Under the patronage of Marshal Krzysztof Bosak, a peculiar conference took place in Warsaw on the occasion of the 1000th anniversary of the Polish Kingdom. During the event, prominent publicists and scholars leaned together on key elements of Polish past and political thought. Professors Anna Łabno, Jacek Bartyzel, Grzegorz Kucharczyk and Jacek Janowski shared their thoughts. The participation of esteemed publicists: Grzegorz Górny, Piotr Doerre, Sławomir Skiby and Arkadiusz Stelmach was not lacking. Their reflections are a valuable origin of inspiration.
In the beginning words of the conference, Krzysztof Bosak referred to Friday's authoritative celebrations of the first Polish coronation. – Yesterday, the state elite associated with all options met in Gniezno at authoritative state celebrations which ran at all faults, critical opinions that we can formulate, but cunning in a dignified atmosphere. They ended with the “Godparent”, although not all the verses were sung. However, there was the Representation squad of the Polish Army, there was “Bogurod” and the cross was suspended – said Deputy Marshal of the Sejm.
– Of course, although we have political forces that fight the values closest to us, which are most precious to us, thank God this fight is far more anemic than in another European countries. The field for us, as people with traditional, Catholic, "reactive" views, or simply conservative and Christian, to be active in this fight, to be successful – this field is, in my opinion, bigger than any another European country. That is why I welcome the organisation of this conference said the politician.
Power Under Moral Law
"Holiness and sovereignty. How and why was the Kingdom of Poland created a 1000 years ago?” – is the subject of a lecture by prof. Grzegorz Kucharczyk from the Polish Academy of Sciences in Poznań.
– The past of the Kingdom of Poland is most of our history. Over 700 years of Polish past is the past of the Kingdom of Poland, this is the past of our country, which was the kingdom – reminded the historian. – In a systemic sense, of course, this kingdom evolved, but it was always a monarchy that referred to, which was besides seen in ordo coronandi, in the coronation ritual, even though it besides evolved, it referred to what is in the title of my speech, or holiness.
As the talker emphasized, the decision of the Duke of Lives I to receive baptism was crucial all the more so that it was made in the Latin Church, Western. As a result, we entered, unlike Rusi, in Latin christianitas with its own imagination of culture, including political one. In an increasingly visible way, it was expressed in the coronatic rites of rulers.
– This direction to Rome is confirmed by Mieszko I, his second strategically crucial decision, that is, the decision to give Poland, “the Gniezno State”, under the authority of Saint Peter – emphasized Prof. Kucharczyk. That was the basic meaning of the paper issued at the end of the reign of the Prince. Dagome iudex.
– This direction to Rome confirmed since 966 is the most crucial decision if we are wondering how and why the Kingdom of Poland was created. Mieszko I made the most crucial choices. This is the turning point that has shaped our past forever. And he was sustained by the large successors, the creators of the Polish Kingdom, who from these charitable effects of strategical choices Lived and drew full handfuls – he added, listing in this context the first kings – Bolesław Chrobry and Lives II.
Later there was a half-century break in the coronation records. The next was made in 1075 and afraid Bolesław Bold. It was preceded by the renewal of the Archbishopate of Gniezno by the legates of Pope Gregory VII.
– This is the second plane that shows us the close connection between sovereignty and holiness. The consequence of this merger was the Polish monarchy, the Polish kingdom. In short, there would not have been a king in Poland if the Archbishop of Gniezno had not been here before. The establishment, having its own metropolis at the time, we are talking about the turn of the 10th/XI century in Europe, meant raising the state to the position – in modern language – of the European League countries – The prof. said. The decision was made in Rome, and this momentous fact was possible by bringing to Gniez the relic of the martyr, Saint Wojciech. Shortly thereafter, in 1000, Emperor Otton III put his diadem on the head of Prince Bolesław Chrobry. Today, as prof. Kucharczyk said, most historians interpret this motion as the consent of the Roman Emperor and the German King to the future coronation of the Polish ruler.
