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Mieszko I (Painting by Jan Matejko)
Reign	ca. 960 – May 25, 992
Royal House	Piast
Coat of Arms	The Piast Eagle
Parents	Siemomysł, mother unknown
Consorts	Dubrawka, Oda
Children	With Dubrawka: Bolesław I the Brave, Świętosława With Oda: Mieszko, Świętopełk, Lambert
Date of Birth	ca. 935
Place of Birth	?
Date of Death	May 25, 992
Place of Death	Poznań, Poland
Place of Burial	Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul, Poznań, Poland

Mieszko I (ca. 935 - May 25 992), son of the semi-legendary Siemomysł, was the first historically known Piast duke of the Polans, who gave their name to the country that would later be called "Poland." Mieszko was not the duke's actual name but was given to him later - contemporary documents called him Mesco, Misico, Mesico, Msko or similar, with one strange exception - he also appeared as Dagome in a document called Dagome iudex.

In 965 he married Dobrawa (Dobrava, Dubrawka), daughter of Boleslav I, Duke of Bohemia. In 980 he married Oda von Haldensleben, daughter of Dietrich (Theoderic) of Haldensleben, Count of the North March (965-985), after abducting her from the monastery of Kalbe.

The early career of Mieszko was dominated by fighting with the tribes of Wieletes and Volinians south of the Baltic Sea, and their ally, the Saxon count Wichman. Mieszko was baptised in 966, probably under the influence of his Christian first wife or perhaps in order to avoid confrontation with the Holy Roman Empire to the west. He built a church dedicated to Saint George at Gniezno and in 968 he founded the first Polish cathedral in Poznań dedicated to Saint Peter. Those events are also known as the baptism of Poland.

At the time of the reign of Mieszko there was no single place serving as the capital, instead he built several castles around his country. Of the most important were: Poznań, Gniezno and Ostrów Lednicki. The latter was a ring-fort some 460 feet in diameter, containing his residence, a fine stone palace, the country's first monumental architecture.

He had probably one sister of unknown name, and two brothers: one of them, name unknown, was killed in battle around 964; the second, chronicled as Cidebur (Polish: Czcibor), helped Mieszko to defeat margrave Hodo, successor of Dietrich von Haldensleben in the Battle of Cedynia in 972.

Some historians suggest that Mieszko I had pledged allegiance to emperor Otto I the Great, to emperor Otto II and again to emperor Otto III. However, there is much dispute over this point from the Polish side - mainly whether his allegiance represented the whole of Poland, or only part (the disputed fragment is "usque in Vurta fluvium" from Thietmari chronicon). One medieval chronicle (Thietmari chronicon too) also states that Mieszko pledged allegiance to Margrave Gero, but since the chronicle itself is believed to be an abstract of another which does not mention this, it is now considered to be a myth.

His reign began around 962 in Greater Poland (Wielkopolska), Kuyavia (Kujawy) and possibly in eastern Pomerania. In the 960s he probably at least partially conquered western Pomerania, and in the 990's he conquered Silesia (Śląsk) and Little Poland (Małopolska).

Much of his military activity was along the Baltic coast, in territory later called Pomerania. He defeated Margrave Hodo of the Northern March at Cedynia in 972, and reached the mouth of the Oder (Odra) river in 976. The decisive battle, fought in 979, ensured Mieszko's position as ruler of the area (or forced him to make alligiance with emperor Otto II). The following year he celebrated his temporary conquest by dedicating a fortress at the Gdańsk. Settlements there have existed for millennia and Pomeranian and Prussian territories overlap at the mouth of the Vistula River.

In 981 Mieszko I lost the land known only as Grody Czerwieńskie to Vladimir I, prince of Kiev (but this territory could belong to another polish tribe: Lędzianie, which wasn't under Mieszko's control before 987/988). In 986, upon the death of Emperor Otto II (†983), after short time of being opposed to the idea, he pledged allegiance to the Emperor Otto III, and helped Otto with wars with the Polabians. Shortly before his death he gifted his state to the pope and received it as a fief of the Pope in a document usually called the Dagome Iudex (this is one of many theories, which try to explain motives of making this document). This document indexes the lands of (Mieszko), referred to as "Dagome" in the document, and his wife "Ote" (former nun Oda von Haldensleben) and her sons by him. The other son Boleslaw I is not mentioned, perhaps to insure Oda and her sons territory to them (by papal protection). As it turned out, upon his father's death Boleslaw did expel Oda and her sons in order to claim all territory for himself .

From his first marriage he had a son, his successor Boleslaus, and two daughters, Sygryda (Świętosława) and one with unknown name. Sygryda was the wife (as queen Sigrid the Haughty) of Eric the Victorious, king of Sweden and then (as queen Gunhilda) of king Sweyn Forkbeard of Denmark, and mother of king Canute of Denmark and England. "Świętosława" is generally accepted by historians as the best approximation of this first daughter's Slavic name. The second daughter was most likely married to a Pomeranian Slavic Prince.

From his second marriage he had three sons; Mieszko, Lambert, and Świętopełk.

The origin and meaning of Mieszko name

There are three major theories about the origin and meaning of Mieszko name. The most popular theory provided by Jan Dlugosz explains that Mieszko is a nickname formed out of the full name Mieczyslaw. Mieczyslaw name is a combination of two elements or lexemes Miecz meaning sword and Slaw meaning famous. Today, this theory is rejected by the majority of polish historians. The name Mieczyslaw was invented by Jan Dlugosz to explain the origin of the name Mieszko. Today, we know that ancient Slavs newer formed their names using either animal names or weapons names. Ancient Slavs names were abstract in nature. The same explanation rules out another theory about the origin of name Mieszko. That is the theory linking the name with polish word mis/misko meaning bear as no animals names were used to form honorable polish names among polish nobility.

The second most popular theory about the origin and sense of Mieszko name can be traced to the very old legend, according to which Mieszko was blind for the first seven years after he was born. This legend was first described by Gall Anonim. Polish word “mzec” can be interpreted as “having his eyes closed” or “be blind”. Yet again, today it is almost certain that a legend used a metaphor. It refers to the old pagan ceremony known as an ancient Slavs rite “postrzyzyny”. During that ceremony hair cutting was performed to every boy at the age of seven. In that symbolic rite a child become a man. That explains that Mieszko was not blind in fact. He was blind only metaphorically. Besides his son’s name was also Mieszko and it is hard to believe that he was also blind. In addition as we know today ancient Slavs used only abstract names among nobilities.

The third and most probable theory links name Mieszko with his other name Dagome as it appeared in a document called Dagome iudex. We know this document only from a copy prepared by anonymous monk who was not familiar with polish language or polish names. It is possible that while coping the document he made a mistake and write down Dagome instead of Dagomer or even Dagomir. Name Dagomir is used to this day and its construction is similar to other polish names like for example: Wlodzimir/Wlodzimierz or Kazimir/Kazimierz. The second part used in those names “Mir” was changed into “Miez” in polish names under the German language influence. It is possible that name Mieszko is a nickname formed from the second part of name Dago-mir as it is common in Poland to form polish nicknames by adding –ko at the end of name. Hence, out of lexeme mir/miez a nickname Miezko/Mieszko was formed. Word mir can be translated as peace.

See also

• Prehistory of Poland (until 966)
• History of Poland (966-1385)

Reference

1. ^ Włodzimierz K. Krzyżanowski, "Arystokracja rodowa w Polsce", Warszawa, 2007

Template:Link FA

• 930s births
• 992 deaths
• Polish monarchs
• Dukes of Pomerania
• Poznań
• House of Piast
• Father of the Nation