First Sentence

"From the time of the Slav expansion into the Balkans (sixth century) until the mid-ninth century there were only rare instances of the Slavs setting up any sort of formal state: in the early seventh century (after the defeat of the Avars in 623) the western Slavs in the Bohemian and Moravian area set up one under Samo, which lasted thirty-five years, ending with Samo's death in 658 (Schenker 1995); in 680 was formed the Bulgarian Khanate of Asparuch, initially not Slav, but which later (early ninth century) became a Slav kingdom lasting until the early eleventh century (1014)."