Mieszko II Lambert
Encyclopedia
Mieszko II Lambert 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 Emmilda
, daughter of Dobromir, possible ruler of Lusatia
. He was probably named after his paternal grandfather, Mieszko I
. His second name, Lambert, sometimes erroneously considered to be a nickname, was given to him as a reference to the cult of Saint Lambert. Also, it is probable that this name Lambert was chosen after Bolesław I's half-brother Lambert
. It is thought that the choice of this name for his son was an expression of warming relations between Bolesław I and his stepmother Oda.
He organized two devastating invasions to Saxony
in 1028 and 1030. Then Mieszko II 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 installed Mieszko's older half-brother Bezprym
onto the Polish throne. Mieszko took refuge in Bohemia, where he was imprisoned by the Duke Oldrich. In 1032 he regained power in one of the three districts, then united the country, making good use of the remaining power structures. At this time, several Polish territorial acquisitions of his father were lost: Upper Lusatia
(also known as Milsko), part of Lower Lusatia
, Red Ruthenia
, western and central part of Upper Hungary
(now Slovakia
) and probably Moravia
.
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 II 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.
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. The real purpose of Mieszko's visit is unclear, especially since soon after his father paid homage to the Holy Roman Empire. Presumably, the young prince paid homage for Milsko or Moravia and Lusatia. The relevant treaty stipulated 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 as a result made Mieszko a vassal of the Empire.
The position of the young prince, at the both Polish and Imperial courts, became stronger in 1013 when he married Richeza (Ryksa), daughter of Count Palatine Ezzo of Lotharingia
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, he entered into the circle of the Imperial family and became a person equal to, if not higher than the Emperor himself. Probably after the wedding, and in accordance with prevailing custom, Bolesław I gave a separate district to Mieszko II to rule: Kraków
. One of his towns, Wawel
(now part of the city), was chosen by the prince as his residence.
In the year 1014 Mieszko II was sent by his father to Bohemia
as an emissary. He had to persuade Duke Oldřich to make an alliance against the Emperor Henry II. The mission failed as Oldřich imprisoned Mieszko. He was released only after the intervention of the Emperor, who, despite the planned betrayal of Bolesław I, loyally acted on behalf of his vassal. As a result, Mieszko was sent to the Imperial court in Merseburg as a hostage. Henry II probably wanted to force the presence of Bolesław I in Merseburg and make him explain his actions. The plan failed however, because, under pressure from his relatives, the Emperor soon agreed to release Mieszko.
A year later, Mieszko II stood at the head of Polish troops in the next war against the Emperor. The campaign wasn't favorable to Henry. His army needed over a month to reach the line of the Oder River, and once there, his troops encountered strong resistance led by Mieszko and his father. Henry II sent a delegation to the Polish rulers, in an effort to induce them to conclude a peace settlement. Mieszko II refused, and after the Emperor's failure to defeat his troops in battle, Henry decided to begin retreating to Dziadoszyce
. The Polish prince went on pursuit, and inflicted heavy losses on the German army. When the Polish army advanced to Meissen
, Mieszko II unsuccessfully tried to besiege the castle of his brother-in-law, Margrave Herman I
(husband of his sister Regelinda). The fighting stopped in autumn and was resumed only in 1017 after the failure of peace talks. Imperial forces bypassed the main defensive site near Krosno Odrzańskie
and besieged Niemcza
. At the same time, at the head of ten legions, Mieszko went to Moravia and planned an allied attack together with Bohemia against the Emperor. This action forced the Emperor to give up on a plan of any frontal attack. A year later, the Peace of Bautzen
(30 January 1018) was concluded, with terms extremely favorable to the Polish side.
Beginning in 1028, he successfully waged war against the Holy Roman Empire. He was able to repel 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
.
Due to the death of Thietmar of Merseburg
, the principal chronicler of that period, there is little information about Mieszko II's life from 1018 until 1025, when he finally took over the government of Poland. Only Gallus Anonymus
mentions the then Prince on occasion of the description of his father's trip to Rus
in 1018: "due to the fact that his son (...) Mieszko wasn't considered yet capable of taking the government by himself, he established a regent among his family during his trip to Rus". This statement was probably the result of the complete ignorance of the chronicler, since 1018 Mieszko II was 28 years old and was already fully able to exercise the power by himself.
. Contemporary German chroniclers considered this to be an abuse of power on the part of the Archbishop, which was made necessary by the existing political situation. After his father's death, Mieszko inherited a vast territory, which in addition to Greater Poland, Lesser Poland, Silesia
and Gdansk Pomerania
also included Western Pomerania, as well as Lusatia, Red Ruthenia and territory of present-day Slovakia. Whether Moravia was still under his reign or was lost earlier is disputed. Once his solo reign had begun, as an important Central European ruler, he was now very important to the Holy Roman Empire.
