| Slav Origins: Most Scholars agree taht the orginal Slav homeland lay within boundries of modern Poland in the Odra and Wisla basins. The Slavs subsenquently expanded into territories to the east, south and west and became increasingly differentiated until, by AD 800, three main geographical and linguistic divisions had arisen; the East Slavs inhabiting a large part of Russia, the South Slavs who settled in the Balkan Penisula, and the West Slavs who setteled in what is now Poland, Czechoslovakia and East Germany. The West Slavs suffered different fates; the Lusatians and Veleti were absorbed by German expansion, the Czechs and Moravians merged to form the nucleus of the Czech Kingdom, whilst the Slovaks became part of the kingdom of Hungary. The remaining tribes, including the Polanie, Wislanie, Pomorzanie and the Mazovians, joined together (in time) to form the Polish State. Foundation: 966-1138: The Polish Baptism of 966 came about as a result of the concerns of Mieszko, or Mieczyslaw I, chief of the Polanie, raised by the establishment of the German Empire of Otto I (962). He decided to marry Dobrava, the daughter of Boleslav I of Bohemia, and accepted Christianity for himself and his people, thus preserving their independence. In 1000, at the Congress of Gniezno an independent Polish Church organization was set up with the agreement of Otto III, but formed according to the Czech, rather than German, system. Thus the Polish Church could turn directly to Rome, and the Pope, for protection and would not fall under the influence of the Germans.The Coronation of Boleslaw Chrobry (the Brave) as the first king of Poland, in 1024, established Poland`s right as an independent kingdom Disintegrantion and Reunification: 1138-1370: In 1138 the Testament of Boleslaw III shattered the precarious unity of Poland by dividing the real among Boleslaw sons. This was the start of 150 years of dynastic struggle, in which the Church played a vital role in maintaining som semblance of national unity.In 1226, Duke Konrad of Mazovia invited the Teutonic Order to combat pagan Prussian tribes from the base a Chelmno, there by introducing a much more formitable enimy on the crucial Baltic coast. In the time the Order turned on the Poles and began to grab large chuncks of Polish territory, finnaly invading Gdansk in 1308 and massacring its Polish inhabitans. At the same time, a steady influx of German colonists helped to consolite the Order`s wealth and power.1241, 1259, 1287 saw devensting Tartar invastions. During the consequent reconstruction many new urban centres developped whilst older ones expanded. As part of the process of repopulation large numbers of forgein settlers arrived and rutal colonisation took place. Many of these new settlers were Germans and, whilst some were gradually Polonised others merely helped strengthen German political influence.It is during this period that the first Jewish settlers came to Poland where they were tracted with more tolerance than in the rest of Europe, so-much-so that the Polish Synod was beated by the Papal Legate, in 1266, for allowing Jews to dress like anyone else and being able to live without restrictions in Poland, and for a royal character having been granted them by Boleslaw the Pious in 1264.A brief period of Czech rule from 1300-1305, under Vlaclav II, reunited a main part of Poland, stimulating a national reconstruction led by Wladyslaw Lokietek. Then, in 1320, Wladyslaw I (lokietek) was coronated; the first ruler of the reunited kingdom.In 1333-1370 Casimir the Great (Kazimierz Wielki) build Poland into a major Central Europe power, increasing her territory in 2.5 times, bringing it`s up size upp to 270000 sq. kms. There is saying that he found Poland bouild of wood, and left her in stone, so great was his activity as founder and planer of towns.Under Casimir, in 1346, the first Polish Legal Code was made, and in 1364 the foundations of Krakow University (second oldest on the world) were formed. Trade also became important due Poland`s position on the commercial routes leading from East to West, and from South to Nord. The Jagiellonians, 1386-1572. Rise to Greatness. Casimir was the last king of a purely polish state. Hence forward, dynastic problems provoked a series of unions with neighbouring states: Hungary (1370-84; 1434-44;1576-86); Lithuana (1386-1795); Sweden(1587-1600); and Saxony(1697-1764). Only in the Lithuanian union succeeded, creating a state which dominated east-central Europe until the seventeenth century (the polish Commonwealth).In 1386 the marriage of Jadwiga, King of Poland, To Jogaila, pagan Grand-Duke of Lithuania, baptised as Wladyslaw Jagiello, initiated the Lithuanian pagans, Orthodox Christians, Lithuanian Muslim Tartars and heretical Bohemian Hussites. This victory helped strengthen the bond between the Poles and the Lithuanians and, in 1413, led to the Tready of Union at Horadlo.In 1440 the Maygars offered Wladyslaw III (Wladyslaw Jagiello`s son) the crown of Hungary; Poland`s attention shifted to the plains of Hungary and the growing Turkish treat. In 1444, the combined Polish Hungarian forces were defeated by the Turks at Varna on the Black Sea and Wladyslaw was killed. For a brief period the Hungarian thorne passed out of Polish hands. Wladyslaw III `s brother, Casimir IV, Started a prolonged war agnist the Teutonic Order in order to recover Pomerania and Gdansk- The subsequent victory in 1466, led to the Peace of Torun by which the Order keeping Ducal (east) Prussia as a vassal of the Polish King was able to turn East Prussia into a Duchy. In 1471 Casimir was elected King of the Czechs. His son, Wladyslaw became King of Bochemia and Hungary in 1490.1490-1526 saw the Jagiellonian rule in Hungary, and the peak of Central European dominace. The dual realm now streched from the Baltic to the Black Sea, and from the boarders of Silesia within 300 miles of Moscow. It cointained a rich mixture