Editing Bolesław III Wrymouth (section)

==Organization of state==
A detailed knowledge of the internal organization of the 12th century Polish state is impossible. There are no documents from this period and the reports of chroniclers reflect a lack of real knowledge of the principality's management.

Bolesław divided his domains into provinces, districts and [[Gord (archaeology)|gords]] (Polish: {{lang|pl|gród}}; a type of fortified village or [[castellan]]y). The [[Opole (administrative)|''Opole'']] remained within this structure.<ref>The division within the provinces on castellanies and opole as smaller territorial units, presented by R. Grodecki. R. Grodecki, S. Zachorowski, J. Dąbrowski: ''Dzieje Polski średniowiecznej'', vol. I, p. 199.</ref> The territorial scope of the province corresponded to the later ''[[Dzielnica]]''. It is believed that 6–7 provinces were created: Masovia, Silesia, Greater Poland, Kraków, Sandomierz, Kalisz-Łęczyca<ref name="Szczur, p. 150">S. Szczur: ''Historia Polski – średniowiecze'', p. 150.</ref> and Pomerania (from the lands of [[Gdańsk Pomerania]]).<ref name="Topolski, pp. 141–142">J. Topolski (ed.): ''Dzieje Polski do roku 1501'', pp. 141–142.</ref> During Bolesław's reign attempts were made to organize the border areas into [[March (territory)|marches]] following the German model. Among the marches corroborated in the available sources are: Głogów, Gdańsk and probably Lubusz.<ref name="Szczur, p. 151">S. Szczur: ''Historia Polski – średniowiecze'', p. 151.</ref> Bolesław likely had a number of well-maintained castles that served political, economic and administrative roles.

The state's nature during the [[Piast dynasty]] was patrimonial. The ducal court (Latin: ''curia ducis'') was a center of power, which belonged to the reigning family (along with a separate court for the duchess); after them came the secular and Church dignitaries and subjects, then lower officials, knights, courtiers, and chaplains.<ref>T. Lalik: ''Społeczne gwarancje bytu'' [in:] J. Dowiat (ed.), ''Kultura Polski średniowiecznej X-XIII w'', p. 145.</ref> The most important office at the court of Władysław I Herman and Bolesław was the [[count palatine]], also known as [[voivode]].<ref>S. Szczur: ''Historia Polski – średniowiecze'', pp. 149–150.</ref> The duties of the count palatine (Latin: ''comes palatinus'') included major command of the military expeditions in place of the ruler, defense of the State, supervision of the administration as head of the ducal court, control and appointment of the heads of the castellanies, and the administration of the courts. The office of count palatine was abolished in 1180.<ref name="Szczur, p. 150"/> The Polish bureaucracy developed as early as the reign of [[Mieszko II Lambert]]. The collector (Latin: ''camerarius'') managed the economy of the ducal court. Among other offices in the ducal court were the [[cześnik]] (''cup-bearer''), the [[stolnik]] (esquire), the strażnik (guard), the [[miecznik]] (''Sword-bearer''), the Koniuszy (''[[Master of the Horse]]'') and the [[Łowczy]] (''Master of the Hunt''). During Bolesław's reign appeared the office of the [[chancellor]], who directed the work of the court offices and the ducal chapel<ref>T. Lalik: ''Społeczne gwarancje bytu'' [in:] J. Dowiat (ed.), ''Kultura Polski średniowiecznej X-XIII w'', p. 146.</ref> (Latin: ''capella''), which consisted of a bunch of secular and religious duties.<ref name="Grodecki, p. 197">R. Grodecki, S. Zachorowski, J. Dąbrowski: ''Dzieje Polski średniowiecznej'', vol. I, p. 197.</ref> [[Michał Awdaniec]] was a chancellor at this time. Also under the central government were the [[treasurer]], the [[Münzmeister|Mint Master]], and others.<ref name="Topolski, pp. 141–142"/> During the rule of Bolesław the structure of the state was closely linked to the organization of the Polish Church, given that the church was subject to the ruler, who had the right of [[Investiture]].<ref>T. Lalik: ''Społeczne gwarancje bytu'' [in:] J. Dowiat (ed.), ''Kultura Polski średniowiecznej X-XIII w'', p. 147.</ref>

The ducal court was in contact with the subjects via the castellanies, who were managed by the ''Naczelnik'' or Town Chief (Latin: ''princeps terrae''). He had sovereignty over the castellanies or gords (Latin: ''comes''),<ref name="Szczur, p. 150"/> while the castellans (grod rulers) should exercise the local civil authority, getting benefits from the public, organizing the defense and probably exercising the courts. Under the direct obligation of the ruler are the [[bailiff]], the źupan ([[gastald]]), the minters, the celnik (tax collector) and collectors.<ref name="Topolski, pp. 141–142"/> All important functions in the principality are held by the nobility.<ref>M. K. Barański: ''Dynastia Piastów w Polsce'', pp. 240–250.</ref> The castellan belonged to the group of nobles, officials and ministerialis. Some had served directly to the ruler, others held the offices, while the role of others are of food shortages.<ref name="Grodecki, p. 197"/> The Margraves (who are in charge of the border areas) were directly subordinate to the Polish ruler and had greater power than the provincial chiefs.<ref name="Szczur, p. 151"/>

