After the death of Boleslav the Brave, Poland plunged into turmoil. The sons of the great king quarreled, started a war with each other. Noble magnates rose up against them, who were able to eliminate the Boleslavichi. The peasants, whom the secular and spiritual feudal lords quickly turned into slaves (cattle - "working cattle"), rose up against the gentry. Many remembered the old gods, pagan rebellions began. Separated many areas, where they began to rule their dynasties. Poland, as a state, actually collapsed. Only Prince Kazimir, with the support of the Holy Roman Empire and the Great Russian Prince Yaroslav, was able to restore the state and its unity.
Collapse and restoration of Poland
The end of the reign of Boleslav the Brave was marked by increasing instability, both internally and externally. There was peace with the Second Reich, but cold. Czech Republic and Hungary were unhappy with the capture of Moravia and Slovakia. In 1021, the Czech Republic was able to recapture Moravia. Boleslav was in conflict with the Catholic elite and major feudal lords of Poland. In 1019-1022. there was a Russian-Polish war for the Cherven cities, captured by Boleslav. Boleslav was able to keep Chervonnaya Rus under his rule. However, enmity persisted between Russia and Poland.
In 1025, a few weeks after his coronation, Boleslav the Brave dies. In Poland, strife begins between the Boleslavichi - the new king Mieszko II and his brothers Bezprim (Bezprimy) and Otton Boleslavichi. After the death of Boleslav, the brothers expected to receive part of the inheritance: according to Slavic custom, the father had to divide the property into all his sons. However, the kingdom went to only one son. Bezprim and Otton fled to Kiev, under the wing of the great Russian prince Yaroslav the Wise. The brothers spent several years in Kiev. At the same time, Otto entered into an alliance with the German emperor Konrad, wishing to take the Polish throne from his brother.
In 1030, Yaroslav began a war with Poland and recaptured the city of Belza (Belz) in the region of Chervonnaya Rus. According to the Russian chronicle: “Yaroslav and Mstislav gathered many soldiers, went against the Poles and occupied the Chervensky towns again, and fought the Lyakh land; and many Poles were led and divided: Yaroslav put his own along the Ros; and they abide there to this day. Having seized the Cherven cities, the Russian princes continued their march deep into Poland in order to put Bezprim on the throne. The campaign of the Russian army in Poland was synchronized with the offensive of the West by the troops of the German emperor. Mieszko could not stop the Russians and the Germans at the same time and was forced to flee to Bohemia (Czech Republic). In addition, many large secular and spiritual feudal lords came out against Mieszko. For the fight against Germany, he entered into an alliance with the pagan tribes of the Lyutichi. This was the reason for Meshko's discord with the environment, he was even declared a pseudo-Christian. Bezprim, with the support of Russian and German troops, seized the throne of Poland and recognized the emperor's suzerainty. This displeased Otto and he moved to the camp of Mieszko II's supporters.
Bezprim's reign did not last long. It is believed that the reason for his fall was his extreme cruelty. According to the Annals of Hildesheim, he was killed by his own people no later than the spring of 1032. Probably the main conspirators were his half-brothers Mieszko II and Otto. The main conspirator was Otto, who remained in Germany. After the overthrow of Bezprim, the country was divided into three parts: between Mieszko II, Otto, and their cousin the appanage prince Dietrich (Piast). This led to a significant increase in the influence of the Holy Roman Empire (Germany) on the affairs of Poland. Sack II takes the oath to Emperor Konrad II and cedes to the Second Reich the lands of the Lusatians and Milchanians. Poland lost its status as a kingdom for almost half a century and became a vassal of the Second Reich.
However, the victorious Boleslavichi did not rule for long. Otto died in 1033, possibly killed by his vassals. In 1034, the conspirators killed Mieszko. Poland plunged into turmoil. It is not even known exactly who began to rule. According to one version, the throne was taken by Meshko's eldest son Boleslav the Forgotten. He ruled extremely poorly. Because of such activities, he was allegedly condemned to eternal oblivion ("condemnation of memory"). His short reign, up to 1037-1038, led to a confrontation between the grand ducal power and major feudal lords. In Great and Lesser Poland, secular feudal lords were also supported by spiritual (clergy). In Pomorie, the local nobility resorted to the idea of restoring paganism. The situation was similar in Mazovia. Death of the Grand Duke in 1037 or 1038 led to the beginning of the peasant war. The Russian chronicle informs about this time very briefly: "And there was a mutiny in the land of Lyadsk: the bishops, priests, and boyars, who got up, beat people up, and there was a mutiny in them." The peasant and pagan uprising shook the entire Polish state. Only in large cities - Krakow, Poznan, Gniezno - the remnants of the state apparatus somehow survived. The unified Polish state, in fact, no longer existed at that time.
