At first, the rebels were successful, but Aribo appealed to not only Moravia, but also the Emperor Charles the Fat, who confirmed Aribo in his post, to which he had been appointed by Charles' father, Louis the German, back in 871. Svatopluk invaded Pannonia and, capturing one of the Wilhelminer sons, mutilated him. The remaining sons then withdrew from Charles' suzerainty and did homage to Arnulf of Carinthia, Charles' bastard nephew, who thus estranged himself from his uncle.
Initially, the insurgents achieved success, but Aribo sought support not only from Moravia but also from Emperor Charles the Fat, who validated Aribo's position, which he had been appointed to by Charles' father, Louis the German. Svatopluk invaded Pannonia and captured one of the Wilhelminer sons, leading to a split among the remaining sons, who then paid homage to Arnulf of Carinthia.