Slovak lands[1] or Slovakian lands[2] (
Slovak: Slovenská zem or shortly Slovensko;
Hungarian: Tótország;[3]Polish: Ziemia Słowacka[4] or shortly Słowaczyzna[5]) is the historical denomination for the whole of the
Slovak-inhabited territories in
Central Europe. It more or less corresponds to modern
Slovakia and the adjacent territories in which
autochthonous Slovak
minorities live.[6]
Terminology
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adding to it. (October 2011)
The term Slovak lands describes Slovak ethnic territory[7] claimed from the 5th century when
Slavs inhabited these lands.[8] The Slovaks called their country 'Slovensko' (Slovakia) – the term appears in written documents from as early as the fifteenth century.[9][10]
History
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adding to it. (October 2011)
The first known
Slavic entities on the territory of Slovakia were the
Samo's Empire in the 7th century, the
Principality of Nitra founded sometime in the 8th century and
Great Moravia in the 9th and early 10th centuries. The Slovak lands for 1000 years were an important part of the
Kingdom of Hungary. During the 17th century many
Germans settled into these areas.[11]