According to most historians, after Mieszko, the Polish queen Ryksa (Riksa) of Lorraine tried to rule, who took custody of her young son Casimir. Ryksa tried to push the Polish nobles out of power, and rule with the help of the Germans loyal to her. The case ended with a new coup and the flight of Ryksa with the children to Germany. Polish noble magnates began to rule in the name of the juvenile king Casimir. But the situation was awful. In the country, even from the time of the struggle of the Boleslavichs, a struggle began between the gentry and the peasantry, caused by the socio-economic and religious pressure of secular and spiritual feudal lords on the peasants, who were quickly enslaved. But they still remembered their former rights and freedoms. A large-scale peasant war began. In addition, Christianity, forcibly introduced in a pagan country, led to a backlash - a wide pagan uprising. In Greater Poland and Silesia, the church organization was destroyed, churches (churches) and monasteries were destroyed. Pomorie and Mazovia separated from Poland, where local dynasties were established. In 1038 the Czech army, led by Brzhetislav, took Gniezno. Perhaps the Czech prince wanted to take advantage of the turmoil in Poland to take over most of the state. But he could not achieve in conditions of large-scale collapse and turmoil and limited himself to capturing large booty, many prisoners and annexing Silesia and Wroclaw to the possessions of the Czech crown.
Russia during this period did not interfere in Polish affairs. Yaroslav was satisfied with the return of Chervensky Grad. Order in Poland was restored with the help of the Second Reich. Fearing the restoration of paganism in Poland and its subjugation to the Czech Republic, Emperor Henry III decided to come to the aid of Casimir. With the help of German troops in 1039, Casimir I (he ruled until 1058), nicknamed the Restorer, restored his power in Poland. Peasant and pagan uprisings were suppressed, aristocrats were pacified. However, for the help of the emperor, Poland recognized the suzerainty of the Holy Roman Empire.
Casimir and the feudal lords of Greater Poland and Lesser Poland did not have enough strength to restore the unity of the country. Then Casimir decided to ask Rus for help. Casimir and the Russian prince Yaroslav entered into an alliance. This was the greatest diplomatic success of Prince Casimir. Together they fought against Moislav (Maslav), a former warrior of Mieszko, who seized power in Mazovia. Moislav was supported by the Prussians, Lithuanians and Pomorians. In 1041, Yaroslav's troops made a campaign in Mazovia. At the same time, Russian troops marched on boats along the Pripyat and Western Bug rivers. In 1042, Kazimir married the sister of the Grand Duke of Kiev Yaroslav, Dobronega (baptized - Mary), having received a rich dowry. Casimir gave Yaroslav 800 prisoners whom Boleslav captured in Russia. In 1047, Yaroslav again led an army to help Casimir. Prince Moislav was killed, his army was defeated. Mazovia again became part of the Polish principality.
The union of Russia and Poland was sealed by another marriage - Yaroslav's son Izyaslav married Kazimir's sister. Until the death of the great Russian prince Yaroslav in 1054, good relations were maintained with Poland. Thus, only the support of Russia allowed Poland to return Mazovia to the principality.
Less successful was the policy of Casimir in Pomorie, where the nobility was guided by the Czech Republic. In addition, the Second Reich pursued a policy to maintain the balance of power between Poland and the Czech Republic, fearing an unnecessary strengthening of one of the powers. Any success of Poland inevitably irritated the German Empire. In 1050, there was even a threat of a campaign by Emperor Henry III against the "rebellious Casimir". As a result, the position of Germany, however, did not allow the return of all Pomorie to Prince Casimir. Only Eastern Pomerania recognized the power of Poland, while Western Pomerania retained its autonomy. It was ruled by its own dynasty, which outwardly recognized vassal dependence on Poland, but was independent in its policy. In 1054 Silesia was returned to the Polish state at the cost of paying tribute to the Czech Republic.
Thus, Poland restored unity. However, Casimir's royal power was not restored. This task was inherited by his son - Boleslav II the Bold.
Casimir I the Restorer