of nationalities and beliefs; Poles in the west and centre, Lithuanians, Lativians and Estonians in the north, Lutheran Germans in Prussian and in the western frontier, Orthodox Ukrainians and Byelorussians in the east, MoslemTartars in the east also alongside the Karaites, and Jews scattered thoughout.This period saw some important developements in the governement of Poland; in 1430 the law Nieminem Captivabimus(the polish habeas corpus), in 1493 the establishement of a Parliement with two houses, the Senate and the Sejm. In 1505 the Statue of Nihil Novi enaced that nothing new could be decided without Parlamients consent.This golden Age saw many forgein scholars, wrighters, artists and architects attracted to Poland, espacially from Renaissance Italy. It was also the age of Copernicus and of the first great figures in Polish literature; Mikolay Rey and Jan Kochanowski.This was als, in Europe, atime of religious diversion and persecution. When pressed to take sides in the dispute between Catholics and Protestants, the king, Zygmunt August, said: I`m the king of the people- not of the judge of their consiences. This spirit of tolerance attracted many refugees from religious persecution troughout the history Poland before the partitions; Jews in the 13th century, Hussitis in the 15th, and Catholics from England and Scottland in the 16th and 17th centuries.The Union of Lublin was a formal Union of Poland and Lithuania; the Rzeczpospolita Polska(Polish Commonwealth). This was formed in 1569. The Elected Monarchy With the death of Zygmunt, the last of the Jagiellonians in 1574, there were nobody who could legally convene the Sejm. An interrex,the Archbishop of Gniezno, was appointed by the Senate and a special Convocational Sejm was called which decided to the szlachta the elect a king in free election. Prior to this coronation the king elect had to swear to uphold the Constitution and all szlachta privileges.The first elected Monarch was Henri d`Anjou, but he resigned in the hope to the french throne instead. The second election winner was the Transylvannian Voivod, Stefan Batory, who became one of Poland`s most celebreated rulers, great in both war and peace. Batory carried out important reforms, sncouraged further overseas trade and createdthe firdt regular polish infantrie by conscripting peasants from Royal estates. In 1579 he created the University in Wilno. Between 1579 and 1582 Batory came to the aide of Inflantry(Livonia) which has been attacked by Muscovite Tsar,Ivan the terrible. After a successful campaign and a brilliant victory at Pskov Batory accepted the Muscovite plea for peace; Livonia joined the Commonwealth and Poland was now recognized as the greatest power in central europe. After the death of Batory(1586), the third election brought the Swedish crown prince, Zygmunt Vasa, to the throne. There would eventually be three Vasa Kings and the perion would see long rivalery and wars between Poland and Sweden for the control of the Baltic. Under his reign the Polish magnetes rose to a position of power and would eventually destroy destroy Poland through their greed.In 1595 and 1596 the Synods of Brzesc Litewsk saw the Ruthenian Orthodox clegry recognize the supremacy of the pope whilst retaining their distinctive religious rites and liturgy. King Zygmunt III Vasa decided to move the capital from Krakow to Warsaw, the junction of all major routes crisscrossing the Commonwealth. This was done in 1596.From 1609 Poland became involved in a series of wars and was invaded by Swedes, Turks and Muskovites in such numbers that the country was almost submegred by enimy forces; this Period became known as Deluge. The devastation and loss of life were tremenedous and Poland was only saved by a number of outstanding military commanders archived some great victories One historic episode during the Deluge was the defence of Czestochowa,Polands most sacred shrine containing the picture of black madonna,by a small force leb by the prior and his monks agnist a besieging army of 9000 Swedes. This defence actually changed the course of war.A particular danger came from within as the Cossacks,a people of mixed origin but mainly Ruthenian and Pole,constatly changed sides,breaking their oath of allegiance to the polish King.In 1648 the Cossack Hetman,Chmielnicki,led a great urspring which was put down.Chmielnicki now used the Ukraine as a pawn between the powers of Poland,Muscovy and Turkey which resulted in further wars.In 1658,at Hadziacz,an agreement between the King and the Hetman(Wyhowski)was enable Ruthenia to join the Commonwealth on equal terms with Poland and Lithuaniabut a further Cossack rebellion, in 1659, instgated by Muscovy (herself attempting to annex the Ukraine) and polish involvementin war with Sweden, meant that the agreement bore no fruit and in 1667, by threaty of Andruszowo,the Ukraine was divided along the Dnieper between the Commonwealth and the Muscovy.For Polish Commonwealth this was a disaster since it following a stormy election,Wisniowiecki("Piast")was elected in 1669.He proved to be largery ineffective and became a tool of the magnates.Later,1672,the turks invaded the Commonwealth and imposed the tready of Buczacz on the Poles by witch Turkey occupied Podolia and the southern part of Kiev.In 1673,Hetman Sobieski scored a aplendid victory aver the turks at Chocim which,though not chaging the provisions of the treaty,enabled Sobieski`s election to the throne.1674-1696 heralded the of Jan III Sobieski,a great military leader who had virtually annihilated the Turkish forces at Chocim.Unable to break into Europe trought Poland, the Turks invaded Hungary and Austria in 1683 and swept all before them.130000 Turks besieget Vienna and threatened to overpower Europe.Sobieski,at the request of the Pope,marched on Vienna,sent the Hussaria into their last great charge and took the Turks unawares. It was a turning point in the Polish History. |