Editing History of Poland (section)

==Piast period (10th century–1385)==

{{further|History of Poland during the Piast dynasty}}

===Mieszko I===

[[File:Polska 992 - 1025.png|thumb|right|Poland expanded under its first two rulers. The dark pink area represents Poland at end of rule of [[Mieszko I of Poland|Mieszko I]] (992), whereas the light pink area represents territories added during the reign of [[Bolesław I the Brave|Bolesław I]] (died 1025). The dark pink area in the northwest was lost during the same period.]]

Poland was established as a state under the [[Piast dynasty]], which ruled the country between the 10th and 14th centuries. Historical records referring to the Polish state begin with the rule of Duke [[Mieszko I of Poland|Mieszko I]], whose reign commenced sometime before 963 and continued until his death in 992. Mieszko converted to [[Latin Church|Christianity]] in 966, following his marriage to Princess [[Doubravka of Bohemia]], a fervent [[Christianity|Christian]].<ref name="playground I xxvii-xxviii">{{Harvnb|Davies|2005a|pp=xxvii-xxviii}}</ref> The event is known as the "[[Christianization of Poland|baptism of Poland]]", and its date is often used to mark a symbolic beginning of Polish statehood.<ref name="Zubrzycki2006">{{Harvnb|Zubrzycki|2006|p=64}}.</ref> Mieszko completed a unification of the [[Lechites|Lechitic]] tribal lands that was fundamental to the new country's existence. Following its emergence, Poland was led by [[List of Polish monarchs|a series of rulers]] who converted the population to Christianity, created a strong [[Kingdom of Poland (1025–1385)|kingdom]] and fostered a distinctive [[culture of medieval Poland|Polish culture]] that was integrated into the broader [[Culture of Europe|European culture]].<ref name="Wyrozumski 80-88">{{Harvnb|Wyrozumski|1986|pp=80–88}}.</ref>

===Bolesław I the Brave===

Mieszko's son, Duke [[Bolesław I the Brave]] (r. 992–1025), established a [[Catholic Church in Poland|Polish Church]] structure, pursued territorial conquests and was officially crowned the first [[List of Polish monarchs|king of Poland]] in 1025, near the end of his life.<ref name="playground I xxvii-xxviii"/> Bolesław also sought to spread Christianity to parts of eastern Europe that remained pagan, but suffered a setback when his greatest missionary, [[Adalbert of Prague]], was killed in [[Prussia (region)|Prussia]] in 997.<ref name="playground I xxvii-xxviii"/> During the [[Congress of Gniezno]] in the year 1000, Holy Roman Emperor [[Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor|Otto III]] recognized the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gniezno|Archbishopric of Gniezno]],<ref name="playground I xxvii-xxviii"/> an institution crucial for the continuing existence of the sovereign Polish state.<ref name="playground I xxvii-xxviii"/> During the reign of Otto's successor, Holy Roman Emperor [[Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor|Henry II]], Bolesław fought prolonged wars with the [[Kingdom of Germany]] between 1002 and 1018.<ref name="playground I xxvii-xxviii"/><ref name="Wyrozumski 88-93">{{Harvnb|Wyrozumski|1986|pp=88–93}}.</ref>

===Piast monarchy under Casimir I, Bolesław II and Bolesław III===

Bolesław I's expansive rule overstretched the resources of the early Polish state, and it was followed by a collapse of the monarchy. Recovery took place under [[Casimir I the Restorer]] (r. 1039–1058). Casimir's son [[Bolesław II the Generous]] (r. 1058–1079) became involved in a conflict with Bishop [[Stanislaus of Szczepanów]] that ultimately caused his downfall. Bolesław had the bishop murdered in 1079 after being [[Excommunication|excommunicated]] by the Polish church on charges of adultery. This act sparked a revolt of Polish nobles that led to Bolesław's deposition and expulsion from the country.<ref name="playground I xxvii-xxviii"/> Around 1116, [[Gallus Anonymus]] wrote a seminal chronicle, the ''[[Gesta principum Polonorum]]'',<ref name="playground I xxvii-xxviii"/> intended as a glorification of his patron [[Bolesław III Wrymouth]] (r. 1107–1138), a ruler who revived the tradition of military prowess of Bolesław I's time. Gallus' work remains a paramount written source for the early history of Poland.<ref name="Wyrozumski 93-104">{{Harvnb|Wyrozumski|1986|pp=93–104}}.</ref>

