Editing Mieszko I (section)

==Early life==
[[File:Shearing of Mieszko I of Poland.PNG|thumb|upright|According to a legend, Mieszko was blind during the first seven years of life and gained his sight during ''[[First haircut#Polish|postrzyżyny]]'' (first haircut), which was a [[Slavic paganism|pagan]] right of passage ritual.]]

There is no certain information on Mieszko's life before he took control over his lands. Only the ''Lesser Poland Chronicle'' gives the date of his birth as somewhere between the years 920–931 (depending on the version of the manuscript); however, modern researchers do not recognize the chronicle as a reliable source. Several historians on the basis of their investigations postulated the date of Mieszko's birth to have been between 922–945;<ref>ca. 922 (O. Balzer), between 930–932 (A.F. Grabski), ca. 935 (K. Jasiński), between 940–945 (S. Kętrzyński).</ref> the activity of the Duke in his final years of life puts the date of his birth closer to the latter year.<ref>Jerzy Strzelczyk "''Mieszko pierwszy''", vol. IV</ref>

[[Mieszko|Mieszko's name]] has traditionally been thought to be a diminutive of Mieczysław but this is refuted by the majority of modern historians. According to a legend first described by [[Gallus Anonymus]], Mieszko was blind during his first seven years of life. This typical medieval [[allegory]] referred to his [[Slavic paganism|paganism]] rather than an actual disability.<ref name="Hensel">{{cite book |last=Hensel |first=Witold |date=1967 |title=Polska przed tysiącem lat |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zEjRAAAAMAAJ&q=mieszko%20dagobert%20imi%C4%99 |location=Wrocław |publisher=Zakład Narodowy imienia Ossolińskich Wydawn. Polskiej Akademii Nauk |pages=84, 94 |oclc=749450364}}</ref> Another name of Mieszko, "Dagome", appears in the ''[[Dagome iudex]]'' document, though its origin is uncertain.<ref>{{cite book |last=Buko |first=Andrzej |date=2008 |title=The archaeology of early medieval Poland |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i6A3Q1WQIroC&dq=mieszko+dagobert&pg=PA184 |location=Boston |publisher=Brill |page=184 |isbn=978-1281936776}}</ref> Historians speculate that it was derived from Mieszko's adopted Christian name [[Dagobert]] or an abbreviation of the two names – "Dago" for Dagobert and "me" for Mieszko.<ref name="Hensel"/>