Later developments during his reign had their source in dynastic and familial issues. His older half-brother Bezprym
was the son of the Hungarian princess Judith, Bolesław I's second wife. Mieszko also had a younger full-brother, Otto
. According to Slavonic custom, a father was expected to divide his legacy among all his sons. However, since Bolesław did not wish to break up the kingdom, Mieszko's brothers received nothing from their father's legacy.
As Bezprym was the oldest son, there were some who felt that he should have succeeded Bolesław I 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, Konrad (Conrad), and Henryk (Heinrich). Bezprym was rather a commoner's name, which implied that Bolesław I did not wish Bezprym to succeed him). For that reason, Bezprym was sent to a monastery.
According to some chroniclers, Mieszko II expelled his two brothers from the country. Otto
took refuge in Germany
and Bezprym escaped to the Kievan Rus.
In 1026 the German King Conrad II
, went to Italy
for his Imperial coronation. His absence increased the activity of the opposition centered around the Dukes Ernest II of Swabia and Frederick II of Upper Lorraine
. Conrad II's opponents conspired to acquire the favor of the King of Poland. Historical evidence of these efforts is in the Prayer Book sent to Mieszko II by the Duchess Matilda of Swabia around 1027. The volume is entitled: officiorum Liber quem ordinem Romanum apellant. In it,a miniature showed the Duchess presenting the Book to Mieszko II while sitting on a throne. The gift was accompanied by a letter, wherein Matilda named him a distinguished King and a father of the model for the spread of Christianity
. Also written was praise of the merits of Mieszko II in the building of new churches, as well his knowledge of Latin
, very unusual in those times when Greek was more widely used. In this book were found the earliest records of the Kingdom of Poland: neume
at the margins of the sequence Ad célèbres rex celica. The gift caused the expected effect, and Mieszko II promised to take military action. The preparations for the war began in the autumn of 1027. In the middle of that year, Conrad II returned to the Germany and began to fight the rebels. Soon he defeated Duke Ernest II, depriving him of his lands. Only when the rebel fight was nearly lost did Mieszko II arrive to their aid. In 1028 Polish troops invaded Saxony
and took a number of prisoners. The devastation was so great that, according to Saxon sources where Mieszko II's troops put their feet grass never thence grew. The Emperor accused the Polish ruler of an illegal coronation as King and declared him a usurper. This invasion involved the lands of the Lutici
tribe. In October 1028, the Emperor's opportunity came as the Lutici district of Pöhlde asked the Emperor to defend against the attacks of Mieszko II, promising support in the fight against the Polish ruler.
; but the German troops did not receive the promised support of the Lutici
tribe and the expedition failed. Threatened by the Hungarians, the Emperor was forced to retreat.
Probably in this same year the son of Oldřich, Bretislaus I, attacked and took Moravia.
In 1030 Mieszko II secured an alliance with Hungary and once again invaded Saxony
. In the meanwhile, his southern ally attacked Bavaria
and temporarily occupied Vienna
.
In response, the Emperor organized another expedition against the Polish King, this time by organizing a coalition against Mieszko II. Already in 1030 Yaroslav I the Wise
began the offensive and conquered Red Ruthenia and some Bełz castles.
The Emperor in 1031 concluded a peace with the Kingdom of Hungary
. Probably in exchange for his support, Conrad II give to the King Stephen I the territories between the Leitha and Fischa Rivers, ceding them to Hungary. Now that the Emperor was less concerned about an attack from the south, in the autumn of 1031 he went on the offensive against Poland and besieged Milsko. The offensive ended with a complete success, and Mieszko II was forced to surrender some lands. As a result, the Polish King lost portions of the lands taken by his father Bolesław I, who warred often against the Emperor Henry II.
, who allegedly with the support of Otto won the alliance of Kiev in order to take the power. When Mieszko II was busy defending Lusatia from the troops of Conrad II, the Kievan expedition started from the east with Yaroslav I the Wise
as a leader. In 1031 Poland was complete invaded and then Bezprym
was settled in the throne. Mieszko II and his family were forced to flee the country. Queen Richeza and her children found refuge in Germany. The King couldn't escape to Hungary, because during his way he was stopped by Rus' troops, and King Stephen I wasn't favorable to accepted him in his country. Without alternatives, Mieszko II went to Bohemia
. Duke Oldřich once again imprisoned him, but that this time the King wasn't count with the Imperial support. Mieszko II was not only imprisoned but also castrated, which was to be a punishment to Bolesław I the Brave, who blinded Duke Boleslaus III the Red (Oldřich's brother) thirty years before. Mieszko II and his wife never reunited again; according to some sources they were either officially divorced or only separated.
. After only one year of reign, Bezprym was murdered (1032), probably thanks to the instigations of his brothers.