The successive coronations of the 2 successive rulers were an expression of the desire to proceed the institution of the monarch, which in turn had a immense function at the beginning of the state in the process of building state sovereignty and unity.
The war struggles against the German Emperor Henry II were expressed in this effort, and ended with the signing of peace in Budziszyn in 1018. Bolesław Chrobry besides recovered for Poland the Czerwieński Castles, captured by Russia in the 1980s. The 10th century.
– So sovereignty, unity and holiness. The sanctity of the martyr, Saint Bishop Wojciech, without whom there would be no archbishopry, due to the fact that only the Archbishop could crown the king and the royal sacral, which was an integral component of all coronation in the Latin christianitas – these were the 2 pillars ordo coronandi. The king's sac, or anointing the ruler with holy oils and the handing of coronation insignia, a more secular element – said prof. Kucharczyk.
As the author of the lecture noted, the Christian monarchy would not have been created, and all the more so it would not have been visualised in the coronation ritual of the era in which the slogans of the separation of the Church from the state or the neutrality of the worldview would have been lifted. – The coronation rite itself was an illustration of the fact that we as a political community believe and draw on our power, our future, our contribution to triumph by recognizing that Divine order permeates political and social reality. This political and social reality does not treat it, it is not bound, it does not treat it as a stone at the neck or any kind of burden, but as a force, as a confirmation, as the best legitimacy of its durability – he pointed out.
In this order the ruler became God’s anointed. It contributed to the unity of the Piasts of Poland, but on the another hand it was an expression of this order. The weight of the king's sacra was so large that Pope Innocent III had to indicate specifically that it had no rank equal to the priestly sacral, as the student reminded us. The importance of this act illustrated respective events from native history:
One of the most crucial figures who contributed to the formation in Poland of a order defining the relations of power and the Church was the Holy Bishop Stanislaus, named by Pope John Paul II the patron of social order in Poland. Tradition says the bishop pointed out the ruler's boundary of his reign. In Poland this line is simply a moral order. The King treated his will as a origin of legitimacy and was reproved.
In later centuries, at the dusk of the Jagiellonian Age, Sigismund August resisted the temptation to stand up as head of the Church, or the introduction of principles, like German, Cuius regio, eius religion ("Whose authority, this religion"). In this context, he is the author of the words "I will not be king of your consciences."
State, power comes from God, but they are not God. Power is governed by law. This imagination of the kingdom, an expression of a deeper order, was attractive to people from the east and west. The shine of the Polish Crown attracted foreigners, which is worth reminding especially at a time erstwhile Polish enemies point to it – deservedly or not – dark cards from the past.
This attraction is evidenced by the conclusion of the Union in Horodle (1413). The binder of the kingdom was, as prof. Kucharczyk said, social love. In this spirit, Russian and Lithuanian rulers were admitted to the elite group of Polish nobles, gaining her coat of arms, ancestral jewels.
In turn, many German-speaking subjects of the spiritual state, Prusian, preferred to be subject to the authority of King Kazimierz Jagiellończyk of Poland.
In 1384 Jadwiga Andegawenska was crowned King of Poland, 2 years before marrying Władysław Jagiełła. He is the only monarch elevated to the altar. John Paul II called this canonization done by him in 1997, the completion of the Millennium Act. He pointed out that not only did she admit her own calling, but she besides clearly read the calling of the peoples to rule. Her decision – in agreement with the Polish-Lithuanian union – is due to the beginning of the Jagiellonian dynasty.
History of Poland: between greatness and non-existence
966, the date of baptism Lives, is the beginning of Polish statehood in our historiography. Christianity has not reached us – unlike another countries in the planet – as to the state's already-formed body, but it can be said that it has been co-constituted from the very beginning – pointed out author and publicist Grzegorz Górny.
