Mieszko I

Mieszko I
Imagined image by Jan Matejko
Reign	c. 960 – May 25, 992
Royal House	Piast
Coat of Arms	The Piast Eagle
Parents	Siemomysł, mother unknown
Consorts	Dubrawka, Oda
Children	With Dubrawka: Bolesław I the Brave, Świętosława With Oda: Mieszko, Świętopełk, Lambert
Date of Birth	c. 935
Place of Birth	?
Date of Death	May 25, 992
Place of Death	Poznań, Poland
Place of Burial	Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul, Poznań, Poland

Poland and its neighbours as of 960-992

Mieszko I (c. 920/45 – May 25, 992), was a Duke of the Polans since 960 until his death. Member of the Piast dynasty, he was son of the legendary Siemomysł, grandchild of Lestek and father to Bolesław Chrobry, the first crowned King of Poland, and Świętosława(-Sygryda?), a Nordic Queen.

The first historical ruler of Poland, Mieszko I is considered as the de facto creator of the Polish state. He continued the policy of both his father and grandfather, who were rulers of the pagan tribes located at the present Greater Poland; through either by alliances or by military force, he could subordinate Kuyavia and probably Gdańsk Pomerania and Masovia. For most of his reign, Mieszko I was in war for the Western Pomerania, anf finally he could conquer the borders of the Odra River. In the last years of his life he entered in a war against Bohemia, winning Silesia and probably Lesser Poland.

Mieszko I's marriage in 965 with the Premyslid princess Dobrawa and his baptism ca. 966 put him and his country in the western cultural circle of the Christianism. Apart from the great conquests during his reign (who proved to be fundamental for the future of Poland), Mieszko I was renowed for his internal reforms, aimed at expanding and improving the Monarch system.

According to older soruces, Mieszko I was described as a wise politician, a talented leader and charismatic ruler. He succesfully used the diplomacy, concluding an alliance with Bohemia first, and then with Sweden and the Holy Roman Empire. In foreign policy, first of all, he placed the interests of his country before, even entering into agreements with his former enemies. On his death, he leave to his sons a territorial increased country with a much higher position in Europe.

Mieszko I also appeared as "Dagome" in a papal document from about 1085 AD called "Dagome iudex", which mentions a gift of land to the Pope almost a hundred years earlier.

Life

Date of Birth

There is no certain information of any source on Mieszko I's life before he took the government over his lands. Only the Lesser Poland Chronicle ranked the date of his birth between the years 920-931 (depending on the version of the manuscript), but modern researchers don't recognize the Chronicle as a reliable source. Several historians on the basis of its investigations could determined the date of Mieszko I's between 922-945; the activity of the Duke in his final years of life put the date of his birth closed to the last year.

Origin and meaning of his name

There are three major theories concerning the origin and meaning of Mieszko I's name. The most popular theory, proposed by Jan Długosz, explains that Mieszko is a diminutive of Mieczysław, a combination of two elements or lexemes: Miecz meaning sword and Sław meaning famous. Today, this theory is rejected by the majority of Polish historians, who consider the name Mieczysław to have been invented by Długosz to explain the origin of the name Mieszko. Today, we know that ancient Slavs never formed their names using either animal names or weapon names. Ancient Slavic names were abstract in nature. The same explanation rules out another theory about the origin of name Mieszko, which links the name with the Polish word miś/miśko meaning bear, as no animal names were used to form honorable Polish names among Polish nobility.

The second most popular theory about the origin and sense of Mieszko's name can be traced to the very old legend, firstly described by Gallus Anonymus, according to which Mieszko I was blind during his first seven years of life and then. The chronicler related this story as follows:

At that time Prince Siemomysł urgently asked to the elderly people of his country to find a cure for the blindness of his son. They explained that this blindness meant that Poland was since them blind, but now was illuminated by Mieszko and his power over neighboring nations.

The translation was a clear reference to the later baptism of the Duke:

For Poland, who was blind before, knowing nothing about the true God or the principles of the Catholic faith, but thanks of the enlightened of Mieszko the country also was enlightened, because he adopted the faith, and the Polish nation was saved from death and destruction.