After the death of Bezprym, the Polish throne remained vacant. Mieszko II was still imprisoned in Bohemia and Otto probably in Germany. German sources report that the Emperor has organized an expedition in order to invade Poland. It is unknown what happened after this, but certainly Mieszko II was released by Duke Oldrich and he could return to the country. After his recent opponent could regain the power, the Emperor immediately reacted and began the preparations for the expedition against Poland. Mieszko II wasn't prepared for the confrontation, so he used his influence in the German court in order to resolve the conflict.
On 7 July 1032, in Merseburg
a meeting took place between Conrad II and the surviving heirs of the Piast dynasty
. Without alternatives, Mieszko II was forced to surrendered the Royal crown and agreed to the division of Poland between him and the other two competitors: his brother Otto and certain Dytryk —cousin, grandson of Duke Mieszko I
and his third wife Oda
—.
Mieszko II probably received Lesser Poland and Masovia, Otto obtained Silesia, and Dytryk took Greater Poland. Another proposal involves that Mieszko II received Greater Poland, and other neighborhoods were given to Otto and Dytryk.
Although the distribution was uncertain, this division was short-lived: in 1033 Otto was killed by one of his own men, and Mieszko II took his domains. Shortly after, he could have expelled Dytryk and thus was able to reunited the whole country in his hands.
Mieszko II regained the full power, but he still had to fight against the nobility and his own subjects. It should be noted that in Poland his renunciation to the Royal crown wasn't count, and after 1032, in the chronicles he was still called King.
. The Polish chronicles clearly stated that he died of natural causes; the information that he was murdered by a swordfish, given by the chronicles of Gottfried of Viterbo, refers to Bezprym. However, the historians now think that he was killed in a plot hatched by the aristocracy. He was buried in the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul.
After Mieszko II's death, Poland's peasants revolted in a "pagan reaction." The exact reasons and date are unknown. Mieszko II's only son and heir, 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 Silesia and Greater Poland from the south (1039). The land became divided among local rulers, one of whom is known by name: Miecław, 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.
ca. 1013, Mieszko II married with Richeza (b. bef. 1000 - d. Saalfeld, 21 March 1063), daughter of Count Palatine Ezzo of Lotharingia
. They had three children:
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
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 Emmilda
Emnilda of Lusatia
Emnilda of Lusatia , was a Slavic princess and by marriage Duchess of Poland. She was a daughter of certain Dobromir, a Slavic leader ruler of Lusatia and Milsko, who was named venerable by Thietmar of Merseburg.- Life :...
, daughter of Dobromir, possible ruler of Lusatia
Lusatia
Lusatia is a historical region in Central Europe. It stretches from the Bóbr and Kwisa rivers in the east to the Elbe valley in the west, today located within the German states of Saxony and Brandenburg as well as in the Lower Silesian and Lubusz voivodeships of western Poland...
. He was probably named after his paternal grandfather, Mieszko I
Mieszko I of Poland
Mieszko I , was a Duke of the Polans from about 960 until his death. A member of the Piast dynasty, he was son of Siemomysł; grandchild of Lestek; father of Bolesław I the Brave, the first crowned King of Poland; likely father of Świętosława , a Nordic Queen; and grandfather of her son, Cnut the...
. His second name, Lambert, sometimes erroneously considered to be a nickname, was given to him as a reference to the cult of Saint Lambert. Also, it is probable that this name Lambert was chosen after Bolesław I's half-brother Lambert
Lambert Mieszkowic
Lambert Mieszkowic , was a Polish prince member of the House of Piast.He was the fourth son of Mieszko I of Poland but the third born from his second marriage with Oda, daughter of Dietrich of Haldensleben, Margrave of the North March.-Life:Nothing is known about his first years of life...
. It is thought that the choice of this name for his son was an expression of warming relations between Bolesław I and his stepmother Oda.
He organized two devastating invasions to Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
in 1028 and 1030. Then Mieszko II 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
Yaroslav I the Wise
Yaroslav I, Grand Prince of Rus, known as Yaroslav the Wise Yaroslav I, Grand Prince of Rus, known as Yaroslav the Wise Yaroslav I, Grand Prince of Rus, known as Yaroslav the Wise (Old Norse: Jarizleifr; ; Old East Slavic and Russian: Ярослав Мудрый; Ukrainian: Ярослав Мудрий; c...
, who installed Mieszko's older half-brother Bezprym
Bezprym
Bezprym was a Duke of Poland during 1031–1032.He was the eldest son of Bolesław I the Brave, King of Poland, but was deprived of the succession by his father, who around 1001 sent him to Italy, in order to became a monk at one of Saint Romuald's hermitages in Ravenna.Expelled by his half-brother...
onto the Polish throne. Mieszko took refuge in Bohemia, where he was imprisoned by the Duke Oldrich. In 1032 he regained power in one of the three districts, then united the country, making good use of the remaining power structures. At this time, several Polish territorial acquisitions of his father were lost: Upper Lusatia
Upper Lusatia
Upper Lusatia is a region a biggest part of which belongs to Saxony, a small eastern part belongs to Poland, the northern part to Brandenburg. In Saxony, Upper Lusatia comprises roughly the districts of Bautzen and Görlitz , in Brandenburg the southern part of district Oberspreewald-Lausitz...