– It was Catholicism that gave Poland its form. He became the deepest part of her identity. And calling to baptism Lives I can be said that Poland had a beginning in the Sacrament. Poland left the font – emphasized the car of the late published book “The spiritual past of Poland”.
The conversion of the ruler was at the beginning of the gradual Christianity of the full country, along with the subjects. This is due to the frequently charged of bringing actual religion into the state by force. – The spiritual consciousness of the Gentiles was different from that of the Christian peoples. The concept of a person, individual, conscience or even individualism in our knowing – although rooted in Greek doctrine – has developed only on the basis of Christian culture. On the another hand, she was a alien to the Praslavian tribes, among which was dominated by a collective vision, where man was subject to the collective. Tribal bonds were due to household ties. There was a patriarchal culture there. The chief of the tribe or the people was like the father of the family, the head of the family, the host of the house. His decision regarding the designation of the fresh gods was so accepted by the subjects as being in harmony with the nature of things. – said Grzegorz Górny.
Competing between various beliefs afraid the 1 that religion effectively removes the grace of the heavens to guarantee that people are well. Roman Emperor Constantine the large who believed in the promise made in words In hoc signo wines“By this sign you will win.” According to the speaker, it is besides essential to look at the religiousness of Bolesław Chrobry, of whom Gal Anonymous wrote: “If he was so zealous in things concerning God, the greater was his glory in worldly things.”
– Just a year after his baptism, Mieszko defeated and killed Wichman and the forces of the Slavs he commanded. It is easy to imagine the winner after experiencing the grace of Providence, kneeling on the battlefield and making thanks to his God. possibly he triumphantly raised a cross above his head, chanting the prayer of the wars, desiring to convince them that as a Christian army they were invincible. And specified victories continued until the end of his reign in 992, erstwhile the Piast kingdom had already grown 3 or even 4 times – reminded the writer.
– The town surely had a tremendous sense of success. In his last will, the will of Dagome iudex clearly expressed gratitude to God and the Church in Rome. And this natural devotion frequently made the people accept fresh religion behind their ruler without protest or the feeling that they are forced to do so. And in this context, it becomes an understandable pagan reaction, which revealed itself during the reign of Lives II and later, as it began after a series of interior disasters and disasters which caused the Poles armies of neighbouring states and caused the general impression that the God of Christians is not as powerful and gracious as Mieszko I and Bolesław Chrobry believed. – emphasized Grzegorz Górny.
It was only after many years that Poles understood that God could let failures for infidelity or to test faith.
During the war of Boleslaw and Henry II, symbols of the White Eagle appeared for the first time, until present being a Polish emblem. The sense of danger brought together residents of various districts whose villages were ravaged by Germans. They felt that they were a community with those who live very far away, speaking a small different language, but besides resisting the common enemy. The triumph over Germany opened the way for Bolesław Chrobry to coronation, which followed 7 years after the peace in Budziszyn.
Although Bolesław was only the second Christian ruler of Poland, he became very rapidly 1 of the most powerful monarchs on our continent. He led diplomatic games on a European scale, was an equal interlocutor for the then political and intellectual elites. He was besides a partner of Emperor Otto III, who gave him the title of his associate. He besides offered him a mystical symbol of royal authority, the spear of Saint Mauryce. Coroning in 1025 Bolesław did not look at the imperial approval and utilized the minute of the kingless behind our western border after Henry II died.
The first king died only 2 months after his coronation, but his boy Mieszko II sat on the royal throne in the same year, December 25, 1025.
– While the regulation of the erstwhile strengthened Poland, establishing its position in Europe, the latter's governments proved to be a series of failures weakening the country. And these 2 anniversary coronations in specified a short time bring us into 2 different historical experiences – noted Grzegorz Górny.
The first coronation was the culmination of successive victories, and the second opened a series of defeats. The first is the announcement of the magnitude of the process, the second opens the way to disaster. And so the past of Poland in later times will develop, balancing between power and non-being.
