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Bolesław III Wrymouth
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===Christianization of Western Pomerania=== In order to strengthen ties with Pomerania, Bolesław organized a mission to Christianize the newly acquired territory. At the same time he wished to subordinate Pomerania to the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gniezno|Gniezno Archbishopric]]. Unfortunately first attempts made by unknown missionaries did not make the desired progress.<ref>R. Grodecki, S. Zachorowski, J. Dąbrowski: ''Dzieje Polski średniowiecznej'', vol. I, p. 145.</ref> Another attempt, officially sponsored by Bolesław and led by [[Bernard the Spaniard]], who traveled to [[Wolin]] during 1122–23, ended in another failure.<ref>L. Fabiańczyk: ''Apostoł Pomorza'', pp. 34–35.</ref> The next two missions were carried out in 1124–25 and 1128 by Bishop [[Otto of Bamberg]] (called the Apostle of Pomerania). After appropriate consultation with Bolesław, Bishop Otto set out on the first stage of Christianization of the region in 1124. During the [[Mission (Christianity)|mission]] Otto stayed first at Bolesław's court, where he was provided with appropriate equipment, fire and several clergymen for his trip to Pomerania. The Bishop was accompanied throughout his mission by the Pomeranian ruler Wartislaw I, who greeted him on the border of his domains, in the environs of the city of [[Sanok]].<ref>L. Fabiańczyk: ''Apostoł Pomorza'', p. 38.</ref> In [[Stargard Szczeciński|Stargard]] the pagan prince promised Otto his assistance in the Pomeranian cities as well as help during the journey. He also assigned 500 armored knights to act as guards for the bishop's protection,<ref name="Fabiańczyk, p. 39"/> and obtain the baptism of the elders tribal leaders.<ref name="Kłoczowski, p. 35">J. Kłoczowski: ''Młodsza Europa. Europa Środkowo-Wschodnia w kręgu cywilizacji chrześcijańskiej średniowiecza'', p. 35.</ref> Primary missionary activities were directed to [[Pyrzyce]],<ref name="Fabiańczyk, p. 39"/> then the towns of [[Kamień Pomorski|Kamień]], [[Wolin]], [[Szczecin]] and once again Wolin.<ref name="Baranowska, pp. 40–42"/><ref>According to sources Otto christianized even the towns of [[Gartz]], [[Niekładz]], [[Kłodkowo]], [[Kołobrzeg]] and [[Białogard]]. K. Maleczyński: ''Bolesław III Krzywousty'', p. 176.</ref> In the first two towns the Christianization went without resistance. In Kamień the task was facilitated by the intercession of Wartislaw I's own wife and dignitaries.<ref name="Kłoczowski, p. 35"/> At [[Szczecin]] and [[Wolin]], which were important centers of [[Slavic paganism]], opposition to conversion was particularly strong among the pagan priests and local population. The conversion was finally accepted only after Bolesław lowered the annual tribute imposed on the [[Pomeranians (Slavic tribe)|Pomeranians]].<ref name="Szymański, p. 381"/> Four great pagan temples were torn down and churches were built in their places.<ref name="Baranowska, pp. 40–42"/> Otto's mission of 1124 ended with the erection of bishoprics in [[Lebus|Lubusz]] for Western Pomerania and in Kruszwica for Eastern Pomerania (Gdańsk), which was subordinated to the Archbishopric of Gniezno.<ref>M. Spórna, P. Wierzbicki: ''Słownik władców Polski i pretendentów do tronu polskiego'', p. 64; J. Krzyżaniakowa: ''Rola kulturalna Piastów w Wielkopolsce'' [in:] R. Heck (ed.), ''Piastowie w dziejach Polski'', p. 181.</ref> In 1127 the first pagan rebellions began to take place. These were due to both the large tribute imposed by Poland as well as a plague that descended on Pomerania, which was blamed on Christianity.<ref name="Szymański, p. 381"/> The rebellions were largely instigated by the old pagan priests, who had not come to terms with their new circumstances. Wartislaw I confronted these uprisings with some success, but was unable to prevent several insurgent raids into Polish territory. Because of this Bolesław prepared a massive punitive expedition that may have spoiled all the earlier accomplishments of the missionary work by Bishop Otto.<ref>R. Grodecki, S. Zachorowski, J. Dąbrowski: ''Dzieje Polski średniowiecznej'', vol. I, p. 147.</ref> Thanks to Otto's diplomacy, direct confrontation was avoided and in 1128 he embarked on another mission to Pomerania. Wartislaw I greeted Otto at [[Demmin]] with some Polish knights. This time more pressure was applied to the territories west of the Oder River, i.e. [[Usedom (town)|Usedom]], [[Wolgast]] and [[Gützkow]],<ref>L. Fabiańczyk: ''Apostoł Pomorza'', pp. 52–54.</ref> which weren't under Polish suzerainty.<ref name=Inachim17/><ref name="Buske11"/> The final stage of the mission returned to Szczecin, Wolin and Kamień.<ref name="Baranowska, pp. 40–42"/> The [[Conversion of Pomerania|Christianization of Pomerania]] is considered one of the greatest accomplishments of Bolesław's Pomeranian policy. In 1129 Bolesław concluded with [[Niels, King of Denmark]] an alliance directed against Wartislaw I and the attempts of Lothair III, King of Germany to subordinate Western Pomerania. In retaliation for the sack of Płock by Wartislaw I in 1128, Polish-Danish troops took the Western Pomeranian islands of [[Wolin]] and [[Usedom]].<ref>The Polish-Danish expedition to the island of Wolin and Usedom is mentioned by [[Saxo Grammaticus]]. E. Rymar: ''Rodowód książąt pomorskich'', p. 98.</ref> At end of the 1120s Bolesław began to implement an ecclesiastical organization of Pomerania. [[Gdańsk Pomerania]] was added to the [[Diocese of Włocławek]], known at the time as the Kujavian Diocese. A strip of borderland north of Noteć was split between the [[Diocese of Gniezno]] and [[Diocese of Poznan]]. The bulk of Pomerania was, however, made an independent [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Kammin|Pomeranian bishopric]] (whose first bishop, [[Adalbert of Pomerania|Adalbert]], was one of the participants in the missionary expedition and former Polish royal chaplain<ref>R. Grodecki, S. Zachorowski, J. Dąbrowski: ''Dzieje Polski średniowiecznej'', vol. I, pp. 148–149.</ref><ref>On 14 October 1140 [[Pope Innocent II]] formally invested Adalbert as Bishop of Pomerania in Wolin. The Bishopric was erected in 1124 in Wolin by Wartislaw I and Otto of Bamberg. E. Rymar: ''Rodowód książąt pomorskich'', pp. 102–103.</ref>), set up in the territory of the [[Duchy of Pomerania]] in 1140, and, after Bolesław died in 1138, the duchy became independent of Poland.<ref name="Inachim17"/>
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