principality · Germany and Central Europe
Principality of the Hevelli
Origins
The Hevelli, also called Stodorani, were West Slavic settlers of the Havel lands west of modern Berlin from the 7th or 8th century. Their chief stronghold was Brenna, the later Brandenburg an der Havel. In 928 to 929 the East Frankish king Henry the Fowler captured it in winter across the frozen marshes.
Rule and society
The Hevelli were governed by princes from Brenna, controlling river crossings and fortified settlements on the Havel and Spree. German rule after 929 was lost in the Great Slav Rising of 983, and the Hevelli joined, and later stood apart from, the Lutician Federation. The last prince, Pribislav-Henry, became a Christian and ruled as a German ally.
Decline and legacy
Pribislav-Henry named Albert the Bear his heir; on his death in 1150 Albert took Brandenburg, securing it in 1157 after a fight with the Slavic prince Jaxa of Köpenick. The Hevelli lands became the core of the Margraviate of Brandenburg.
Lineage
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Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Principality of the Hevelli. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/principality-of-the-hevelli
- MLA
- “Principality of the Hevelli.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/principality-of-the-hevelli. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Principality of the Hevelli.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/principality-of-the-hevelli.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Principality of the Hevelli’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/principality-of-the-hevelli (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