Editing Mieszko I (section)

===Conquest of Pomerania===
[[File:Pokonany Wichman 1788 (79814146) (cropped).jpg|thumb|''Wichmann the Younger Surrenders to the Polish Prince Mieszko'' by [[Franciszek Smuglewicz]] (early 19th c.)]]

After the normalization of relations with the Holy Roman Empire and Bohemia, Mieszko I returned to his plans to conquer the western part of [[Pomerania]]. On 21 September 967 the Polish-Bohemian troops prevailed in the decisive battle against the [[Wolin]]ians led by [[Wichmann the Younger]], which gave Mieszko control over the mouth of the Odra River.<ref>Probably not the main stronghold of the region – [[Wolin (town)|Wolin]]. G. Labuda, ''Mieszko I'', cap. V.3.</ref> The German margraves had not opposed Mieszko's activities in Pomerania, perhaps even supported them; the death of the rebellious Wichmann, who succumbed to his wounds soon after the battle, may have been in line with their interests. A telling incident took place after the battle, a testimony to Mieszko's high standing among the Empire's dignitaries, just one year after his baptism: Widukind of Corvey reported that the dying Wichmann asked Mieszko to hand over Wichmann's weapons to Emperor Otto I, to whom Wichmann was related. For Mieszko the victory had to be a satisfying experience, especially in light of his past defeats inflicted by Wichmann.

The exact result of Mieszko's fighting in the west of Pomerania is not known. Subsequent loss of the region by Mieszko's son [[Bolesław I Chrobry|Bolesław]] suggests that the conquest was difficult and the hold over that territory rather tenuous. In one version of the legend of [[Saint Adalbert of Prague]] (known in Polish as ''Wojciech'') it is written that Mieszko I had his daughter married to a Pomeranian prince, who previously voluntarily "was washed with the holy water of the baptism" in Poland. The above information, as well as the fact that Bolesław lost Western Pomerania, suggest that the region was not truly incorporated into the Polish state, but only became a [[fief]]. This conjecture seems to be confirmed in the introduction of the first volume of the chronicles of [[Gallus Anonymus]] concerning the Pomeranians: "Although often the leaders of the forces defeated by the Polish duke sought salvation in baptism, as soon as they regained their strength, they repudiated the Christian faith and started the war against Christian anew".