===Fragmentation===

After Bolesław III divided Poland among his sons in his [[Testament of Bolesław III Wrymouth|Testament of 1138]],<ref name="playground I xxvii-xxviii"/> [[feudal fragmentation|internal fragmentation]] eroded the Piast monarchical structures in the 12th and 13th centuries. In 1180, [[Casimir II the Just]], who sought papal confirmation of his status as a [[Seniorate Province|senior duke]], granted immunities and additional privileges to the Polish Church at the Congress of [[Łęczyca]].<ref name="playground I xxvii-xxviii"/> Around 1220, [[Wincenty Kadłubek]] wrote his ''[[Chronica seu originale regum et principum Poloniae]]'', another major source for early Polish history.<ref name="playground I xxvii-xxviii"/> In 1226, one of the regional Piast dukes, [[Konrad I of Masovia]], invited the [[Teutonic Order|Teutonic Knights]] to help him fight the [[Balts|Baltic]] [[Old Prussians|Prussian]] pagans.<ref name="playground I xxvii-xxviii"/> The Teutonic Order destroyed the Prussians but kept their lands, which resulted in centuries of warfare between Poland and the Teutonic Knights, and later between Poland and the [[Duchy of Prussia|German Prussian state]]. The [[first Mongol invasion of Poland]] began in 1240; it culminated in the defeat of Polish and allied Christian forces and the death of the [[Silesian Piasts|Silesian Piast]] Duke [[Henry II the Pious]] at the [[Battle of Legnica]] in 1241.<ref name="playground I xxvii-xxviii"/> In 1242, [[Wrocław]] became the first Polish municipality to be [[German town law|incorporated]],<ref name="playground I xxvii-xxviii"/> as the period of fragmentation brought economic development and growth of towns. New cities were founded and existing settlements were granted town status per [[Magdeburg rights|Magdeburg Law]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Archäologie der westlichen Slawen: Siedlung, Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft im früh- und hochmittelalterlichen Ostmitteleuropa|author=Sebastian Brather|publisher=Walter de Gruyter|year=2008|pages=87|language=de}}</ref> In 1264, [[Bolesław the Pious]] granted [[history of the Jews in Poland|Jewish liberties]] in the [[Statute of Kalisz]].<ref name="playground I xxvii-xxviii"/><ref name="Wyrozumski 104-137">{{Harvnb|Wyrozumski|1986|pp=104–137}}.</ref>

===Late Piast monarchy under Władysław I and Casimir III===

[[File:Władysław I sarcophagus figure.jpg|thumb|right|upright|[[Władysław I the Elbow-high]]]]

Attempts to reunite the Polish lands gained momentum in the 13th century, and in 1295, Duke [[Przemysł II]] of [[Greater Poland]] managed to become the first ruler since Bolesław II to be crowned king of Poland.<ref name="playground I xxvii-xxviii"/> He ruled over a limited territory and was soon killed. In 1300–1305 King [[Wenceslaus II of Bohemia]] also reigned as king of Poland.<ref name="playground I xxvii-xxviii"/> The Piast Kingdom was effectively restored under [[Władysław I the Elbow-high]] (r. 1306–1333), who became king in 1320.<ref name="playground I xxvii-xxviii"/> In 1308, the Teutonic Knights seized [[Gdańsk]] and the surrounding region of [[Pomerelia]].<ref name="playground I xxvii-xxviii"/>

King [[Casimir III the Great]] (r. 1333–1370),<ref name="playground I xxvii-xxviii"/> Władysław's son and the last of the Piast rulers, strengthened and expanded the restored Kingdom of Poland, but the western provinces of [[Silesia]] (formally ceded by Casimir in 1339) and most of Polish [[Pomerania]] were lost to the Polish state for centuries to come. Progress was made in the recovery of the separately governed central province of [[Mazovia]], however, and in 1340, the conquest of [[Red Ruthenia]] began,<ref name="playground I xxvii-xxviii"/> marking Poland's expansion to the east. The [[Congress of Kraków]], a vast convocation of central, eastern, and northern European rulers probably assembled to plan an anti-[[Ottoman Empire|Turkish]] [[crusades|crusade]], took place in 1364, the same year that the future [[Jagiellonian University]], one of the oldest European universities, was founded.<ref name="playground I xxvii-xxviii"/><ref name="Wyrozumski 137-171">{{Harvnb|Wyrozumski|1986|pp=137–171}}.</ref> On 9 October 1334, Casimir III confirmed the privileges granted to Jews in 1264 by Bolesław the Pious and allowed them to settle in Poland in great numbers.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

===Angevin transition===

After the Polish royal line and Piast junior branch died out in 1370, Poland came under the rule of [[Louis I of Hungary]] of the [[Capetian House of Anjou]], who presided over a [[union of Hungary and Poland]] that lasted until 1382.<ref name="playground I xxvii-xxviii"/> In 1374, Louis granted the [[szlachta|Polish nobility]] the [[Privilege of Koszyce]] to assure the succession of one of his daughters in Poland.<ref name="playground I xxvii-xxviii"/> His youngest daughter [[Jadwiga of Poland|Jadwiga]] (d. 1399) assumed the Polish throne in 1384.<ref name="Wyrozumski 171-177">{{Harvnb|Wyrozumski|1986|pp=171–177}}.</ref>