Mieszko II Lambert

This article is about a Polish king. See also Duke Mieszko II the Fat.

Mieszko II Lambert
Mieszko and duchess Matilda of Swabia. Earliest known contemporary depiction of a Polish ruler.
Reign	1025–1034.
Coronation	December 25, 1025, in Gniezno Cathedral, Poland.
Royal House	Piast.
Coat of Arms	The Piast Eagle.
Parents	Bolesław I the Brave, Enmilda.
Consorts	Richensa.
Children	With Richensa: Casimir I, Gertruda.
Date of Birth	990.
Place of Birth	?
Date of Death	May 10, 1034.
Place of Death	?
Place of Burial	Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul, Poznań, Poland.

'Mieszko II Lambert (b. ca. 990 - d. 10/11 May 1034) ruled from 1025-1034 as duke and short-term king of Poland. was King of Poland during 1025-1031, and Duke from 1032 until his death.

He was the second son of Bolesław I the Brave but the eldest born from his third wife Enmilda, daughter of Dobromir, possible ruler of Lusatia.

He organized two devastating invasions to Saxony in 1028 and 1030. Then ran a defensive war against Germany, Bohemia and the Kievan princes. Mieszko II was forced to escape from the country in 1031 after an attack of Yaroslav I the Wise, who put on the Polish throne to his older half-brother Bezprym. He took refuge in Bohemia, where he was imprisoned by the Duke Oldrich. In 1032 he regained the power in one of the three districts. United country, but he managed to play the stable structures of power. In this time, dropped from the Polish territorial acquisitions of his father: Milsko, Lusatia, Red Ruthenia, Moravia and Slovakia.

Mieszko II was very well educated for the period. He was able to read and write, and knew both Greek and Latin. He is unjustly known as Mieszko Gnuśny (the "Lazy," "Stagnant" or "Slothful"). He received that epithet due to the unfortunate way his reign ended; but at the beginning he acted as a skillful and talented ruler.

Life

Early Years

Mieszko II was politically active before his father's death, so Bolesław I the Brave appointed him to his successor. He participated mainly in German politics, both as a representative of his father and the commander of the Polish troops.

In 1013 Mieszko II went to Magdeburg, where he paid homage to the Emperor Henry II. A few months later Bolesław I the Brave paid homage in person. It's unclear the real purprose of Mieszko II's visit to Germany, especially since it soon after his father made by himself the homage to the Holy Roman Empire. Presumably, the young prince paid homage for Milsko or Moravia and Lusatia. It also stated that it was only a personal tribute, not entailing any legal obligations. Another hypothesis assumes that the territories were transferred by Bolesław I to him, and in consecuence made Mieszko a vassal of the Empire.

The position of the young prince at the both Polish and Imperial courts, increased strongly in 1013 when he married with Richeza, daughter of Count Palatine Ezzo of Lotharingia (Ezzonen) and niece of Emperor Otto III. Ezzo was a prince of a considerable influence as a great leader of the opposition against Henry II. Through the marriage with his daughter Mieszko II entered in the circle of the Imperial family and became an item equal to, if not higher than the Emperor himself. Probably after the wedding, and in accordance with prevailing custom, Bolesław I give a separated district to Mieszko II: Kraków with the town of Wawel, who was chose by the prince as his residence.

He sought to rule as king in 1025, he probably served as his father's governor in Kraków, most likely from 1013, and reputedly built many churches.

Beginning in 1028, he successfully waged war against the Holy Roman Empire: he was able to repel the its invading army, and later even invaded Saxony. He allied Poland with Hungary, resulting in a temporary Hungarian occupation of Vienna. This war was probably prompted by family connections of Mieszko's in Germany who opposed Emperor Conrad II.

19th century portrait by Jan Matejko

An understanding of what happened later requires an understanding of Mieszko's family. His older brother Bezprym was the son of an unknown Hungarian wife of Bolesław's and was later expelled by Mieszko. He also had a younger brother, Otton. By Slavic custom, a father should divide his legacy among all his sons. However, since a kingdom cannot be divided, Mieszko's brothers received nothing from their father's legacy.

As Bezprym was the oldest son, many probably felt that he should have succeeded his father as king. Bezprym had, however, always been disliked by his father, as indicated by his name (the Piasts tended to give names such as Bolesław, Mieszko and later Kazimierz, Władysław and emperors' names such as Otto, Conrad and Heinrich: Bezprym was a commoner's name, which implied that Bolesław did not wish Bezprym to succeed him). He was packed off to a monastery.

Mieszko's two brothers escaped abroad: Otton to HRE, Bezprym to Kievan Rus. Soon after, the HRE emperor and the grand duke of Kiev, Yaroslav I the Wise, made alliance and simultaneously invaded Poland.

Facing two enemies, HRE on the west and Rus on the east, Mieszko escaped to Bohemia.Bezprym began his reign by sending his crown and regalia to HRE. Mieszko soon returned, but was forced to pledge fealty to the German Emperor, and Poland was divided among him, his brothers Otton and Bezprym, and a certain Thiedric (cousin, grandson of Mieszko I and Oda). Otton was killed by one of his own men, and Mieszko was able to reunite Poland.

What happened next is a mystery. Historians now think that Mieszko was killed (1034) in a plot hatched by the aristocracy.

After Mieszko's death, Poland's peasants revolted in a "pagan reaction." The exact reasons and date are unknown. Mieszko's son, Casimir I, was either expelled by this insurrection, or the insurrection was caused by the aristocracy's expulsion of him.

Some modern historians argue that the insurrection was caused more by economic than by religious issues, such as new taxes for the Church and the militarization of the early Polish polity. Priests, monks and knights were killed; cities, churches and monasteries were burned.

The chaos became still greater when unexpectedly the Czechs invaded from the south. The land became divided among local rulers, one of whom is known by name: Masław, ruler of Masovia. Greater Poland was so devastated that it ceased to be the core of Polish Kingdom. The capital was moved to Kraków in Lesser Poland.

See also

• History of Poland (966-1385)