the Elbe Slavs in an interesting way, showing how information about Slavic paganism was filtered through the intellectual and theological categories of the period. The author shows how close were the concepts of mission and crusade against the rebellious Slavs related to the issue of subordination and imperial sovereignty. Mihai Dragnea formulates fresh and sometimes very bold theses, which, in my opinion, makes the book very interesting to read, also because of its polemical value.Wawrzyniec Kowalski, University of Wrocław, Poland.Mihai Dragnea’s book is an important new contribution to scholarly discussions of Slavic identity from the fragmentary evident of the early medieval era through the nineteenth century development of an ethno-romantic interpretive paradigm, to contemporary revisionist scholarship. The focus is on conversion to Christianity and the tensions between mission and military suppression that accompanied it. Themes of faith, apostasy, sacrifice and martyrdom are explored, shedding light on an under- researched people and on social change in the Middle Ages.Carole M. Cusack, University of Sydney, Australia.Dr Mihai Dragnea seeks the identity of the Slavic people, and finds it through his learned, well-documented research in the Early Middle Ages. The Slavic territory was multi-ethnic and tolerant, independent, trading with and peacefully relating to its neighbours. The identity becomes even clearer in the clash with the aggressive expansion of the Christian Empire and its Christian mission aiming at religious submission and economic colonization. The Slavs fought intensely for their freedom and traditions but had to give in after two centuries. The enormous costs were killings, loss of independency and multi-cultural tolerance. Yet, a remnant of freedom survived.Aage Rydstrøm-Poulsen, Emeritus, University of Greenland, Greenland.Historian Mihai Dragnea’s book examines various aspects of religious identity among the Northwestern Slavs in today’s northern Germany. His analysis is based particularly on the reading of primary written sources, concentrating on the role of theological arguments and biblical concepts – such as disobedience, rebellion, and apostasy – within Christian scholars who wrote about crusades and conquests among their pagan neighbors. The author’s international perspective from Southeastern and at the same time Northern Europe offers a highly instructive external view on the ideological dimensions of these confrontations on the medieval Latin periphery.Jens Schneeweiß, Leibniz-Zentrum für Archäologie (LEIZA), Germany.
