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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. In 972 at the Battle of Cedynia, Mieszko defeated Hodo of the Eastern Marche, which enabled him to take over West Pomerania. Mieszko I died in 972 and left his son and successor - Boleslaw I Chrobry strong and thriving kingdom.

Boleslaw continued the work of his father. He was able to preserve the unity of the country by expelling Ode (Mieszko I second wife) and her sons. At the Congress of Gniezno (1000) he was able to persuade Emperor Otto III to give his permission to set up a first Polish archbishopric. Furthermore, the emperor agreed to the coronation of Boleslaw (1025), who became the first King of Poland.

After the untimely death of Otto III in 1002 at the age of 22, Boleslaw I conquered the imperial March of Meissen and also Lausitz (Latin Lusatia), thereby trying to wrest imperial territory for himself during the disputes over the throne -- he and his father had both backed Henry the Quarrelsome against Otto earlier, and he accepted the accession of Henry II of Saxony, the earlier Henry's son. Boleslaw I Chrobry conquered and made himself duke of Bohemia 1003-1004, he defeated the Russians and stormed Kiev in 1018.

He was forced to give the pledge of allegiance by the next emperor Henry II again, for the lands he held in fief. Henry died in 1024. A year later in 1025, shortly before his death, Boleslaw was crowned. This event marked the full political and territorial independance of the Polish State.

The rule of the Piast Dynasty

Mieszko II was coronated in 1925 after his fathers death. The many landlords, however, feared the single rule of the monarch. This situation led to conflicts in the country, in which Mieszko's brothers turned against him. Henry II forces attacked the country and Mieszko had to abdicate in 1031. What followed were years of chaos and conflict. The reign of Casimir I of Poland (1037-1058) was a short period of stability. Casimir unified the country, and was succeded by Boleslaw II, who took advantage of the conflict between emperor Henry IV and Pope Gregor VI and made himself king in 1076. The landlords rebelled yet again and Boleslaw II had to abdicate in 1079. His brother Wladislaw Hermann took over the throne and also had to abdicate in 1102, giving the power to his sons Zbigniew and Boleslaw who reigned simultaneosly.

It was Boleslaw who united the country in 1106 and defended it against the Holy Roman Empire later on. He became known as Boleslaw Krzywousty. He managed to regain all of the lost territories including Pomerania.

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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 became a member of NATO.

See also : History of Poland timeline

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