How did a loose community of tribes manage to create a state that was to play a key role in the history of Europe? You will find out all this in this episode of the History Podcast! The history of Poland - a story full of intrigues, battles and political games about ambitions, survival and striving for unity. From tribes scattered between empires, through Mieszko I creating his state through war and diplomacy, to the times of Casimir the Great and the Union of Krewo connecting Poland and Lithuania through the person of the ruler - all this gave rise to one of the most powerful players in medieval Europe. Our Polish history is a history of fierce battles, bold alliances and constant struggle for survival, and this episode is a story about it! I will take you on a journey from the dawn of history to the very beginning of the Jagiellonian dynasty. You will learn what life was like for Slavic tribes such as the Polans, Vistulans, Mazovians, Pomeranians and Silesians, who inhabited the lands of present-day Poland. We will look at how these diverse communities, living in forests, on rivers and on plains, shaped their cultures, faith and social structures. We will discover the importance of religious rituals, nature worship and Slavic deities such as Perun, Veles and Mokosz, which played a key role in their daily lives. You will also learn how these tribes, finally united, began to create the foundations of the future state. Starting with the legendary Lech, then Piast Kołodziej and his son Siemowit, to Mieszko I - the first historical ruler of Poland, who, thanks to wise alliances and baptism in 966, built a powerful state recognized in Europe. We will discuss his military successes, including the victory at Cedynia, and the complicated relations with the German Empire. There will also be a story about Bolesław the Brave, who continued his father's work, expanding the state and striving for the coronation. We will see how his policy of uniting Europe under one Christian banner, in alliance with Emperor Otto III, strengthened Poland's position in the region. We will follow the battles, military campaigns, and the Congress of Gniezno, which symbolically marked Poland on the map of Christian Europe. After his departure, problems began to hold the state together. Bolesław the Brave, son of Casimir the Restorer, continued his ambitious policy, but his tendency to conflict, including with the Church, ultimately contributed to his downfall. Then Władysław Herman, trying to maintain the unity of the country, could not maintain power over his own sons, which ultimately led to the division of Poland. The period of feudal fragmentation was a time of complete chaos, when Poland almost disappeared from the map, but even then, during internal struggles and external threats, heroes appeared over time, such as Władysław the Elbow-high, who united the country. Finally, Casimir the Great, the last Piast, transformed Poland into a European power. Economic, political and military reforms made Poland enter a good time and stronger than ever. And when the Jagiellonians took power, they made Poland become one of the most important kingdoms in Europe, they endured and fought, and its history became one of the greatest stories known to history. Good listening! Rafał Timeline: 0:00 Intro 2:13 Chapter I: The board 5:33 Europe in the early Middle Ages 10:59 Chapter II: Dawn; Slavs: Polans, Vistulans, Pomeranians, Mazovians, Lendians, Slężans 19:43 Life of the Slavs 22:42 Slavic Gods: Perun, Veles, Światowid, Mokosz, Swaróg, Chors, Jarowit. 26:44 Slavic society 29:53 Chapter III: The Piasts and Mieszko 34:22 Mieszko I 36:48 Baptism of Poland 39:32 Conquest of Pomerania, Hodon, Battle of Cedynia 42:33 Expansion to the East, German internal disputes, second marriage, Sweden, Denmark 45:20 Otto III, conquest of Silesia and Lesser Poland, end of reign 47:58 Chapter IV: Chrobry – means brave 50:52 The Congress of Gniezno 54:25 After Otto III 58:46 Coronation 1:02:45 Chapter V: Troubles; Mieszko II Lambert 1:07:06 Casimir the Restorer 1:11:54 Bolesław the Bold 1:16:30 Władysław Herman 1:19:43 Bolesław Krzywousty and Zbigniew 1:25:05 Krzywousty's independent rule 1:27:42 Chapter VI: Feudal fragmentation 1:31:51 External threats - Germans, Teutonic Knights, Mongols 1:36:00 Chapter VII: Unification and Progress 1:41:00 Casimir the Great; reforms 1:45:17 The policies of Casimir the Great 1:48:02 Chapter VIII: The end of the Piast dynasty, the beginning of the Jagiellon dynasty 1:51:07 Union with Lithuania 1:56:17 Outro 1:57:41 Patrons 1:59:00 Curiosity If you like it - become a Patron! https://patronite.pl/podcasthistoryczny Sources: https://pastebin.com/GUXzKYwZ TT: / sadowski_rafal IG: / rafal_sadowskii Patrons: https://pastebin.com/Mm93kh6c Thank you for being here! My book "History for the Brave" - ​​buy quickly and safely at https://odwaga.alt.pl ???????? [self-promotion]