– From a political entity Poland became an object, a pawn moved on the board by more powerful players. And both of these anniversaries are an crucial lesson for us today. They show what destiny we are stretched out as a nation and whether our destiny and vocation is greatness or smallness. But much in this context depends on our individual and community choices, which goals we set before us, what aspirations we have, what values we follow – concluded Grzegorz Górny.
Against Democratic-Republician superstition
Professor Jacek Bartyzel, historian of political thought, began his own reflection on Millennium Regni Poloniae since his baptism, he lives. "The light from the heavens conceived shined over Poland" – he wrote about this event Gall Anonymous. – One can say that the Church on Warta and Vistula and Poland were born simultaneously and in the same act of occurrence – stressed the author of the speech read during the conference.
– Today, almost 60 years after that Millennium, we enter the second Millennium, complementing it as the second arch of the vault of the Gothic cathedral. In Millennium Regni Poloniae, Millennium of the Kingdom of Poland – stressed.
Little, due to the deficiency of sources, we know about the first Polish coronations – said the professor. Without fear of error, however, we presume that they active the anointing of the ruler. It is the sacrament of the monarch’s becoming God’s anointed one, holding a share in the power of the Creator on earth. It took a pattern from the Roman-German pontificate – the Book of Liturgical Regulations, created in the Benedictine Abbey of St. Alban in Mainz around the year 960.
One of the formulas of this pontificate proclaimed that the monarch has an work to imitate Christ in his love of righteousness.
– This first Polish Kingdom did not survive, unfortunately long. The emergence of the power of the Messianic Kingdom sparked the envy and hostility of the neighbours who formed the first anti-Polish coalition in past – reminded the speaker. – Mieszko II, which has been called "Glorious" for centuries, failed to face it despite his bravery. He had to quit the crown and agree to divide the state among those collaborating with the invading relatives. Although after any time he recovered the full state but for the acquisitions of Chrobry, he did not recover the crown and shortly died— added the professor. most likely after the death of flat II, there was a so - called pagan reaction. The misfortune was completed by the robbery expedition of the Czech Prince Brestislav. These events led to a break in the continuity of the existence of the State. The advisability of Emperor Henry III Salicki helped to rebuild only the boy of the second in order of our monarch – Kazimierz Renovator. His successor, Bolesław Boldy, regained his crown for Poland, but the crime committed on the holy bishop Stanislaw contributed to her failure again, for many decades. In 1295, Duke of manufacture II again successfully sought royal dignity, but did not enjoy it for long, for he was shortly murdered. Only the coronation of Władysław Elbow in 1320 began a period of continuity, lasting 475 years.
– In the increasing atmosphere of hostility to Christianity, even the Baptism of Poland, despite the establishment in 2019 by the Sejm of this Baptism, pales in the consciousness of contemporary Poles. The generation to which I belong, fed spiritually by the celebrations of his Millennium, according to the program arranged by the Primate of the Millennium, blessed Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński, is slow dying out. May the Millennium of the coronation of King Bolesław Chrobry and Lives II contribute to the revival of this tradition prof. Bartyzel expressed his hope.
As he pointed out, the tradition of the Polish monarchy has avoided absolute tendencies. Successfully harmonised the rule of state governance with the rule of respect for individual and social freedom.
For this, he pointed out as a cardinal flaw of the Polish pre-selection monarchy after the end of the Jagiello dynasty. It's about introducing the monarch's election, and it's through the general nobility.
There were far more terrible mistakes in our strategy history. The rulers elected by the nobles did not enjoy specified respect in Europe as members of the dynasty. In the Republic of Poland, there was besides a tragic approval to interfere with abroad powers in governments.
Stanisław Leszczyński turned out to be a ruler controlled by Swedes, while August III and Stanislaw August Poniatowski owe the throne to the army of Carski in Poland.
