Boleslaw I Chrobry, besides known as Boleslaw the Great, was born in 967 and died on 17 June 1025. He came from the Piast dynasty and ruled Poland from 992 until his death. He became celebrated as the first ruler of Poland to receive the royal crown in 1025. In addition, in a short period between 1003 and 1004, he served as Duke of Bohemia under the name Bolesław IV.
His parents were Mieszko I, the first historical ruler of Poland, and Dobrawa, from the Czech royal family. The exact place and date of birth of Bolesław is unknown. After taking power in 992, Bolesław I Chrobry removed his stepmother from court Ode and stepbrothers.
Bolesław I Chrobry was an active promoter of Christianity in Poland. He supported missionary activities of specified characters as Wojciech Sławnikowice, the bishop of Prague, and Brunon of Kwerfurt. Wojciech's martyrdom in 997 and his fast canonization were the direct origin of the Gniezno convention in 1000. During this event, Archbishopship in Gniezno and bishopric in Kraków, Wrocław and Kołobrzeg was established. Furthermore, Emperor Otton III recognized the independency of the Polish state and its ruler, which was of large importance for Poland's global position.
Bolesław Chrobry's way to power
Bolesław was born in 966 erstwhile Poland was baptized. He was the only kid surviving I and his first wife, Good. erstwhile his father died, Bolesław was 26 years old and was already married to his 3rd wife. His first wife, whose name we do not know, came from the household of Margrave Rykdag. The second, besides anonymous, was Hungarian and gave him a boy named Bezprim. Both women were dismissed by the Prince. Emnilda, Bolesław's 3rd wife, and Dobromir's daughter, the Duke of West Slavia, gave birth to him 2 sons – Lives and Otto, as well as 3 daughters.
After his death, the hazard of dividing the country between his descendants arose. However, Bolesław showed integrity in his quest for power. It is possible that his determination was fueled by the Dagome iudex document, in which he was not mentioned as an heir. Bolesław took extremist steps, driving his stepmother out of the country Ode, who later died in Germany, and her half-brothers: Lives, Lambert and Świętopelka. In addition, the prince dealt with feudal masters who supported Oda, ordering the blinding of 2 of them – Odylena and Przybywoj. His uncompromising takeover of power started over thirty-year-old governments without challenges from the interior opposition.
Gniezno convention in 1000 – political success of Bolesław Chrobry
In 1000 the German emperor Otto III went to Poland to visit the grave of the murdered missionary, Saint Wojciech, with whom he was well acquainted and whose canonization he zealously patronized. Otton, then 21, had the ambition of creating a universal empire without the dominance of 1 nation, consisting of 4 parts: Italy, Gaul, Germany and Slavic. In Bolesław Chrobrym, he saw the admin of the second part, indicating the earlier strong impression that the Polish prince had made on the emperor.
Coming to Gniezno, Otton III was received by Prince Bolesław with an extraordinary splendor, which amazed even chronicler Thietmar. During the feast in the Gniezno castle, the emperor made a symbolic gesture, placing his diadem on Chrobry's head and handing him the spear of Saint Mauryce. Although this was not coronation, for only the pope had specified power, Gall Anonymous reported that Otton had then considered Bolesław as an independent ruler and suggested raising him to the throne of the king. any historians speculate that Otton may besides have identified Chrobry as a possible successor on the imperial throne.
During the Gniezno convention, it was decided to establish Archbishopship in Gniezno and 3 bishoprics: Wrocław, Krakow and Kołobrzeg. Although this decision required the approval of the pope, who appointed the Archbishop of Gniezno to the brother of Saint Wojciech – Gaudent, the already existing bishopric of Poznań remained under the direct jurisdiction of the Holy See.
As a consequence of the Gniezno talks, the Emperor's niece, Rycheza, and his boy Bolesław – Mieszek, the future king of Poland, were besides arranged. Bolesław generously talented his guests, including the emperor, who received 300 armoured soldiers. After the visit was completed, the Polish prince led Otto to the border and accompanied him through part of German territory.
After the reunion Bolesław made efforts for formal royal coronation, sending Abbot Astrik-Atanaze to Italy. However, the situation in Rome was complicated by the uprising caused by the Byzantium, which forced the pope and the emperor to flee to Ravenna. In search of assistance, the Church State turned to Venice and Hungary. As a result, the crown intended for Bolesław went to the ruler of Hungary – Stefan, a later saint. There is simply a supposition that the Abbot of Astryk, sent by Chrobry, betrayed the Polish prince, tempted by the German masters, and that in anti-Polish intrigue could have been active by the stepmother Bolesław, Oda, who resided in Germany.
