Bezprym
Bezprym | |
---|---|
Bezprym | |
Bolesław the Brave | |
Mother | Judith of Hungary |
Bezprym (
Expelled by his half-brother Mieszko II Lambert after the death of their father, Bezprym became ruler of large areas of Poland in 1031 following a simultaneous attack by German and Kievan forces and Mieszko II's escape to Bohemia. His reign was short-lived and, according to some sources, extremely cruel. He was murdered in 1032 and Mieszko II returned to the throne of Poland. It is speculated that a pagan reaction began during his short reign.
Onomastics
In primary sources Bezprym appears as: Besprim (
Older historiography frequently combined the figures of
Early years
Bezprym was the only child of
Shortly after his divorce, Bolesław I married Emnilda, who bore him five children. The eldest son of this union, the future Mieszko II Lambert, was born in 990.
Little is known on Bezprym's youthful years, in contrast with his half-brother Mieszko II, whose youth was fully described in several contemporary sources. This probably showed that his father disliked him and considered Mieszko II as his successor since his birth, which was confirmed by Bolesław I's later political activity.
Bezprym was then destined to a Church career, a fact that was demonstrated in the Vita of
It is possible that Bezprym was in Hungary and there he was appointed head of
Accession
After Mieszko II took control over the government of Poland, both Bezprym and his youngest half-brother Otto probably resided in Poland for a short time. However, Mieszko II soon expelled Bezprym from the country,[13] and probably did the same with Otto in 1030, when he discovered that they conspired against him with the help of Emperor Conrad II.
Bezprym took refuge in
Reign
Shortly after taking power, Bezprym sent the
However, there probably remained a large group of supporters of the former ruler. It is believed that Bezprym started a bloody persecution against them shortly after he began his government. As a result, many representatives of the Polish social elite were forced to flee. According to sources, some of them took refuge in
It is noteworthy that one can find in older historiography the theory, currently generally rejected, of the existence of an older son of Mieszko II known as Bolesław the Forgotten (Polish: Bolesław Zapomniany) This Bolesław apparently succeeded his father in 1034 until his own death in 1038, and, according to some historians,[17] was the real instigator of the Pagan Reaction.
Death
The rule of Bezprym did not last long due to his extreme cruelty. According to the Chronicles of Hildesheim, he was murdered by his own men no later than spring of 1032. Probably the instigators of his death were his half-brothers, although the main conspirator was thought to be Otto, who remained free in Germany. The place of his burial is unknown.
As a result of Bezprym's rule, the Polish state was
Bibliography
- O. Balzer, Genealogia Piastów, Editorial Avalon, Kraków 2005 (first edition 1895), ISBN 83-918497-0-8.
- D. Borawska, Kryzys monarchii wczesnopiastowskiej w latach trzydziestych XI wieku, Warsaw 1964.
- Gallus Anonymus, Cronicae et gesta ducum sive principum Polonorum, translated by ISBN 83-04-04610-5.
- Z. Górczak, Bunt Bezpryma jako początek tzw. reakcji pogańskiej w Polsce [in:] Nihil superfluum esse, edited by J. Strzelczyka and J. Dobosza, Poznań 2000, pp. 111–121.
- A. F. Grabski, Bolesław Chrobry, Warsaw 1964.
- R. Grodecki, Bezprym [in:] Polski Słownik Biograficzny, vol. II, Kraków 1936, p. 2.
- R. Grodecki, S. Zachorowski, J. Dąbrowski, Dzieje Polski Średniowiecznej, vol. I, Editorial Platan, Kraków 1995 (first edition 1926), pp. 103–125, ISBN 83-7052-230-0.
- K. Jasiński, Rodowód pierwszych Piastów, Oficyna Volumen Editorial, 1993, pp. 105–107, ISBN 83-85218-32-7.
- G. Labuda, Mieszko II król Polski, Editorial Secesja, Kraków 1992, ISBN 83-85483-46-2.
- G. Labuda, Pierwsze państwo polskie, National Agency Editorial, Kraków 1989, ISBN 83-03-02969-X.
- S. Szczur, Historia Polski średniowiecze, ISBN 83-08-03272-9.
References
- ^ Hypothesis of Jacek Hertel (Imiennictwo dynastii piastowskiej we wczesnym średniowieczu, PWN, Warsaw 1980, pp. 106-109).
- ^ K. Jasiński, Rodowód pierwszych Piastów, p. 106.
- ISBN 80-88878-99-3.
- ^ Kazimierz Jasiński: Rodowód pierwszych Piastów, Warsaw 1993
- ^ Oswald Balzer: Genealogia Piastów, Kraków 1895, pp. 39-41
- ^ S. A. Sroka, Historia Węgier do 1526 roku w zarysie, p. 19.
- ^ Rootsweb.com
- ^ K. Jasiński, Rodowód pierwszych Piastów, pp. 105-107; J. Wyrozumski, Dzieje Polski piastowskiej (VIII wiek - 1370), p. 103.
- Tadeusz Wojciechowski and Anatol Lewicki.
- ^ Oswald Balzer, Genealogia Piastów, Kraków 1895.
- ^ György Györffy, Kontakty Polski i Węgier w dobie tworzenia się obu państw, explained by Izabela Szyszkowska-Andruszko in "Kwartalnik Historyczny”, vol. XCV, 1988, No 4, p. 9.
- ^ A. F. Grabski, Bolesław Chrobry, Warsaw 1964, p. 292.
- ^ According to chronicles of Wipo, the Polish prince banished by Mieszko II soon after his succession was Otto; however, modern historians assume that in fact was Bezprym, and the author made a mistake by confusing the identity of the two princes.
- ^ Roman Grodecki. Bezprym – an entry in Polski Słownik Biograficzny.
- ^ A strong supporter of this theory was Gerard Labuda, Mieszko II król Polski, pp. 85-86; Roman Grodecki, by the other hand, was opposed to this idea, saying that the że brak jakichkolwiek, choćby pośrednich wskazówek, które by pozwalały przypuszczać, że Bezprym - do niedawna, choć wbrew woli, zakonnik - oparł swe dążności na żywiołach pogańskich w Polsce (...) i że ofiarą jego padł Kościół polski. Prawo Bezpryma do tronu, jako pierworodnego, uznawać mogły najbardziej schrystianizowane żywioły (Dzieje Polski średniowiecznej, p. 107).
- ^ This pattern of events the Stanisław Szczur (Historia Polski Średniowiecze, p. 80). Close to him are the views of Zbyszko Górczak (Bunt Bezpryma jako początek tzw. reakcji pogańskiej w Polsce). G. Labuda put the thesis already mentioned above, that the reaction led to the same Bezprym. In turn, Danuta Borawska stated that the social problems during the government of Bezprym were only one of several reactions, the first of which was to occur as early as 1022 (Kryzys monarchii wczesnopiastowskiej w latach trzydziestych XI wieku). This idea is opposite to the theory of Roman Grodecki, according to which both the social and religious problems occurred only in the second half of the 1030s (Dzieje Polski średniowiecznej, vol. I, pp. 103-114).
- ^ Theory supported, among others, by Roman Grodecki.