– Finally, free election led to the enslavement of the nation and the annihilation of the state – emphasized prof. Jacek Bartyzel. Although the Constitution of 3 May restored the inheritance of the throne, at the same time its authors – "obtaining not the Christian and Polish tradition, but the enlightened news from the West" – deprived the king of the power to appoint ministers himself and to form the laws. – If the Constitution had survived with the Polish state, we would have been an attraction of a real monarchy, or parliamentary monarchy in which the king reigns, but does not rule – noted the author of the lecture.
– Let us ask, finally, whether it is possible to rebuild the monarchy in Poland, especially in the foreseeable and planned time horizon, after the first, Bolesławowy and the second, Łokietkowego Kingdom of Poland. It seems highly difficult, completely impossible without supernatural, providence intervention, although there is nothing impossible for God. But God usually works through secondary or human causes – noted the historian of political thought.
The main obstacle, according to the professor, present is "the universal regulation of democratic-republician superstition, which is forced into the brains of society as the only possible systemic option". The warrant of specified a system, incompatible with the nature of the Polish state, is external forces, "taking our sovereignty distant from us in favour of a state-wide bureaucratic pier, i.e. the European Union and its alleged fundamental rights".
– So it is impossible to take real action in this direction without liberation from the regulation of Brussels Leviathan. Worse still, this superstition besides prevails present in a terrible doctrinal crisis of the Catholic Church, and yet "there is no king without a bishop" – stressed the speaker.
– So now the monarchy thought can only be nurtured and developed on a meta-political level, as a regular idea, which people with monarchy instinct and cognition of – as Plato, Kallipolis, “Beautiful Polis” said – must patiently explain to the ignorant victims of democracy, chained to the wall of a democratic-republic cave and fed phantoms by hidden authorities, having a media-political class on their services – He summarized.
"The game of silence, laughter, and lies cannot depress or disturb the actual monarchs" – this is recalled at the end of the speech of the leading monarch of the Second Republic, Leszek Gembarzewski.
Natural system, power better and more beautiful
– In Polish tradition, the issue of monarchism is truly present throughout the existence of the Polish state and the Polish nation. As courageous proclaimers of this idea, at the hazard of this “flash of laughter” mentioned by prof. Bartyzel, we must realize that we are not the first and surely not the last – said Piotr Doerre, historian and publicist, founding associate of Fr Piotr Skarga's SKCh.
Author of the lecture entitled “The End of the State and Nation. Monarchism in Polish political thought” mentioned Gall's chronicles called Anonymous and Blessed Vincent Kadłubek as the oldest Polish political writings. In writing about the authority of the monarch, their authors focused primarily on scratching the virtues and the figure reigning as a perfect Christian ruler – a knightly, just, caring for the state and, above all, promoting Christian religion and caring for the Church.
The protagonist of Gall's chronicle is the first king of the Piast family, Bolesław I Chrobry and Prince Bolesław Krzywousty. Kadłubek writes about the Prince of Kraków Kazimierz the Righteous. – But already the 15th century writers, in the works that reflect the echoes of the large dispute of the Christianites of that time, address more complex issues, specified as the relation between secular power and church power Piotr Doerre pointed out. Paul Włodkowice, referring to the dispute between the Papacy and the Emperor, stood firm on the side of the Holy Father, pointing to the superiority of spiritual power. To rule, the monarch must have papal consent.
In the Sermon on the just and unjust war, Stanisław of Skarbimierz emphasized the extraordinary position of the king in the strategy of the Republic. He warned against the denunciation of the ruler, even in his mind.
In the publications of the Republic of Both Nations, voices differed from those that prevailed in Western Europe. There the systems were headed for absolute governments. Polish republicanism was a model with a monarch who was head of state. The legislature was expected to represent aristocracy, and Members made a democratic accent.
The most outstanding monarchs of the Republic of Both Nations were Catholic and counter-reformative writers: priest Krzysztof Warszzewicki, priest Piotr Complaint, Sebastian Petrycy, Łukasz Opaliński, Stanisław Kożuchowski.
