Polish History
The region now known as Poland was originally inhabited by various Western Slavic tribes. They first unified in the 10th century under Mieszko I. Mieszko converted to Catholicism in 966…
The region now known as Poland was originally inhabited by various Western Slavic tribes. They first unified in the 10th century under Mieszko I. Mieszko converted to Catholicism in 966 CE and embarked on a conquest of his neighboring lands. His son, Bolesław I, became the first King of Poland in 1025. Poland developed into a medieval state surrounded by powerful foes and allies. It sent knights out crusading, developing a strong military culture based on cavalry. Under Casimir III, it became a safe haven for the Jewish communities of Europe. The nation weathered three waves of Mongol invasion during the 13th century. After a disastrous defeat at Legnica, Europe was only spared by the death of Ogedei Khan. Two later attacks were each turned back by Polish forces.
The kingdom’s first female ruler, Jadwiga, united Poland and Lithuania by marriage in 1386. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth marked a high point in Polish history. The large and powerful kingdom valued individual liberty highly. Its monarchs were elected by the nobility, who commanded great power through parliament. This system, unique among the monarchies of Europe, eventually led to a weakened and decentralized state. The Commonwealth lost much of its land and prestige during the 17th century. At this time, a series of invasions by Sweden and Russia, known as the Deluge, burned cities like Warsaw to the ground. Its last major victory came at the Siege of Vienna in 1683. There the forces of Poland, led by King John III Sobieski, turned back the Ottoman invasion of Europe.
The Commonwealth ended between 1772 and 1795. Austria, Prussia, and Russia took advantage of its weakness to divide the land between themselves. Before it crumbled, Poland adopted the first constitution of Europe in 1791. The nation would not emerge again until 1918, following World War I. Throughout this period, the people of Poland remained loyal to their history and culture. The nation’s new independence lasted until 1939, when Nazi Germany invaded. After throwing off the Germans in a devastating resistance fight, Poland passed into the hands of Soviet Russia. In 1989, Poland gained a degree of autonomy and formed its modern state, the Third Republic of Poland. Poland is now a member of NATO and the European Union.
References
Biskupski, Mieczysław B. The History of Poland. Greenwood Press. 2000.
Dyczewski, Leon, ed. Values in the Polish Cultural Tradition. The Council for Research in Values and Philosophy. 2002.
Hertz, Aleksander. The Jews in Polish Culture. Northwestern University Press. 1988.
Lukowski, Jerzy and Hubert Zawadzki. A Concise History of Poland. 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press. 2006.
“The World Factbook: Poland.” Central Intelligence Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, 20 June 2018, www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pl.html.
About TOTA
TOTA.world provides cultural information and sharing across the world to help you explore your Family’s Cultural History and create deep connections with the lives and cultures of your ancestors.
