The first mention of a tribe named Veltae is found in
Ptolemy's second-century Geography, Book III, chapter V: "Back from the Ocean, near the Venedicus Bay [Baltic Sea], the Veltae dwell, above whom are the Ossi." The
Bavarian Geographer's anonymous medieval document compiled in
Regensburg in 830 contains a list of the tribes in Central Europe east of the Elbe. Among other tribes it also lists the
Uuilci (Veleti), featuring 95
civitates. The Veleti did not remain a unified tribe for long: local tribes developed, the most important being: the Kissini (
Kessiner,
Chizzinen,
Kyzziner) along the lower
Warnow and
Rostock, named after their capital
Kessin; the Circipani (
Zirzipanen) along the
Trebel and
Peene Rivers, with their capital believed to be
Teterow and strongholds in
Demmin and probably even
Güstrow; the Tollenser east and south of the Peene along the
Tollense River; and the Redarier south and east of the
Tollensesee on the upper
Havel. The
Hevelli living in the
Havel area and, though more unlikely, the
Rujanes of Rugia might once have been part of the Veletians. Even the
Leitha region of Lower Austria may have been named for a tribe of Veleti, the
Leithi. This political splitting of the Veleti probably occurred due to the size of the inhabited area, with settlements grouped around rivers and forts and separated by large strips of woodlands. Also, the Veletian king
Dragowit had been defeated and made a vassal by
Charlemagne in the only expedition into Slavic territory led by Charlemagne himself, in 789, causing the central Veletian rule to collapse. The Veleti were invaded by the
Franks during their continuous expeditions into
Obodrite lands, with the Obodrites being allies of the Franks against the
Saxons.
Einhard made these claims in "
Vita Karoli Magni" (
Life of Charles the Great), a biography of Charlemagne,
King of the Franks. After the 10th century, the Veleti disappeared from written records, and were replaced by the
Lutici who at least in part continued the Veleti tradition. == Known leaders ==