Bavarians

[vodnik]

...the first western Slavic empire was foundet by a frankish merchant called Samo. It is not certain where Wogastisburg was located. Somewhere between Bavaria, Bohemia and Slowakia. In 631 AD or 32 an austrasian frankish army tried to subdue this neighbor. Led by king Dagobert assisted by Lombard and Bavarian forces the franks attacked the slavic settlements. The Franks were routed near Wogastisburg. I think in that time you could use frankish warriors and mix them with Bavarias of an equal combat quality compared with the DBMM army list 2/73...

[vodnik]

...some people says the Bavarians are (germanis or celtic tribes) emigratet from Bohemia but they were more related to the Franks and Thuringians, maybe with Avar influence...

[vodnik]

...as a fighting factor the Bavarians appeared from between 476AD - 530AD. That means, after the fall of western Rome when Odoacer became the king of Italy. To save the main land the Romans from Noricum were called back to Italay. Odoacer was killed by Theoderic the Great in Ravenna in 493AD. The remaining Romans in Noricum and Raetia and also the soldiers in Roman service merged to a new populaton. Starting in the regions of Juvavum (Salzburg), Augusta Vindelicorum (Augsburg), Castra Regina (Regensburg) and Batavium (Passau). In the garnisons there were often stationed Germanic auxiliary troops like: Rugii, Goths, Scirii, Juthungi, Marcomanni, Heruls and a few Franks as well as people from other tribes like the Hunns & Sarmatians. After the death of Theoderic in 526AD the Merowingian Franks grew to the most powerfull empire in Europe. From 555AD Bavaria was a ducky with the capital of Freising. The duke at that time was from the Agilolfings family...