In 983, the brothers were leaders of the
great Slavic revolt, which German historiography labels the
Slawenaufstand, which followed news of the
Emperor Otto II's defeat at the
Battle of Stilo. He raided far to the west and even destroyed the relatively new city of
Hamburg that year. There are two accounts of his life and his reasons for abandoning Christianity. According to
Adam of Bremen: A Slavic prince named Billung married the beautiful sister of
Bishop Wago of Starigard and had with her a daughter Hodica and a son
Mstislaw, whom he, taking advantage of his jealousy of the
Saxons, goaded into hatred of Christianity and his mother until, having so offended his wife, he began to connive against Christianity and the bishops. According to
Helmold: Duke Herman Billung [actually
Duke Bernard I] promised a niece of his to Mstivoj [or Mstivoj requested] if he accompanied him on campaign to Italy. That Mstivoj did and upon returning reminded him of the promise. Then
Dietrich of Haldensleben proclaimed that "the high-born niece of a great prince may not be given to a dog," whereupon Mstivoj, recruiting the
Liutizi to aid him, devastated
Nordalbingia with fire and sword. Helmold also justifies the Slavic rebellion repeatedly by citing the excessive greed of the Saxons. Mstivoj's daughter
Tove married in the spring of 962
Knut Danaást, the eldest son of
Gorm the Old of Denmark. With the death of Knut in October 962 Tove became a widow, and instead she married Knut's younger brother
Harald. She became the mother of
Sweyn Forkbeard. Tove also raised the
Sønder Vissing Runestone in memory of her mother. Another daughter, Hodica, was abbess of the monastery at the Mecklenburg. Mstivoj also had a son,
Mstislaw, often being confused with his similarly named father. ==References==