M. BENcovA Slovak Foundation Education in Immunogenetics Kopanice 25,
821 04 Bratislava Slovak Republic Short History of Slovakia After the
end of the 5th century, the major part of Central Europe was dominated
by Slavs (Slovaks). They had already in the 7th century settle- ments in
the vicinity of towns Bratislava, Devin, Nitra to create the Slovak's
state formation with the name "The Empire of Sam", territory of which
corresponded to that of Slovakia of present. The Empire of Sam was also
the first state formation in the Central Europe (as present states Czech
Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia etc. ) Very important town of this
state was Nitra, with the biggest Castle in the Central Europe with his
Duke Pribina. The first Church of the Central Europe was built here in
the year 830, and it is now considered to be the "Slovak Bethlehem". In
the year 880, Nitra also became the first Office of Bishops. Later, the
Slovak Duke Pribina and Moravian Duke Mojmir (Moravia corresponded to
eastern part of the present Czech Republic) joined their formations to
common state "Greate Moravian Empire". The strongest King of the Great
Moravian Empire was Svatopluk (864 A. D. ), who spread his empire over
Czech Republic, Hungary and part of Poland, Ukraine and eastern Germany
of present, which at that time still did not exist as state formations.