Amongst all these associations, the most significant was undoubtedly the Great Moravian Empire, which united our tribes far and wide into one whole. Convinced of the fact that it was necessary to establish a strong Slavic state in Central Europe, they actively welcomed the missionaries who arrived amongst the Slavs and proclaimed the gospel in their midst, in their own tongue. And yet as soon as that state reached such heights as to be able to plan far into the future, this came to the notice of its foes — namely, its most natural enemy, the German Reich — which began its attempts to cross its intentions, arming itself against it both openly, and in secret. At this time the Czech princes, Spytihněv and Vratislav, seceded from the Great Moravian union into which their father Bořivoj had ent
