Individual

Go to List of Family Names Go to List of People    < Previous Next >

Birth:          ABT  990 
Death:          10 May 1034 

Notes
after 1032, Poland under overlordship of Germany
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mieszko_II_Lambert
Mieszko II Lambert (About this sound Polish (help·info); c. 990 – 10/11 May 1034) was 
King of Poland from 1025–1031, and Duke from 1032 until his death.

He was the second son of Boleslaw I the Brave but the eldest born from his third wife 
Emnilda of Lusatia. He was probably named after his paternal grandfather, Mieszko I. 
His second name, Lambert, sometimes erroneously considered to be a nickname, was 
given to him as a reference to the cult of Saint Lambert. Also, it is probable that this 
name Lambert was chosen after Boleslaw's half-brother Lambert. It is thought that the 
choice of this name for his son was an expression of warming relations between 
Boleslaw I and his stepmother Oda.[1]

He organized two devastating invasions to Saxony in 1028 and 1030. Then Mieszko II 
ran a defensive war against Germany, Bohemia and the Kievan princes. Mieszko II 
was forced to escape from the country in 1031 after an attack of Yaroslav I the Wise, 
who installed Mieszko's older half-brother Bezprym onto the Polish throne. Mieszko 
took refuge in Bohemia, where he was imprisoned by the Duke Oldrich. In 1032 he 
regained power in one of the three districts, then united the country, making good use 
of the remaining power structures. At this time, several Polish territorial acquisitions of 
his father were lost: Upper Lusatia (also known as Milsko), part of Lower Lusatia, Red 
Ruthenia, western and central part of Upper Hungary (now Slovakia) and probably 
Moravia.

Mieszko II was very well educated for the period. He was able to read and write, and 
knew both Greek and Latin. He is unjustly known as Mieszko II Gnusny (the "Lazy," 
"Stagnant" or "Slothful"). He received that epithet due to the unfortunate way his 
reign ended; but at the beginning he acted as a skillful and talented ruler.
Life[edit]

Early years[edit]

Since Mieszko II was politically active before his father's death, Boleslaw I appointed 
him as his successor. He participated mainly in German politics, both as a 
representative of his father and the commander of the Polish troops.

In 1013 Mieszko II went to Magdeburg, where he paid homage to the Emperor Henry 
II. A few months later Boleslaw I paid homage in person. The real purpose of 
Mieszko's visit is unclear, especially since soon after his father paid homage to the 
Holy Roman Empire. Presumably, the young prince paid homage for Milsko or Moravia 
and Lusatia. The relevant treaty stipulated that it was only a personal tribute, not 
entailing any legal obligations. Another hypothesis assumes that the territories were 
transferred by Boleslaw to him, and as a result made Mieszko a vassal of the Empire.

The position of the young prince, at the both Polish and Imperial courts, became 
stronger in 1013 when he married Richeza[2] daughter of Count Palatine Ezzo of 
Lotharingia and niece of Emperor Otto III. Ezzo was a prince of a considerable 
influence as a great leader of the opposition against Henry II. Through the marriage 
with his daughter Mieszko, he entered into the circle of the Imperial family and 
became a person equal to, if not higher than the Emperor himself. Probably after the 
wedding, and in accordance with prevailing custom, Boleslaw I the Brave gave a 
separate district to Mieszko II to rule: Kraków. One of his towns, Wawel (now part of 
the city), was chosen by the prince as his residence.

In the year 1014 Mieszko II was sent by his father to Bohemia as an emissary. He had 
to persuade Duke Oldrich to make an alliance against the Emperor Henry II. The 
mission failed as Oldrich imprisoned Mieszko. He was released only after the 
intervention of the Emperor, who, despite the planned betrayal of Boleslaw I, loyally 
acted on behalf of his vassal. As a result, Mieszko was sent to the Imperial court in 
Merseburg as a hostage. Henry II probably wanted to force the presence of Boleslaw I 
in Merseburg and make him explain his actions. The plan failed however, because, 
under pressure from his relatives, the Emperor soon agreed to release Mieszko.

Mieszko II by Aleksander Lesser

A year later, Mieszko II stood at the head of Polish troops in the next war against the 
Emperor. The campaign wasn't favorable to Henry. His army needed over a month to 
reach the line of the Oder River, and once there, his troops encountered strong 
resistance led by Mieszko and his father. Henry II sent a delegation to the Polish 
rulers, in an effort to induce them to conclude a peace settlement. Mieszko II refused, 
and after the Emperor's failure to defeat his troops in battle, Henry decided to begin 
retreating to Dziadoszyce. The Polish prince went on pursuit, and inflicted heavy 
losses on the German army. When the Polish army advanced to Meissen, Mieszko II 
unsuccessfully tried to besiege the castle of his brother-in-law, Margrave Herman I 
(husband of his sister Regelinda). The fighting stopped in autumn and was resumed 
only in 1017 after the failure of peace talks. Imperial forces bypassed the main 
defensive site near Krosno Odrzanskie and besieged Niemcza. At the same time, at 
the head of ten legions, Mieszko went to Moravia and planned an allied attack 
together with Bohemia against the Emperor. This action forced the Emperor to give up 
on a plan of any frontal attack. A year later, the Peace of Bautzen (30 January 1018) 
was concluded, with terms extremely favorable to the Polish side.