(also known as Milsko), part of Lower Lusatia
Lower Lusatia
Lower Lusatia is a historical region stretching from the southeast of the Brandenburg state of Germany to the southwest of the Lubusz Voivodeship in Poland. Important towns beside the historic capital Lübben include Calau, Cottbus, Guben , Luckau, Spremberg, Finsterwalde, Senftenberg and Żary...
, Red Ruthenia
Red Ruthenia
Red Ruthenia is the name used since medieval times to refer to the area known as Eastern Galicia prior to World War I; first mentioned in Polish historic chronicles in the 1321, as Ruthenia Rubra or Ruthenian Voivodeship .Ethnographers explain that the term was applied from the...
, western and central part of Upper Hungary
Upper Hungary
Upper Hungary is the usual English translation for the area that was historically the northern part of the Kingdom of Hungary, now mostly present-day Slovakia...
(now Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
) and probably Moravia
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
.
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 II 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.
Early years
Since Mieszko II was politically active before his father's death, Bolesław I the Brave appointed him as 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
Magdeburg
Magdeburg , is the largest city and the capital city of the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Magdeburg is situated on the Elbe River and was one of the most important medieval cities of Europe....
, where he paid homage to the Emperor Henry II
Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry II , also referred to as Saint Henry, Obl.S.B., was the fifth and last Holy Roman Emperor of the Ottonian dynasty, from his coronation in Rome in 1014 until his death a decade later. He was crowned King of the Germans in 1002 and King of Italy in 1004...
. A few months later Bolesław I the Brave paid homage in person. The real purpose of Mieszko's visit is unclear, especially since soon after his father paid homage to the Holy Roman Empire. Presumably, the young prince paid homage for Milsko or Moravia and Lusatia. The relevant treaty stipulated 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 as a result made Mieszko a vassal of the Empire.
The position of the young prince, at the both Polish and Imperial courts, became stronger in 1013 when he married Richeza (Ryksa), daughter of Count Palatine Ezzo of Lotharingia
Lotharingia
Lotharingia was a region in northwest Europe, comprising the Low Countries, the western Rhineland, the lands today on the border between France and Germany, and what is now western Switzerland. It was born of the tripartite division in 855, of the kingdom of Middle Francia, itself formed of the...
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, he entered into the circle of the Imperial family and became a person equal to, if not higher than the Emperor himself. Probably after the wedding, and in accordance with prevailing custom, Bolesław I gave a separate district to Mieszko II to rule: Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
. One of his towns, Wawel
Wawel
Wawel is an architectural complex erected over many centuries atop a limestone outcrop on the left bank of the Vistula River in Kraków, Poland, at an altitude of 228 metres above the sea level. It is a place of great significance to the Polish people. The Royal Castle with an armoury and the...
(now part of the city), was chosen by the prince as his residence.
In the year 1014 Mieszko II was sent by his father to Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
as an emissary. He had to persuade Duke Oldřich to make an alliance against the Emperor Henry II. The mission failed as Oldřich imprisoned Mieszko. He was released only after the intervention of the Emperor, who, despite the planned betrayal of Bolesław I, loyally acted on behalf of his vassal. As a result, Mieszko was sent to the Imperial court in Merseburg as a hostage. Henry II probably wanted to force the presence of Bolesław I in Merseburg and make him explain his actions. The plan failed however, because, under pressure from his relatives, the Emperor soon agreed to release Mieszko.
A year later, Mieszko II stood at the head of Polish troops in the next war against the Emperor. The campaign wasn't favorable to Henry. His army needed over a month to reach the line of the Oder River, and once there, his troops encountered strong resistance led by Mieszko and his father. Henry II sent a delegation to the Polish rulers, in an effort to induce them to conclude a peace settlement. Mieszko II refused, and after the Emperor's failure to defeat his troops in battle, Henry decided to begin retreating to Dziadoszyce
Dziadoszyce
Dziadoszyce is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Kożuchów, within Nowa Sól County, Lubusz Voivodeship, in western Poland. It lies approximately south-east of Kożuchów, south of Nowa Sól, and south-east of Zielona Góra.The village has a population of 47.-References:...
. The Polish prince went on pursuit, and inflicted heavy losses on the German army. When the Polish army advanced to Meissen
Meissen
Meissen is a town of approximately 30,000 about northwest of Dresden on both banks of the Elbe river in the Free State of Saxony, in eastern Germany. Meissen is the home of Meissen porcelain, the Albrechtsburg castle, the Gothic Meissen Cathedral and the Meissen Frauenkirche...