After Otto III's death, on 23 January 1002, as a consequence of interior conflicts and illness, Henryk Bavariar, who was not in favour of Slavs, claimed the German throne. Boleslaw, predicting a deterioration in relations with Germany, occupied Lusatia, Milsko, and Misnia, which had previously belonged to Germany, and the local population accepted his friendships.
Despite these events, the war with Germany did not begin immediately. Bolesław attended the July convention of German princes who elected Henry II Bavarian as king. The fresh ruler seemed friendly towards the Polish prince, supporting the matrimony of his daughter Regelanda to Herman, the future Margrave of Bears. However, the reunion proved to be an ambush – Henry attacked Bolesław, who, however, avoided death through the aid of German knights. This event started an open war, and Bolesław on his way back destroyed the Arrow Castle, a Regelinda dowry.
The first skirmishes with Germany were not besides hard for Bolesław, since in 1003, he managed to take over the Czech Republic and despite the failure of any of these areas a year later, he retained most of them. Henry II, later a saint, made an alliance with the pagan Wielta against Poland. In 1005 the German-Czech-Grand Army reached Poznań, but did not storm, which resulted in a area where Poland gave only Lusatia and Milsko.
In 1007 peace was broken, and Bolesław, most likely anticipating the German attack, went into war. After years of struggle, another truce was signed in Merseburg in 1013, where Poland received Lusatia and Milsko as lenna. Chrobry, feeling strong, did not pay for these areas of the Tribute, which inevitably led to further conflicts.
The battles began over the Oder and Henry attacked the German castle, whose siege lasted over a month. Thietmar described the perseverance and resourcefulness of the defenders whose wooden castle resisted war machine. Bolesław, stationed close Wrocław, cut off the emperor's retreat, forcing him to retreat to the Czech Republic. The Polish prince followed him, destroying the country and taking many prisoners.
On 30 January 1018, a permanent peace was signed in Budziszyn, where Milsko and Lusatia passed unconditionally under Polish power. The warrant of peace was Bolesław's matrimony to Oda, daughter of German margrave. The triumph over Henry did not mean that Germany was weaker militarily, but the interior conflicts and weaknesses of the German state were conducive to the Polish prince, who preferred deception and amazing attacks, inflicting serious losses on the enemy.
The Kiev expedition of Bolesław Chrobry
After making peace with western neighbours Bolesław Chrobry could focus his attention on the east. In the past, during the reign of Vladimir I the Great, relations with Russia were beneficial, which confirmed the matrimony of 1 of Chrobry's daughters to Vladimir's son, Świętobek. Chrobry himself attempted to associate with Vladimir's household through matrimony to his daughter Predislava, but his efforts failed. After Vladimir's death, relations deteriorated, and the conflict for power between his sons, Świętobek and Jarosław, further complicated the situation. The conflict besides affected Chrobry's family, as his daughter, the wife of St.
In consequence to these events, Chrobry in 1013 undertook an armed intervention in Kiev, but without much success. Jarosław, who exiled Świętobek in 1017, besides tried his forces in attacking Poland, but besides his expedition did not bring any changes. Only after strengthening his position in the west, Chrobry, with the aid of German troops of 300 soldiers, returned to the east again, with the aim of placing Świętopelek on the throne of Kiev and strengthening his influence in the region.
The conflict escalated erstwhile the conflict of Bug occurred, caused by the Russian politician Bada, who called Chrobry. Poles were victorious, Jarosław had to flee, and Chrobry took Kiev and put his son-in-law on the throne. In Kiev, Chrobry committed rape on Jarosław's sister, which was a form of revenge for earlier refusal. His actions sparked the emergence of the local population, which forced Chrobry to retreat after a fewer months along with rich spoils. On his way back, he besides won the Red Castles. Despite these first successes, Świętaplek was yet banished and Chrobry did not intervene, alternatively he decided to improve relations with Jarosław, who ruled until 1054.
In Poland there was a period of peace which Bolesław Chrobry utilized to consolidate and strengthen the state. After the death of his opponents, Pope Benedict VII and Emperor Henry II, Chrobry utilized the prevailing confusion and crowned himself king of Poland in Gniezno on 18 April 1025, without the pope's approval. Thus, the nearly sixty-year-old ruler introduced Poland into the ranks of European kingdoms, emphasizing the sovereignty and independency of the country. Poland, which only sixty years earlier appeared in historical sources, has become an crucial player on the global stage. Bolesław I Chrobry, besides known as the Great, died on June 17, 1025 and was buried in Poznań.
