Here is what Jan of Holešov said of the Czech – Croatian relationship – perhaps a useful hint as to the location of White Croatia. It also contains an interesting discussion of the dual meaning of the word mir as in “world” but also “peace” (interestingly making combos like “world peace” seem quite redundant).
“Vbi sciendum est primo quod nos Boemi et genere et lingua originaliter processimus a Charuatis, ut nostre chronice testantur, et ideo nostrum boemicale idioma de genere suo est charuaticum idioma. nam precise charuaticum idioma nobiscum intrauit ad istas siluas et ad hec deserta, que adhuc in nullius hominis dominio et possessione fuerunt, sed in solius dei, et ex illis graui labore nostro extirpauimus nobis hanc Boemie terram, que iam propria nostra iniuriose et contra ius destruitur et aufertur nobis: deus iustus iudex misereatur nostri et s. Adalbertus. et ideo in principio omnes Boemi in hac terra loquebantur precise ut modo loquuntur Charuati. sed illud primum charuaticum idioma huius terre remote abiens huc a sua Charuatica terra per diuersos et longos temporis successus ita est in se immutatum in terra, quod iam multa aliter loquuntur quam Charuati et quam ante nos Boemi in hac terra loquebantur. sed fluente tali immutacione idiomatis nostri s. Adalbertus suo tempore adhuc inuenerat aliquid de charuatico modo loquendi et componens istud canticum composuit id in eo sermone, quem tunc inuenerat et qui tunc communiter eminebat aliqualiter adhuc modo charuatico. et ideo in hac presenti particula sunt duo uocabula charuatica, scilicet spase myra, que propter predictam mutacionem ydiomatis nostri iam non sunt nobis modernis Boemis nota et quoad usum et quoad intellectum, et imo iam indigent declaracione nobis tanquam alia latina uel greca. propter quod sciendum est quod spase est uirtus huius nominis spas et est idem quod saluator. nam ubi nos moderni Boemi saluator dicimus spasytel, ibi antiqui Boemi dicebant spas in nominatiuo et spase in uocatiuo, hac littera s utrobique in suo forti sono prolata. secundo sciendum est, quod hec diccio mira est genitiuus huius nominis mir. et in boemico et in charuatico sermone sunt eciam nomina equiuoca, sicut ista diccio prst significat duo, quia prst est inimica terra et prst est membrum in manu scilicet digitus. ita etiam ista diccio mir apud Charuaticos est equiuoca ad duo significata: uno modo mir est idem quod mundus seu seculum, quod nos dicimus swyet; alio modo idem est quod pax. et hanc equiuocacionem et significacionem huius nominis mir possumus probare per terminum charuaticum Agnus dei, quod ipsi in missa sua precise isto tenore dicunt scilicet Aganczze bozy bozemle y grechy mira day nam mir. quod exponitur sic: Aganczze bozy id est agnus dei, bozemle id est tollis, y id est qui, quia ipsi postponunt qui, grechy mira id est peccata mundi, day nam mir id est dona nobis pacem. et qui uult, potest hoc in Praga apud Slauos experiri. et ideo sicut in hoc Agnus dei mira in primo loco est idem quod mundi, et mir in fine eius est idem quod pacem, sic in isto cantico s. Adalberti mira in primo loco est idem quod mundi et mir in fine eius est idem quod pacem. et isto modo sanctus Adalbertus mira in hoc cantico posuit, et Boemi sui temporis loquebantur et intelligebant.”
