A testament that divided Poland for two centuries

Prince Bolesław III (Wrymouth) at the end of his rule wished to avoid fratricidal fights for power at all costs. Thus he established the succession law with the senioriate system. Unfortunately, history mocked his good intentions. by Piotr Bejrowski   Bolesław III (1086–1138) was a ruler who deferred to the policy pursued by his illustrious…


The denarii of Bolesław I the Brave. Poland’s first currency

Until recently, it was believed that Mieszko I, Poland’s first ruler, had minted the kingdom’s first coin, however, this claim has since been refuted. Mieszko’s denarius was indeed minted by a Mieszko, although in fact it was Mieszko II, the grandson of the founder of the Polish state. by Wojciech Kalwat   If we are…


The Vikings and the state of the first Piasts

There is no doubt that the newcomers from Scandinavia did not found Poland. For the state ruled by the Piast dynasty was established before they reached the region of Wielkopolska (Greater Poland), Mazowsze (Mazovia) or Kujawy (Kuyavia), i.e. its cradle. Although the links between the Piasts and the Vikings are sometimes overestimated, this does not…


Was Sigrid Storråda the daughter of Mieszko I?

One of the more prominent figures of early Polish history is Świętosława, also known as Sigrid the Haughty (Storråda). This daughter of Mieszko I made her mark mainly in the history of the countries on the other side of the Baltic Sea, being the wife of the kings of Sweden and Denmark, and the mother…


Henry of Sandomierz: prince-crusader

Since he was a child, he had dreamed of one thing: to become a knight of Christ. To achieve his desire to spread Christianity, he traveled to Jerusalem in 1154. The Polish prince Henry of Sandomierz (Henryk Sandomierski), however, died during another crusade against the pagan tribes of Prussia, in the north of Europe. by…