In addition, is known that the Slavic word "mzec" can be interpreted as “having his eyes closed” or “be blind”. Yet again, today it's almost certain that this legend was used as a metaphor in allusion to the old Slavic pagan ceremony known as the "postrzyżyny": during that ceremony hair cutting was performed to every boy at the age of seven. In that symbolic rite a child became a man. That explains that Mieszko I wasn't blind in fact. He was blind only metaphorically. Besides his son’s name was also Mieszko and it is hard to believe that he was also blind. In addition as we know today ancient Slavs used only abstract names among nobility.

The third theory links the name of Mieszko with his other name, Dagome, as it appeared in the document called Dagome iudex. We know this document only from a copy prepared by an anonymous monk who was not familiar with Polish language or Polish names. It is possible that while copying the document he made a mistake and wrote down Dagome instead of Dagomer or even Dagomir. The name Dagomir is used to this day and its construction is similar to other Polish names like for example: Władimir/Włodzimierz or Casimir/Kazimierz. The evolution of the “-mir” element to “-mierz” is due to two separate developments: first, the regular change of the vowel "i" to "(i)e" before "r", and second, the modification of the nominative case by the vocative for certain names (hence, Kazimierz replaced Kazimier based on the vocative Kazimierze). It is debatable whether the name Mieszko is a nickname formed from the second part of the name *Dago-mierz, since the merger in pronunciation of "sz" with the devoiced "rz" which would appear in this position is quite recent. The word mir can be translated as peace.

Beginning of his reign

Mieszko I took the throne after his father's death ca. 950-960, probably closer to the latest date. Due to the lack of resources may not be exactly what it inherited from the earth. Certainly they are among the areas inhabited by Polans and Goplans, as well as the Sieradz-Łęczyca lands. It's possible that this lands belonged earlier to Masovia and Gdańsk Pomerania. Soon the new ruler had faced the task of integrating the relatively large, ethnically and culturally heterogeneous territory. Although residents of areas controlled by Mieszko I speaked in the majority one language, have similar beliefs and reached a similar level of economic development and civilization, the basic form of their social structure was tribal. It appears that cooperating with the Duke since the beginning could favored the further unification of the country.

The visit of the Sephardi Jewish traveller Abraham ben Jacob to the Polish state is now considered as the first reliable description about Poland under the reign of Mieszko I. His notes about his long trip were probably presented in 966 at the court of Emperor Otto I. He presented Mieszko I as a reigning prince on a vast area with a well-organized tribal group. The precise records of ben Jacob's trips were recopilated firstly by Widukind of Corvey and half a century later, by the Bishop Thietmar of Merseburg.

By the time that Mieszko I took the power, the pagan Poland began to expanding in new directions. Maybe in the first years of the reign, if not done so by his father or grandfather, Mieszko I conquered Masovia. Perhaps at the beginning of the 960s is also likely, at least partially obtain Gdańsk Pomerania. Mieszko I's interests were concentrated mainly on the areas ocuped by the Połabie region, who in a short time was subordinated to him. As Widukind of Corvey wrote, Mieszko I's own tribe was called the Licicaviki (now commonly identified in the Lubusz land). After the complete conquest of the Polish tribes, Mieszko I entered in the German sphere of influence.

In 963 the German Margrave Gero conquered territories occupied by the Łużyczan and Słupian tribes, as a result of direct contact with the Polish state. At the same time (about 960) began the Mieszko I expansion against the Wolinian and Veleti tribes. During this state of war occur the visit of Abraham ben Jacob, who recorded all this situations. According to him, Mieszko I had fought against the Weltaba tribe, commonly identified with the Veletis. Wichmann the Younger, a Saxon nobleman who now was a leader of a ban of Slavics, defeated Mieszko I twice, and ca. 963 he even killed an unknown brother of the Polish Duke. The borders of the Odra River were also a source of disputes with Germany. In addition, the Veletis allied with Bohemia, and they could conquer Silesia and Lesser Poland.

Marriage

In 965 Mieszko married Dobrawa (Dobrava, Dubrawka), daughter of Boleslav I, Duke of Bohemia. In 977 Dobrawa died, and in 980 Mieszko married Oda von Haldensleben, daughter of Dietrich of Haldensleben, Count of the North March (965-985), after abducting her from the monastery of Kalbe.

Mieszko's coin

The early career of Mieszko was dominated by fighting with the tribes of Wieletes and Volinians south of the Baltic Sea, and their ally, the Saxon count Wichman. Mieszko was baptised in 966, probably under the influence of his Christian first wife or perhaps in order to avoid confrontation with the Holy Roman Empire to the west. He built a church dedicated to Saint George at Gniezno and in 968 he founded the first cathedral in Poznań, placed under the archdiocese of Magdeburg and dedicated to Saint Peter. Those events are also known as the baptism of Poland.