– However, this monarchist trend of Polish political publishing in the 16th and 17th centuries has not found improvement or continuation in the last decades of the 17th and first half of the 18th century. Yes, there have been political writings like this, monarchical opening.... Unfortunately, however, most political writers of that time, ways to cure digestive diseases The Republic of Poland considered first and foremost the regulation of royal power said the speaker.
In the early decades of the 19th century, pioneering parties and political trends initiated by the French Revolution or responding to that coup were formed. any had a conservative face. – The vast majority of Polish conservatives tended alternatively towards any form of constitutional monarchy, starting with the request to revive the Kingdom of Poland or the wider Republic, on the basis of the Constitution of 3 May – said Piotr Doerre.
He mentioned specified environments and characters as: the emigration Hotel Lambert with Prince Adam Czartoryski, Aleksander Wielopolski, a supporter of hereditary monarchy with an crucial participation of representatives of various economical groups, Antoni Zygmunt Helcel and Paweł Popiel.
“Faith, the Church has precedence and I dedicate all my life and work to this purpose. Nation, homeland are the means by which a man in religion and the Church can live safely. That's why you should love them, fight for them and die," Popiel wrote.
Antoni Zygmunt Helcel saw you as an organic unity of culture, language and various types of corporations, crowned by typical bodies, but besides by an hereditary monarch with the highest executive power.
– Other conservatives, specified as the founders of the Resurrection Assembly, the ultramontane Bogdan Janski, Hieroni Kajsiewicz, Piotr Semenenko, were besides in the position of monarchist; stańskis continuing the traditions of the Krakow group, or Józef Szujski, Stanisław Tarnowski, Stanisław Kozmian. They pointed out that the fight between the ill-conceived interest of the state of nobility and the king was the main origin of the fall of the Republic. It caused a failure of harmony between the factors of order and justice – the talker reported.
Despite the establishment of the legislature Council of the Kingdom of Poland in 1918, the final arrangement of political forces determined the republican political strategy of the Second Republic. However, as early as 1919, academic youth formed the National-Zachowawcza Youth Organization, which later changed its name to the Monarchist Youth Organization. – This indicated that not all citizens of the fresh state agree with the political form it adopted. And in its perfect declaration, this organization has placed the demands of restitution of the monarchy in the first place. – he added.
During the times of the Second Republic there were: Monarchist Organization, Camp of Polish Monarchists, Monarchist Organization of the State. In rivalry with pro-pilsudczykowski BBWR, nationalists, socialists, people, it did not have much chance – the talker admitted.
In any case, these environments have shown that it is possible to advance the royal idea, prepare subjects for the future monarch, and then search a suitable candidate to offer him a crown.
Stanislaw Cat-Mackiewicz, from the Vilnius community of “dżubrów” as the editor-in-chief of “The Word” repeatedly spoke in favour of the monarchy, and “scorned the various disadvantages of the Republican strategy and democracy.”
The only holding strong parliamentary representation of the political group of the Second Republic, which advocated the monarchy, was the Christian-National organization created in 1925.
Prior to the war, an organization called the Conservative-Monarchist Club was formed, which issued respective numbers of the magazine "Pro Fide, Rege et Lege". It is the only monarchist organization reactivated in the times of the 3rd Republic.
At the end of the period of the Polish People's Republic of Poland, environments referring to the tradition of actual conservative thought
They formed clubs and associations of this nature. The goal was to cultivate tradition, family, private property, authority.
"We feel longing for the monarchy, but not only due to the fact that it is simply a natural system, due to the fact that it is simply a better power, but besides due to the fact that it is simply a more beautiful power" – those are the words of Artur Górski, the initiator of KZ-M reactivation.
– And as such, it deserves serious consideration by a nation that, if it intends to last the past turmoil, will 1 day gotta throw off its toll imposed on it by global and native shrewd scum, free from the regulation of the thieving euroclips and search a appropriate strategy of government Peter Doerre concluded.
RoM, Warsaw