, Mieszko II unsuccessfully tried to besiege the castle of his brother-in-law, Margrave Herman I
Herman I, Margrave of Meissen
Herman I was the Margrave of Meissen from 1009 until his death. He was the eldest son of Eckard I of Meissen and Swanehilde.Herman married Regelinda, daughter of Boleslaus I of Poland. In 1007, he was created Count of Bautzen. He and his brother Eckard II feuded with their uncle Gunzelin in what...
(husband of his sister Regelinda). The fighting stopped in autumn and was resumed only in 1017 after the failure of peace talks. Imperial forces bypassed the main defensive site near Krosno Odrzańskie
Krosno Odrzanskie
Krosno Odrzańskie is a city on the east bank of Oder River, at the confluence with the Bóbr. The town in Western Poland with 12,500 inhabitants is the capital of Krosno County...
and besieged Niemcza
Niemcza
Niemcza is a town in Dzierżoniów County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It is the seat of the administrative district called Gmina Niemcza....
. At the same time, at the head of ten legions, Mieszko went to Moravia and planned an allied attack together with Bohemia against the Emperor. This action forced the Emperor to give up on a plan of any frontal attack. A year later, the Peace of Bautzen
Peace of Bautzen
The Peace of Bautzen or the Peace of Budziszyn was a treaty concluded on January 30, 1018 between the Ottonian Holy Roman Emperor Henry II and the Piast ruler of Poland Boleslaw I which ended a series of Polish-German wars over the control of Lusatia and Upper Lusatia as well as Bohemia,...
(30 January 1018) was concluded, with terms extremely favorable to the Polish side.
Beginning in 1028, he successfully waged war against the Holy Roman Empire. He was able to repel its invading army, and later even invaded Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
. He allied Poland with Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, resulting in a temporary Hungarian occupation of Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. This war was probably prompted by family connections of Mieszko's in Germany who opposed Emperor Conrad II
Conrad II, Holy Roman Emperor
Conrad II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1027 until his death.The son of a mid-level nobleman in Franconia, Count Henry of Speyer and Adelaide of Alsace, he inherited the titles of count of Speyer and of Worms as an infant when Henry died at age twenty...
.
Due to the death of Thietmar of Merseburg
Thietmar of Merseburg
Thietmar of Merseburg was a German chronicler who was also bishop of Merseburg.-Life:...
, the principal chronicler of that period, there is little information about Mieszko II's life from 1018 until 1025, when he finally took over the government of Poland. Only Gallus Anonymus
Gallus Anonymus
Gallus Anonymus is the name traditionally given to the anonymous author of Gesta principum Polonorum , composed in Latin about 1115....
mentions the then Prince on occasion of the description of his father's trip to Rus
Kievan Rus'
Kievan Rus was a medieval polity in Eastern Europe, from the late 9th to the mid 13th century, when it disintegrated under the pressure of the Mongol invasion of 1237–1240....
in 1018: "due to the fact that his son (...) Mieszko wasn't considered yet capable of taking the government by himself, he established a regent among his family during his trip to Rus". This statement was probably the result of the complete ignorance of the chronicler, since 1018 Mieszko II was 28 years old and was already fully able to exercise the power by himself.
Coronation and Inheritance
Bolesław I the Brave died on 17 June 1025. Six months later, on Christmas Day, Mieszko II Lambert was crowned King of Poland by the Archbishop of Gniezno, Hipolit, in the Gniezno CathedralGniezno Cathedral
Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Adalbert is a Gothic cathedral in Gniezno, Poland. The Cathedral is known for its twelfth-century , two-winged bronze doors decorated with scenes of martyrdom of St. Wojciech and a silver relic coffin of that saint...
. Contemporary German chroniclers considered this to be an abuse of power on the part of the Archbishop, which was made necessary by the existing political situation. After his father's death, Mieszko inherited a vast territory, which in addition to Greater Poland, Lesser Poland, Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
and Gdansk Pomerania
Gdańsk Pomerania
For the medieval duchy, see Pomeranian duchies and dukesGdańsk Pomerania or Eastern Pomerania is a geographical region in northern Poland covering eastern part of Pomeranian Voivodeship...
also included Western Pomerania, as well as Lusatia, Red Ruthenia and territory of present-day Slovakia. Whether Moravia was still under his reign or was lost earlier is disputed. Once his solo reign had begun, as an important Central European ruler, he was now very important to the Holy Roman Empire.
Later developments during his reign had their source in dynastic and familial issues. His older half-brother Bezprym
Bezprym
Bezprym was a Duke of Poland during 1031–1032.He was the eldest son of Bolesław I the Brave, King of Poland, but was deprived of the succession by his father, who around 1001 sent him to Italy, in order to became a monk at one of Saint Romuald's hermitages in Ravenna.Expelled by his half-brother...
was the son of the Hungarian princess Judith, Bolesław I's second wife. Mieszko also had a younger full-brother, Otto
Otto Bolesławowic
Otto Bolesławowic was a Polish prince member of the House of Piast.He was the third son of Bolesław I the Brave but the second born from his third marriage with Emnilda, daughter of Dobromir, a Slavic prince of Lusatia.-Life:...