Beginning in 1028, he successfully waged war against the Holy Roman Empire. He 
was able to repel its invading army, and later even invaded Saxony. He allied Poland 
with Hungary, resulting in a temporary Hungarian occupation of Vienna. This war was 
probably prompted by family connections of Mieszko's in Germany who opposed 
Emperor Conrad II.

Due to the death of Thietmar of Merseburg, the principal chronicler of that period, 
there is little information about Mieszko II's life from 1018 until 1025, when he finally 
took over the government of Poland. Only Gallus Anonymus mentions the then Prince 
on occasion of the description of his father's trip to Rus in 1018: "due to the fact that 
his son (...) Mieszko wasn't considered yet capable of taking the government by 
himself, he established a regent among his family during his trip to Rus". This 
statement was probably the result of the complete ignorance of the chronicler, since 
1018 Mieszko II was 28 years old and was already fully able to exercise the power by 
himself.
***
Death[edit]

Mieszko II died suddenly between 10 and 11 May 1034, probably in Poznan. The 
Polish chronicles clearly stated that he died of natural causes; the information that he 
was murdered by the sword-bearer (Miecznik), given by the chronicles of Gottfried of 
Viterbo, refers to Bezprym. However, the historians now think that he was killed in a 
plot hatched by the aristocracy.[citation needed] He was buried in the Cathedral of St. 
Peter and St. Paul.

After Mieszko II's death, Poland's peasants revolted in a "pagan reaction." The exact 
reasons and date are unknown. Mieszko II's only son and heir, Casimir I, was either 
expelled by this insurrection, or the insurrection was caused by the aristocracy's 
expulsion of him.

Some modern historians argue that the insurrection was caused more by economic 
than by religious issues, such as new taxes for the Church and the militarization of the 
early Polish polity. Priests, monks and knights were killed; cities, churches and 
monasteries were burned.

The chaos became still greater when unexpectedly the Czechs invaded Silesia and 
Greater Poland from the south (1039). The land became divided among local rulers, 
one of whom is known by name: Mieclaw, ruler of Masovia. Greater Poland was so 
devastated that it ceased to be the core of Polish Kingdom. The capital was moved to 
Kraków in Lesser Poland.

Marriage and issue[edit]

In Merseburg ca. 1013, Mieszko II married with Richeza (b. bef. 1000 – d. Saalfeld, 21 
March 1063), daughter of Count Palatine Ezzo of Lotharingia. They had at least three 
children, and possibly four:
1.Ryksa (b. 22 September 1013 – d. 21 May 1075), married by 1039/42 to King Béla I 
of Hungary.
2.Casimir I the Restorer (b. 25 July 1016 – d. 19 March 1058).
3.Gertruda (b. 1025 – d. Kiev, 4 January 1108), married by 1043 to Grand Prince 
Iziaslav I of Kiev.
4.possibly Agatha, wife of Edward the Exile, whose origins are unknown. One theory 
that has been put forward is that she was daughter of Mieszko II and Richeza.[7]

Parents
____ Boleslaw I "Chrobry" "the Brave" ( 967 - 17 Jul 1025)
OF SILICIA Emnilde (ABT  970 - 1017)

Siblings
____ Mieszko (Mieszylaw) II (ABT  990 - 10 May 1034)

Marriage To OF PFALZ-LORRAINE Richenza (Rixa) (ABT  995 - 21 Mar 1063)
    m. 1013 

Notes

Parents
OF THE RHEINPFALZ Ezzo (Erenfried) (ABT  955 - 21 May 1034)
OF SAXONY Matilda ( 975 - 4 Nov 1025)

Children by OF PFALZ-LORRAINE Richenza (Rixa) ABT  995 - 21 Mar 1063
OF POLAND Richeza (Rixa) (22 Sep 1013 - 21 May 1075)
KAROL Kazimerz (Casimir) I "the Restorer" "The Great" (25 Jul 1018 - 28 Nov 1058)
OF POLAND Gertrude (Gertruda) (ABT 1020 - 4 Jan 1108)

Produced by Fzip 1.7 6/20/2017