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Early History

The early history of Poland might be thought to begin in the 6th and 8th centuries A.D. During 6th and 8th centuries lands between the Vistula and Oder Rivers were inhabited by several West Slav tribes. Over time in the long process of struggle for power the most prominent one turned out to be Polanians (Polans or in Polish Polanie). Other tribes included the Vistulanians, Goplans, Opolans, Silesians, Obodritians and Pomeranians.
(How should we link those tribal groups? A question for the historians!)

The begining of the Polish State

There were several strong tribes but after some time of fight for power the tribe called Polanians (or Polans or in Polish Polanie) came into prominence. In the middle of the 9th century they started massive expansion to the neigbouring territories and consequently pushed away Popielid dynasty. From that period emerges one single ruler Mieszko I of Piast dynasty (born ca 930 AD). Lands under Duke Mieszko's rule encompassed the following regions: Greater Poland, probably Lesser Poland, surely Silesia, Eastern Pomerania and Western Pomerania. The lands totalled to about 250,000 km in area, with population of about 1 million people. Poland's sovereign state history begins with the duke. Soon he married a Czech princess Dobrava, daughter of Bohemian Duke Boleslav I and was baptized into the Roman branch of Christianity in 966 AD.

This event started widespread conversion to Christianity within Mieszko I realms and was also a fact of political significance. It marked the incorporation of Poland into the Christian western world. Moreover he allied with the Czech to make his kingdom independent from the Germans - in fact he was christianed by Czech clergy and married to a Czech princess. Poland became a Christian state and the date 966 AD it widely regarded a stepping stone for the future of the whole following Polish history.

In 967 the Polish ruler defeated German Count Wichman and his allies and in 972 Hodo from the Eastern Marche that enabled Mieszko to take over the West Pomerania. Mieszko I dies in 972 and leaves his son and successor - Boleslaw I Chrobry strong and thriving kingdom.

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This huge gap awaits completion.
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In the 1970's and 1980's the whole system in Poland was deeper and deeper in the crisis and was beginning to crumble as was the whole Eastern block with the USSR as the fading superpower. With the advent of "perestroika" in Soviet Union that was started by Mikhail Gorbachev the change of the political system that had been unimaginable was becoming reality.
There were fears that the shift of power from centralized one-party system system led by the ommnipotent Politburo to democracy might turn into bloody revolution.
Luckily it wasn't the case. There were on both sides, the Communist Party and the democratic opposition, peacefully-minded reformer groups that prevailed. Solidarity that was from the outset no-violence organisation believed in negotiations and was backed by the Catholic Church that clearly managed to cool down some militant opposition fractions.
In 1989, in so-called "roundtable talks", an agreement was worked out between the Communist leaders and Solidarity delegates. The roundtable agreement established the basis for a new political system based on a division of power between president and parliament and embodied in a provisional constitution adopted in 1992. At first, the presidency was entrusted to the head of the previous Communist regime, General Wojciech Jaruzelski. Then in December 1990, Solidarity leader Lech Walesa was elected president with nearly 75 percent of the vote.
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In 1999 Poland becomes another member of the NATO.

See also : History of Poland timeline

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