At the time of the reign of Mieszko there was no single place serving as the capital, instead he built several castles around his country. Of the most important were: Poznań, Gniezno and Ostrów Lednicki. The latter was a ring-fort some 460 feet in diameter, containing his residence, a fine stone palace, the country's first monumental architecture.

He had probably one sister of unknown name, and two brothers: one of them, name unknown, was killed in battle around 964; the second, chronicled as Cidebur (Polish: Czcibor), helped Mieszko to defeat margrave Hodo, successor of Dietrich von Haldensleben in the Battle of Cedynia in 972.

Some historians suggest that Mieszko I had pledged allegiance to emperor Otto I the Great, to emperor Otto II and again to emperor Otto III. However, there is much dispute over this point from the Polish side - mainly whether his allegiance represented the whole of Poland, or only part (the disputed fragment is "usque in Vurta fluvium" from Thietmari chronicon).

Reign

His reign began around 962 in the territory later called Greater Poland, Kuyavia and possibly in eastern Pomerania. In the 960s he probably at least partially conquered western Pomerania, and in the 990s he conquered Silesia and Lesser Poland.

Much of his military activity was along the Baltic coast, in the territory later called Pomerania. He defeated Odo I, Margrave of the Saxon Ostmark, at Cedynia in 972, and reached the mouth of the Oder in 976. The decisive battle, fought in 979, ensured Mieszko's position as ruler of the area (or forced him to make an allegiance with Emperor Otto II). The following year he celebrated his temporary conquest by dedicating a fortress at Gdańsk in 999.

In 981 Mieszko I lost the land known only as Grody Czerwieńskie to Vladimir I, prince of Kiev (but this territory could belong to another Polish tribe: Lędzianie, which wasn't under Mieszko's control before 987/988). In 986, upon the death of Emperor Otto II (d. 983), after a short time of being opposed to the idea, he pledged allegiance to Emperor Otto III, and helped Otto with wars against the Polabian Slavs. According to the 1085 papal note, he and his wife Ote, shortly before his death, gifted the state to the Pope and in turn received it as a fief of the Pope in a document usually called the Dagome Iudex (this is one of many theories, which try to explain the motives of making this document). This document indexes the lands of (Mieszko), referred to as "Dagome" in the document, and his wife "Ote" (former nun Oda von Haldensleben) and her sons by him. The other son Boleslaw I is not mentioned, perhaps as assurance that Oda and her sons retain the territory (by papal protection). As it turned out, upon his father's death Boleslaw did expel Oda and her sons in order to claim all territory for himself.

From his first marriage he had a son, his successor Boleslaus, and two daughters, Sygryda (Świętosława) and one whose name is unknown. Sygryda was the wife (as queen Sigrid the Haughty) of Eric the Victorious, king of Sweden and then (as queen Gunhilda) of king Sweyn Forkbeard of Denmark, and mother of king Canute of Denmark and England. "Świętosława" is generally accepted by historians as the best approximation of this first daughter's Slavic name. The second daughter was most likely married to a Pomeranian Slavic Prince.

From his second marriage he had three sons; Mieszko, Lambert, and Świętopełk.

In 1999 the archeologist Hanna Kóčka-Krenz found Mieszko's palace in Poznań.

Bibliography

• Jasiński K., Rodowód pierwszych Piastów, Warszawa-Wrocław (1992), s. 54-70.
• Labuda G., Mieszko I, (w:) Polski Słownik Biograficzny, t. 21, 1976.
• Labuda G., Mieszko I, Wyd. Ossolineum, Wrocław 2002, ISBN 83-04-04619-9
• Labuda G., Pierwsze państwo polskie, Krajowa Agencja Wydawnicza, Kraków 1989, ISBN 83-03-02969-X
• Szczur S., Historia Polski średniowiecze", rozdz. 2.2.1 Państwo gnieźnieńskie Mieszka I (s. 47-57) i 2.4.1 Drużyna książęca (s. 83-84), Wydawnictwo Literackie 2002, ISBN 83-08-03272-9

See also

• Prehistory of Poland (until 966)
• Poland in the Early Middle Ages
• History of Poland (966-1385)