. According to Slavonic custom, a father was expected to divide his legacy among all his sons. However, since Bolesław did not wish to break up the kingdom, Mieszko's brothers received nothing from their father's legacy.
As Bezprym was the oldest son, there were some who felt that he should have succeeded Bolesław I 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, Konrad (Conrad), and Henryk (Heinrich). Bezprym was rather a commoner's name, which implied that Bolesław I did not wish Bezprym to succeed him). For that reason, Bezprym was sent to a monastery.
According to some chroniclers, Mieszko II expelled his two brothers from the country. Otto
Otto Bolesławowic
Otto Bolesławowic was a Polish prince member of the House of Piast.He was the third son of Bolesław I the Brave but the second born from his third marriage with Emnilda, daughter of Dobromir, a Slavic prince of Lusatia.-Life:...
took refuge in Germany
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
and Bezprym escaped to the Kievan Rus.
Support to German opposition
Conrad II, Holy Roman Emperor
Conrad II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1027 until his death.The son of a mid-level nobleman in Franconia, Count Henry of Speyer and Adelaide of Alsace, he inherited the titles of count of Speyer and of Worms as an infant when Henry died at age twenty...
, went to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
for his Imperial coronation. His absence increased the activity of the opposition centered around the Dukes Ernest II of Swabia and Frederick II of Upper Lorraine
Frederick II, Duke of Upper Lorraine
Frederick II , son of Thierry I and Richilde von Blieskastel, daughter of Folmar III, Count in Bliesgau; was the count of Bar and duke of Lorraine, co-reigning with his father from 1019....
. Conrad II's opponents conspired to acquire the favor of the King of Poland. Historical evidence of these efforts is in the Prayer Book sent to Mieszko II by the Duchess Matilda of Swabia around 1027. The volume is entitled: officiorum Liber quem ordinem Romanum apellant. In it,a miniature showed the Duchess presenting the Book to Mieszko II while sitting on a throne. The gift was accompanied by a letter, wherein Matilda named him a distinguished King and a father of the model for the spread of Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. Also written was praise of the merits of Mieszko II in the building of new churches, as well his knowledge of Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, very unusual in those times when Greek was more widely used. In this book were found the earliest records of the Kingdom of Poland: neume
Neume
A neume is the basic element of Western and Eastern systems of musical notation prior to the invention of five-line staff notation. The word is a Middle English corruption of the ultimately Ancient Greek word for breath ....
at the margins of the sequence Ad célèbres rex celica. The gift caused the expected effect, and Mieszko II promised to take military action. The preparations for the war began in the autumn of 1027. In the middle of that year, Conrad II returned to the Germany and began to fight the rebels. Soon he defeated Duke Ernest II, depriving him of his lands. Only when the rebel fight was nearly lost did Mieszko II arrive to their aid. In 1028 Polish troops invaded Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
and took a number of prisoners. The devastation was so great that, according to Saxon sources where Mieszko II's troops put their feet grass never thence grew. The Emperor accused the Polish ruler of an illegal coronation as King and declared him a usurper. This invasion involved the lands of the Lutici
Lutici
The Lutici were a federation of West Slavic Polabian tribes, who between the 10th and 12th centuries lived in what is now northeastern Germany. Four tribes made up the core of the federation: the Redarians , Circipanians , Kessinians and Tollensians...
tribe. In October 1028, the Emperor's opportunity came as the Lutici district of Pöhlde asked the Emperor to defend against the attacks of Mieszko II, promising support in the fight against the Polish ruler.
Retaliatory expeditions
Despite the treaty which secured peace between Poland and Germany, the Emperor soon armed a retaliatory expedition against Mieszko II. Conrad II's army arrived to Lusatia in the autumn of 1029 and began the siege of BautzenBautzen
Bautzen is a hill-top town in eastern Saxony, Germany, and administrative centre of the eponymous district. It is located on the Spree River. As of 2008, its population is 41,161...
; but the German troops did not receive the promised support of the Lutici
Lutici
The Lutici were a federation of West Slavic Polabian tribes, who between the 10th and 12th centuries lived in what is now northeastern Germany. Four tribes made up the core of the federation: the Redarians , Circipanians , Kessinians and Tollensians...
tribe and the expedition failed. Threatened by the Hungarians, the Emperor was forced to retreat.
Probably in this same year the son of Oldřich, Bretislaus I, attacked and took Moravia.
In 1030 Mieszko II secured an alliance with Hungary and once again invaded Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
. In the meanwhile, his southern ally attacked Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
and temporarily occupied Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
.
