Editing Mieszko II Lambert (section)

===Accession===
[[File:Catedral de Gniezno, Gniezno, Polonia, 2014-09-17, DD 07-09 HDR.jpg|thumb|right|180px|[[Gniezno Cathedral]], where Mieszko Lambert was crowned King of Poland in 1025.]]
King Bolesław 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 Cathedral]]. 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 II inherited a vast territory, which in addition to [[Greater Poland]], [[Lesser Poland]], [[Silesia]] and [[Gdańsk Pomerania]], also included Lusatia, Red Ruthenia and the territory of present-day Slovakia. Whether Moravia was still under his reign or was lost earlier is disputed.<ref>See note No. 4</ref> 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's second wife. Mieszko II also had a younger full-brother, [[Otto Bolesławowic|Otto]]. According to Slavonic custom, a father was expected to divide his legacy among all his sons. However, since Bolesław I did not wish to break up the kingdom, Mieszko II'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 his father as king. Bezprym had, however, always been disliked by his father, as indicated by his name (the [[Piast]]s 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 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 Bolesławowic|Otto]] took refuge in [[Holy Roman Empire|Germany]] and Bezprym escaped to the [[Kievan Rus]].