Chatzon

Chatzon (Greek: Χάτζων[1][2]) or, in some modern Slavic studies, Hacon (Хацон),[3][4] was a Slavic chieftain (έξαρχος Σκλαβίνων 'exarch of the Sclaveni' in the Greek sources) who, according to Book II of the Miracles of Saint Demetrius, led a coalition of Slavic tribes to attack the Byzantine city of Thessalonica in 615.[1][2]

The Slavs with their families encamped in front of the city walls and even launched an attack by sea, but the latter failed due to a storm (attributed by the Byzantines to the intervention of Saint Demetrius, Thessalonica's patron saint) which sunk many of the Slavs' logboats, after which the siege was lifted.[1][2] Chatzon himself was allowed to enter the city during negotiations shortly after; however, the urban mob rioted at the instigation of the mothers of those slain during the siege and killed him, despite the city leaders' attempts to hide him.[1][2] After this, the Slavs asked for the help of the Avars, resulting in the unsuccessful month-long siege of the city by the combined Avar and Slavic forces in 617/618.[1][2][5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Christophilopoulou, Aikaterini (2006). Βυζαντινή Αυτοκρατορία, Νεώτερος Ελληνισμός, Τόμος Γ' (in Greek). Athens: Herodotos. pp. 25–26. ISBN 960-8256-55-0.
  2. ^ a b c d e Fine, John V. A. Jr. (1991) [1983]. The Early Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. pp. 41, 44. ISBN 0-472-08149-7.
  3. ^ Macedonian Review. Kulturen Zhivot. 1979. p. 243. Velegiziti, joined, in the second decade of the VIIth century, a great Slav tribal union, led by the leader of these Slavs, a man called Hacon. ...
  4. ^ Recueil de travaux de l'Institut des études byzantines. Naučno delo. 1996. p. 99. Из VII века остала су забележена имена Хакона15 и Првуда,16 као вођа приликом опсада Солуна — 614/16. Хакон, односно 674/77. Првуд.
  5. ^ Pohl, Walter (1988). Die Awaren. Ein Steppenvolk in Mitteleuropa 567–822 n. Chr (in German). Munich: Verlag C.H. Beck. p. 241. ISBN 3-406-33330-3.