Editing Mieszko I (section)

===Participation in German civil war===

In 982 Emperor [[Otto II]] suffered a [[Battle of Stilo|disastrous defeat]] against the [[Emirate of Sicily]]. The resulting weakness of the imperial power was exploited by the [[Lutici]], who initiated a great uprising of the [[Polabian Slavs]] in 983. German authority in the area ceased to exist and the Polabian tribes began to threaten the Empire. The death of Otto II at the end of that year contributed further to the unrest. Ultimately the [[Lutici]] and the [[Obotrites]] were able to liberate themselves from German rule for the next two centuries.

The Emperor left a minor successor, [[Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor|Otto III]]. His regency was claimed by [[Henry II, Duke of Bavaria|Henry II of Bavaria]]. Like in 973, Mieszko and the Czech duke Boleslaus II took the side of the Bavarian duke. This fact is confirmed in the chronicle of Thietmar, which noted that "There arrived [at the Diet of [[Quedlinburg]]] also, among many other princes: Mieszko, Mściwoj and Boleslaus and promised to support him under oath as the king and ruler".<ref>''Thietmari chronicon'', vol. IV chap. 2</ref>

In 984 the Czechs took over [[Meissen]], but in the same year Henry II gave up his pretension to the German throne.

The role played by Mieszko I in the subsequent struggles is unclear because the contemporary sources are scarce and not in agreement. Probably in 985 the Polish ruler ended his support for the Bavarian duke and moved to the side of the Emperor. It is believed that Mieszko's motivation was the threat posed to his interests by the Polabian Slavs uprising. The upheaval was a problem for both Poland and Germany, but not for Bohemia. In the ''Chronicle of [[Hildesheim]]'', in the entry for the year 985 it is noted that Mieszko came to help the Saxons in their fight against some Slavic forces, presumably the Polabians.<ref>S. Szczur, ''Historia Polski średniowiecze'', pp. 54–55.</ref>

One year later, the Polish ruler had a personal meeting with the Emperor, an event mentioned in the ''Annals of [[Hersfeld Abbey|Hersfeld]]'', which reported that "Otto the boy-king ravaged Bohemia, but received Mieszko who arrived with gifts".

According to Thietmar and other contemporary chronicles the gift given by Mieszko to the Emperor was a camel. The meeting cemented the Polish-German alliance, with Mieszko joining Otto's expedition against a Slavic land, which "together they wholly devastated (...) with fire and tremendous depopulation". It is not clear which Slavic territory was invaded. Perhaps another raid against the Polabians took place. However, there are indications that it was an expedition against the Czechs, Mieszko's first against his southern neighbors.<ref>G. Labuda, ''Mieszko I'', p. 168.</ref> Possibly on this occasion the Duke of the Polans accomplished the most significant expansion of his state, the takeover of [[Lesser Poland]].<ref>G. Labuda, ''Mieszko I'', p. 174.</ref>

Thietmar's narrative, however, raises doubts as to whether the joined military operation actually happened. The chronicler claims that a settlement was then concluded between the Emperor and the Bohemian ruler [[Boleslaus II, Duke of Bohemia|Boleslaus II the Pious]], which is not mentioned in any other source and is contrary to the realities of the political situation at that time.

Another debatable point is Thietmar's claim that Mieszko "subordinated himself to the King".<ref>''Thietmari chronicon'', vol IV, chap. 9; Chronicles of Hildesheim, p. 986.</ref> Most historians believe that it was only a matter of recognition of Otto's royal authority.<ref>G. Labuda, ''Mieszko I'', pp. 180–185; Marian Jedlicki, ''Stosunek prawny Polski'', Poznań, 1939, p. 33.</ref> Some suggest that a [[fealty]] relationship could have been involved.<ref>Henryk Łowmiański, ''Początki Polski'', vol. V, p. 563.</ref>