In response, the Emperor organized another expedition against the Polish King, this time by organizing a coalition against Mieszko II. Already in 1030 Yaroslav I the Wise
Yaroslav I the Wise
Yaroslav I, Grand Prince of Rus, known as Yaroslav the Wise Yaroslav I, Grand Prince of Rus, known as Yaroslav the Wise Yaroslav I, Grand Prince of Rus, known as Yaroslav the Wise (Old Norse: Jarizleifr; ; Old East Slavic and Russian: Ярослав Мудрый; Ukrainian: Ярослав Мудрий; c...
began the offensive and conquered Red Ruthenia and some Bełz castles.
The Emperor in 1031 concluded a peace with the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
. Probably in exchange for his support, Conrad II give to the King Stephen I the territories between the Leitha and Fischa Rivers, ceding them to Hungary. Now that the Emperor was less concerned about an attack from the south, in the autumn of 1031 he went on the offensive against Poland and besieged Milsko. The offensive ended with a complete success, and Mieszko II was forced to surrender some lands. As a result, the Polish King lost portions of the lands taken by his father Bolesław I, who warred often against the Emperor Henry II.
The situation in Poland
Historians estimate that the reason for the rapid capitulation of Mieszko II was the bad internal situation in the country. Bolesław I the Brave leave to his son a unstable Kingdom, who had to defended his autonomy and position among the neighbors rulers. Otherwise, the costs of an extensive war caused that Mieszko II's popularity declined among his subjects, despite the fact that on the invasion of Saxony the King only defended their territory. Furthermore, the final lost of the war against the Holy Roman Empire weakened the position of the King, who had to faced several rebellions among the opposition, who claimed that the previous war didn't produce the expected benefits. An additional problem was a dynastic crisis: Mieszko II's brothers continue their attempts to regain power with the help of foreign forces.Attack of Yaroslav I the Wise. Deposition
Probably the brother who caused the first problems to Mieszko II was BezprymBezprym
Bezprym was a Duke of Poland during 1031–1032.He was the eldest son of Bolesław I the Brave, King of Poland, but was deprived of the succession by his father, who around 1001 sent him to Italy, in order to became a monk at one of Saint Romuald's hermitages in Ravenna.Expelled by his half-brother...
, who allegedly with the support of Otto won the alliance of Kiev in order to take the power. When Mieszko II was busy defending Lusatia from the troops of Conrad II, the Kievan expedition started from the east with Yaroslav I the Wise
Yaroslav I the Wise
Yaroslav I, Grand Prince of Rus, known as Yaroslav the Wise Yaroslav I, Grand Prince of Rus, known as Yaroslav the Wise Yaroslav I, Grand Prince of Rus, known as Yaroslav the Wise (Old Norse: Jarizleifr; ; Old East Slavic and Russian: Ярослав Мудрый; Ukrainian: Ярослав Мудрий; c...
as a leader. In 1031 Poland was complete invaded and then Bezprym
Bezprym
Bezprym was a Duke of Poland during 1031–1032.He was the eldest son of Bolesław I the Brave, King of Poland, but was deprived of the succession by his father, who around 1001 sent him to Italy, in order to became a monk at one of Saint Romuald's hermitages in Ravenna.Expelled by his half-brother...
was settled in the throne. Mieszko II and his family were forced to flee the country. Queen Richeza and her children found refuge in Germany. The King couldn't escape to Hungary, because during his way he was stopped by Rus' troops, and King Stephen I wasn't favorable to accepted him in his country. Without alternatives, Mieszko II went to Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
. Duke Oldřich once again imprisoned him, but that this time the King wasn't count with the Imperial support. Mieszko II was not only imprisoned but also castrated, which was to be a punishment to Bolesław I the Brave, who blinded Duke Boleslaus III the Red (Oldřich's brother) thirty years before. Mieszko II and his wife never reunited again; according to some sources they were either officially divorced or only separated.
Restoration to the Throne
The new Duke Bezprym probably made bloody persecutions against the followers of Mieszko II. At the time the power was exercised to the mutiny and the people known as the "Pagan Reaction". Have degraded the structure of power, the Duke's authority collapsed, and he was forced to sent to the Emperor the Royal crown and regaliaPolish Crown Jewels
The only surviving original piece of the Polish Crown Jewels from the time of the Piast dynasty is the ceremonial sword - Szczerbiec. It is currently on display along with other preserved royal items in the Wawel Royal Castle Museum, Kraków....
. After only one year of reign, Bezprym was murdered (1032), probably thanks to the instigations of his brothers.
After the death of Bezprym, the Polish throne remained vacant. Mieszko II was still imprisoned in Bohemia and Otto probably in Germany. German sources report that the Emperor has organized an expedition in order to invade Poland. It is unknown what happened after this, but certainly Mieszko II was released by Duke Oldrich and he could return to the country. After his recent opponent could regain the power, the Emperor immediately reacted and began the preparations for the expedition against Poland. Mieszko II wasn't prepared for the confrontation, so he used his influence in the German court in order to resolve the conflict.