At the end of the 11th century waned this princely organization. Was replaced with the Western European model of troops consisting of chivalry. The Latin term ''milites'', which had been used to determine the soldiers came to be called the category of knights and warriors who could afford to keep a horse.<ref>I. Ihnatowicz, A. Mączak, B. Zientara: ''Społeczeństwo polskie od X do XX wieku'', p. 65.</ref> Polish armed forces in Bolesław's times are composed of three types of forces: the princely army (''Oddziału nadwornego''), the lord's army (''Drużyny możnowładców'') and the militia (''[[Pospolite ruszenie]]''), composed of branches of small feudal lords and peasants<ref>Sources didn't provide the amount of this different groups. T. M. Nowak, J. Wimmer: ''Historia oręża polskiego 963–1795'', p. 67.</ref> (according to other views the militia adjutant troops were powerful and also composed by clergy and laity<ref name="Ratajczyk, p. 351">L. Ratajczyk (ed.): ''Historyczny rodowód polskiego ceremoniału wojskowego'', p. 351.</ref>).

The princely army consisting of his nobles—at the end of the 11th century, the so-called "New People" (pl: ''Nowi Ludzie''): tribal chiefs, local leaders and opolne rulers who aspired to participate in government, sent their sons to the duke's court, where he was accompanied the ruler.<ref>I. Ihnatowicz, A. Mączak, B. Zientara: ''Społeczeństwo polskie od X do XX wieku'', p. 47.</ref> Bolesław's personal guard was probably chosen by himself, using an [[invocation]] which was written in the Chronicles of Gallus Anonymous:
	
:: A young people, with great manners and high birth, by at my side constantly in battle, with me accustomed to hardships!<ref>Gallus Anonymus: ''Cronicae et gesta ducum sive principum Polonorum'', vol. III, cap. 23, p. 149.</ref>

The nobles maintained their own army, which consisted of poor knights supported by peasants. They also are responsible for their armament. Among the equipment used by them was a wooden weapons (like [[spear]]), blunt weapons (like [[Club (weapon)|club]]), cutting weapons (like [[sword]]) and belching weapons (like [[crossbow]], [[bow and arrow]], [[Sling (weapon)|sling]]), and the so-called protective equipment ([[shield]], [[Combat helmet|helmet]], [[armor]]).<ref>T. M. Nowak, J. Wimmer: ''Historia oręża polskiego 963–1795'', p. 20, 22.</ref> These armies over time become larger than the princely one, the most notorious example from this was Sieciech.<ref>T. M. Nowak, J. Wimmer: ''Historia oręża polskiego 963–1795'', p. 66.</ref> During the constant conflicts at the beginning of the 12th century, the nobles invoked the militia, particularly of endangered lands. The whole militia was divided into branches, which were given the names of their native districts (for example, the ''Kruszwiczan hordes''<ref>Gallus Anonymus: ''Cronicae et gesta ducum sive principum Polonorum'', vol. II, cap. 5, p. 69.</ref>). In the case of an armed conflict to a greater weapon are invoked independent branches composed by peasants (for example, during 1109).<ref name="Ratajczyk, p. 351"/>

In addition to the nobles (who were tied to the ruler and his court) and warriors the Polish society in Bolesław's times also consisted of free peasants and servants (attached to his place of residence). A distinct social group were the free people, the so-called guests (Latin: ''hospites'') -who do not own property-, the warriors (Latin: ''milites gregarii'') who had farms and are counted into the common people. At the end of the social scale are the slaves (brańcy of war, or their descendants). There are little difference between them and the free peasants, but their duty to their master was higher.<ref>M. K. Barański: ''Dynastia Piastów w Polsce'', pp. 250–256.</ref> Non-free population was also used for personal services or to work on the land in favor of the ruler.<ref>S. Arnold: ''Historia Polski do połowy XV wieku'', p. 37.</ref>

All aspects of life in the state were regulated by the ducal judge (Latin: ''ius ducale''). He covered all the rights of the duke, in relation to the subjects or property, the enforcement of a variety of benefits, dues and ministries.<ref name="Szczur, pp. 152–154">S. Szczur: ''Historia Polski – średniowiecze.'', pp. 152–154.</ref> The expanded state apparatus and the church maintained by benefits from the population producing material goods. The main burden of the tax rests on the lowest social class: the peasantry (Latin: ''heredes, rustici ducis, possesores'').<ref>M. K. Barański: ''Dynastia Piastów w Polsce'', p. 251.</ref> Up to them to submit certain levies, [[tithe]]s, and other forms of taxes like the ''podworowe'' (in the form of a cow, which consisted of the entire village), ''podymne'' (for every house), ''poradlne'' (for each piece of land), ''narzazu'' (for grazing pigs in the woods), the ''stacji'' or ''stanu'' (who allow the maintenance of the duke's court) and the ''posług komunikacyjnych'', who regulated the transport ways in the country and was divided in three main taxes: ''przewód'' ("the cable"), ''powóz'' ("the carriage") and ''podwód'' ("the wagon"). Other minor taxes involved hunting, military, guards (who had custody the gords), taxes on regalia and criminal penalties. In addition, subjects were required to repair roads, bridges, construction and maintenance of castles.<ref name="Topolski, pp. 141–142"/><ref name="Szczur, pp. 152–154"/>