When Charlemagne incorporated much of Central Europe, he brought the Frankish st ate face to face with the Avars

and Slavs in the southeast.[42] The most southea st Frankish neighbors were Croats, who settled in Pannonian Croatia and Dalmatia n Croatia. While fighting the Avars, the Franks had called for their support.[43 ] During the 790s, when Charlemagne campaigned against the Avars, he won a major victory in 796.[44] Pannonian Croatian duke Vojnomir of Pannonian Croatia aided Charlemagne, and the Franks made themselves overlords over the Croatians of nor thern Dalmatia, Slavonia, and Pannonia.[44] The Frankish commander Eric of Friuli wanted to extend his dominion by conquerin g Littoral Croatian Duchy. During that time, Dalmatian Croatia was ruled by duke Vi eslav of Croatia, who was one of the first known Croatian dukes.[45] In the Ba ttle of Trsat, the forces of Eric fled their positions and were totally routed b y the forces of Vi eslav.[45] Eric himself was among the killed, and his death and defeat proved a great blow for the Carolingian Empire.[42][45][46] Charlemagne also directed his attention to the Slavs to the west of the Avar kha ganate: the Carantanians and Carniolans. These people were subdued by the Lombar ds and Bavarii, were made tributaries, but were never fully incorporated into th e Frankish state.