On 7 July 1032, in Merseburg
Merseburg
Merseburg is a town in the south of the German state of Saxony-Anhalt on the river Saale, approx. 14 km south of Halle . It is the capital of the Saalekreis district. It had a diocese founded by Archbishop Adalbert of Magdeburg....
a meeting took place between Conrad II and the surviving heirs of the Piast dynasty
Piast dynasty
The Piast dynasty was the first historical ruling dynasty of Poland. It began with the semi-legendary Piast Kołodziej . The first historical ruler was Duke Mieszko I . The Piasts' royal rule in Poland ended in 1370 with the death of king Casimir the Great...
. Without alternatives, Mieszko II was forced to surrendered the Royal crown and agreed to the division of Poland between him and the other two competitors: his brother Otto and certain Dytryk —cousin, grandson of Duke Mieszko I
Mieszko I of Poland
Mieszko I , was a Duke of the Polans from about 960 until his death. A member of the Piast dynasty, he was son of Siemomysł; grandchild of Lestek; father of Bolesław I the Brave, the first crowned King of Poland; likely father of Świętosława , a Nordic Queen; and grandfather of her son, Cnut the...
and his third wife Oda
Oda von Haldensleben
Oda of Haldensleben was a German noblewoman and by marriage Duchess of the Polans.She was the eldest child of Dietrich of Haldensleben, Margrave of the North March.-Life:...
—.
Mieszko II probably received Lesser Poland and Masovia, Otto obtained Silesia, and Dytryk took Greater Poland. Another proposal involves that Mieszko II received Greater Poland, and other neighborhoods were given to Otto and Dytryk.
Although the distribution was uncertain, this division was short-lived: in 1033 Otto was killed by one of his own men, and Mieszko II took his domains. Shortly after, he could have expelled Dytryk and thus was able to reunited the whole country in his hands.
Mieszko II regained the full power, but he still had to fight against the nobility and his own subjects. It should be noted that in Poland his renunciation to the Royal crown wasn't count, and after 1032, in the chronicles he was still called King.
Death
Mieszko II died suddenly between 10 and 11 July 1034, probably in PoznańPoznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
. The Polish chronicles clearly stated that he died of natural causes; the information that he was murdered by a swordfish, given by the chronicles of Gottfried of Viterbo, refers to Bezprym. However, the historians now think that he was killed in a plot hatched by the aristocracy. He was buried in the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul.
After Mieszko II's death, Poland's peasants revolted in a "pagan reaction." The exact reasons and date are unknown. Mieszko II's only son and heir, Casimir I
Casimir I of Poland
Casimir I the Restorer , was a Duke of Poland of the Piast dynasty and the de facto monarch of the entire country from 1034 until his death....
, 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 Silesia and Greater Poland from the south (1039). The land became divided among local rulers, one of whom is known by name: Miecław, 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.
Marriage and issue
In MerseburgMerseburg
Merseburg is a town in the south of the German state of Saxony-Anhalt on the river Saale, approx. 14 km south of Halle . It is the capital of the Saalekreis district. It had a diocese founded by Archbishop Adalbert of Magdeburg....
ca. 1013, Mieszko II married with Richeza (b. bef. 1000 - d. Saalfeld, 21 March 1063), daughter of Count Palatine Ezzo of Lotharingia
Lotharingia
Lotharingia was a region in northwest Europe, comprising the Low Countries, the western Rhineland, the lands today on the border between France and Germany, and what is now western Switzerland. It was born of the tripartite division in 855, of the kingdom of Middle Francia, itself formed of the...
. They had three children:
- Casimir I the Restorer (b. 25 July 1016 - d. 19 March 1058).
- RyksaAdelaide/Rixa of PolandAdelaide/Richeza of Poland, was Queen Consort of Hungary.She was a daughter of King Mieszko II Lambert of Poland, and his wife, Richeza of Lotharingia. She is traditionally called Richeza, but contemporary sources do not confirm this name...
(b. ca. 1018 - d. aft. 1060), married by 1039/42 to King Béla I of Hungary. - GertrudaGertrude of PolandGertrude , princess of Poland, was the daughter of King Mieszko II of Poland and Richeza of Lotharingia.In 1043, she was married to Iziaslav I of Kiev. She had three sons, Yaropolk Iziaslavich, Mstislav and Sviatopolk II, by her husband.Her daughter Eupraxia later married her cousin's son Mieszko...
(b. 1025 - d. Kiev, 4 January 1108), married by 1043 to Grand Prince Iziaslav I of KievIziaslav I of KievIziaslav Yaroslavich , Kniaz' , Veliki Kniaz of Kiev , King of Rus'...
.