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It seems that the place of origin, from where the early Croats (Hrvati) migrated was in todays Ukraina. 1)In Nestor’s from Kiev Chronicle (11th/12th century)Hrovati/Horvate are one of nine important tribes in the area of later Kievska Rus. Horvati are mentioned three times, for time period of (dated) 10th century 2 times and in general list of nations. 2) Croats as Chrouati et altera Crouuati are mentioned in Latin documents from 11th century from Prague related to events in 10th century. Croats are accepted in Czech historiography as inhabitants of nort-eastern part of Czech country, around the upper Laba/Elba river. 3) There are some indirect evidences that Croats/Horvati/Hrvati had settlements around upper Vistula (Wisła, in Croatian: Visla) river, near Kraków. 4) Croatian historian Stjepan Antoljak in his paper/article from 1956 has made an analysis of old toponyms in region of Carantaniain todays region Kärnten in southern Austria(between Drava and Mura rivers)and he concluded that the old (from middle ages and early new age) toponyms in Carantania in many cases correspond to the toponyms in northern Dalmatia (Liburnia) and in Lika region (example: Modrići, etc.). Antoljak’s opinion was that in some moment in early middle ages (before 10th century, that is: from 7th to 9th century)Croats/Hrvati from Lika and Dalmatia colonized area in southern Austria. 5) The most famous written historical chapters about Croats and their origin gave, of course, Byzantine emperor and writer Konstantinos Porphyrogennetos (cca. year 950 AD). In chapters 30 and 31 he wrote two accounts about arrival of Croats to former Roman province of Dalmatia. Two stories are different in some informations, but what is the same is: Croats came to Dalmatia and fought against Avars and conquer the land for them selves. Chapter 30 emphasize the role of Byzantine emperor Heraklios (610-641)in arrival of Croats (they arrived on his request and with his permision they conquered the land); in this chapter Croats are represented as organized millitary group which was able to defeat Avars and so, in historical context, remove Avar pressure away from costal cities of Dalmatia (Split/Spalato, Zadar/Iadera, Trogir/Tragurium). (Politics of using millitary power of one nation against other and by doing so, buying time for them selves, was one of tactis employed by Byzantine emperors, what is clearly said and described in Porphyrogennetos work “De administrando imperio”.) Chapter 30 is important because it gives the time-frame of Croatian migration and that is first half of 7th century. Can we accept this period or not as historicly valid, it is still open question in historical science. If look in wider historical context, then we know that former Byzantine ally the Antes/Antai were last time mentioned regarding their war against Avars, cca. year 603,presuming Antai destruction by Avars. After this, there was Slavic/Avar destruction of the greatest Roman urban center in Dalmatia: Salonae, wich was destroyed about year 614. In this context, it seems logical that Heraklios is searching some new millitary power against Avars.From other side, chapter 31 also has narative about Croats fighting against Avars in Dalmatia, but this story has no mention of emperor Heraklios at all. it brings the story about 5 brothers (Muhlo, Klukas, Lovel, Kosentzis, Hrovat) and two sisters: Tuga i Buga/Vuga who brought Croats to Dalmatia. Also, mentions the earlier homeland from where they came. Porphyrogennetos named this country/land: “he megale Hrobatia” (great Croatia) which is also called: “Belohrobatia” what means “White Croatia”. Some historians have claimed that Porphyrogennetos in his Greek text writes letter beta “b” usually to be pronunced as voice /v/, what was normal use for that period, regarding “vitacism”, but sometimes he was using letter/character “b” to designate voice /b/. So, it is clear from text that “Hrobatoi” are “Hrovatoi”, that is “Hrvati” in modern Croatian. And “Belohrobatia” would be respectivly “Velohrovatia” what means “Great Croatia” as it was said in Greek text. However, Greek text also explains that “Belohrobatia” means “White Croatia”. And that is with out any doubt. Also, emperor gives us the geographical location of this “Belohrobatia”: it is located between Frankia (in the west), to the Petchengs (in the east, that is in the stepp land of Ukraina) and has borders with Turks (that is, with Hungarians/Magyars) in the south. In the time of Porphirogennetos (10th century) “Belohrobatia” in north was much weaker than baptized Hrovatia on Adriatic, because it was attacked by all above mentioned neighbours. Interestingly, Nestor also mentions Petchenegi as the ally of Volodimir from Kiev in his war against Horvati in 993. It seems as a logical conclusion that Croats had lived in wide area from central Ukraina, through upper Dniester region (Galič-Lavov), where near Mikolajivno is archaelogical site of fortifide settlement Stilysko(250ha)from that period and probably through Małopolska region to northern Czech and to river Saale in eastern Germany. That is wide area of Croatian settlement, around 50°NGL from Kiev to Prague. Of course, it was not unificated area in any sens, but obviously Croatian settlments were mingled with other Slavic groups.