Poland.

6

The dukedom restored.

7

Again abolished.

8

Restored a second time.

came to nothing. At last, however, they cast their eyes upon Cracus, or Gracus, whose wealth and popularity had raised him to the highest honours among his countrymen. The Poles say that he was a native of Poland, and one of the 12 vaivodes; but the Bohemi ans affirm that he was a native of their country: however, both agree in maintaining, that he was descended from the ancient family of the Gracchi in Rome; who, they say, were banished to this country. He is said to have signalized himself against the Franks, whom he overthrew in some desperate engagements, and afterwards built the city of Cracow with their spoils. He did not enlarge his dominions, but made his subjects happy by many excellent regulations. At last, after a long and glorious reign, he expired, or, according to some, was assassinated by a nobleman who aspired to the

crown.

Cracus left three children; Cracus, Lechus, and a daughter named Vanda. The first succeeded to the dukedom in virtue of his birthright; but was soon after murdered by his brother Lechus. However, it seems the thoughts of the crime which he had committed so disturbed his conscience, that the secret could not be kept. When it was known that he had been the murderer of his late sovereign, he was deposed with all possible marks of ignominy and contempt, and his sister Vanda declared duchess. She was a most beautiful and accomplished lady; and soon after she had been raised to the sovereignty, one Rithogar, a Teutonic prince, sent an ambassador demanding her in marriage, and threatening war if his proposals were refused. Vanda marched in person against him at the head of a numerous army, and the event proved fatal both to Rithogar and herself. The troops of Rithogar abandoned him without striking a blow, upon which he killed himself in despair; and Vanda, having become enamoured of him, was so much concerned for his death, that she drowned Merself in the river Vistula or Wessel. From this unfortunate lady the country of Vandalia takes its

name.

The family of Cracus having become extinct by the death of Vanda, the Poles were again left at liberty to choose a new sovereign or a new form of government. Through a natural levity, they changed the form of government, and restored the vaivodes notwithstanding all that they had formerly suffered from them. The consequences were the same as before: the vaivodes abused their power; the people were oppressed, and the state was distracted between foreign wars and civil contentions. At that time the Hungarians and Moravians had invaded Poland with a numerous army, and were opposed only by a handful of men almost ready to surrender at discretion, when oue Premislaus, a private soldier, contrived a stratagem by which the numerous forces of the enemy were overthrown and for his valour was rewarded with the dukedom. We are ignorant of the other transactions of his reign; but all historians inform us that he died deeply regretted, and without issue; so that the Poles had once more to choose a sovereign.

On the death of Premislaus several candidates appeared for the throne; and the Poles determined to prefer him who could overcome all his competitors in a horseA stone pillar was erected near the capital, on which were laid all the ensigns of the ducal authority;

race.

and a herald proclaimed, that he who first arrived at Poland. that pillar from a river at some distance, named Pouderic, was to enjoy them. A Polish lord named Lechus was resolved to secure the victory to himself by a stratagem; for which purpose he caused iron spikes to be driven all over the course, reserving only a path for his own horse. The fraudulent design took effect in part, all the rest of the competitors being dismounted, and some severely hurt by their fall. Lechus, in consequence of this victory, was about to be proclaimed duke; when, unluckily for him, a peasant who had found out the artifice opposed the ceremony; and upon an examination of the fact, Lechus was torn in pieces, and the ducal authority conferred upon the peasant.

The name of the new monarch was also Lechus. He attained the sovereignty in the year 774, and conducted himself with great wisdom and moderation. Though he possessed the qualities of a great warrior, and extended his dominions on the side of Moravia and Bohemia, yet his chief delight was to make his subjects happy by peace. In the decline of life he was obliged to engage in a war with Charlemagne, and is said by some to have fallen in battle with that powerful monarch; though others assert that he died a natural death, having lived so long that the springs of life were quite worn out.

Lechus III. was succeeded by his son Lechus IV. who inherited all his father's virtues. He suppressed an insurrection in the Polish provinces, by which he acquired great reputation; after which he led his army against the Greek and Italian legions who had overrun Pannonia. He gained a complete victory over his enemies. Nor was his valour more conspicuous in the battle than his clemency to the vanquished: for he dismissed all his prisoners without ransom; demanding no other conditions than that they should never again disturb the peace of Poland, or the allies of that kingdom. This duke is said to have been endowed with many virtues, and is charged only with the vice of in-continence. He left 20 natural children, and only one legitimate son, named Popiel, to whom he left the sovereignty. Popiel was also a virtuous and pacific prince, who never had recourse to arms but through necessity. He removed the seat of government from Cracow to Gnesna, and was succeeded by his nephew Popiel II. a minor.

The young king behaved with propriety as long as he was under the tuition of others; but as soon as he had got the reins of government into his own hands the face of affairs was altered. Lechus III. who, as hath been already mentioned, had 20 illegitimate children, had promoted them to the government of different provinces ; and they had discharged the duties of their offices in such a manner as showed that they were worthy of the confidence reposed in them. But as soon as Popiel came of age, being seduced by the advice of his wife, an artful and ambitious woman, he removed them from their posts, treated them with the utmost contempt, and at last found means to poison them all at once at an entertainment. A dreadful punishment, however, according to the historians of those times, attended his treachery and cruelty. The bodies of the unhappy governors were left unburied; and from them issued a swarm of rats, who pursued Popiel, his wife, and children, wherever they went, and at last devoured them. The nation now became a prey to civil discord at the

Poland.

are called

Piastes.

10

same time that it was harassed by a foreign enemy; and, in short, the state seemed to be on the verge of dissolu9 tion, when Piastus was proclaimed duke in 830, from Why the whom the natives of ducal or regal dignity were called sovereigns Piastes. See PIASTUS. This excellent monarch died of Poland in 861, and was succeeded by his son Ziemovitus, who was of a more warlike disposition than his father, and who first introduced regular discipline among the Polish troops. He maintained a respectable army, and took great pains to acquire a perfect knowledge in the art of war. The consequence of this was, that he was victorious in all his battles; and retook from the Germans and Hungarians not only all that they had gained, but enlarged his dominions beyond what they had been. After his death nothing remarkable happened in Poland till the time of Mieczslans I. who attained the ducal authority in 964. He was born blind, and continued so for seven years after which he recovered his sight without using any medicine; a circumstance so extraordinary, that in those times of ignorance and superstition it Christiani- was accounted a miracle. In his reign the Christian rety introdu- ligion was introduced into Poland. The most probable ced by Mi-account of the manner in which Christianity was introduced is, that Mieczslaus having by ambassadors made his addresses to Daborwka daughter to the duke of Bohemia, the lady rejected his offer unless he would suffer himself to be baptized. To this the duke consented, and was baptized, after having been instructed in the principles of Christianity. He founded the archbishop rics of Gnesna and Cracow; and appointed St Adalbert, sent by the pontiff to propagate Christianity in Poland, primate of the whole kingdom. On the birth of his son Boleslaus he redoubled his zeal; founding several bishoprics and monasteries; ordering likewise that, when any part of the Gospel was read, the hearers should half draw their swords, in testimony of their readiness to defend the faith. But he was too superstitious to attend to the duties of a sovereign; and therefore suffered his dominions to be ravaged by his barbarous neighbour the duke of Russia. Yet, with all his devotion, he could not obtain the title of king from the pope, though he had warmly solicited it. That title was afterwards conferred on his son, who succeeded to all his dominions.

eczlaus I.

II

Boleslaus the first

land.

Boleslaus I. the first king of Poland, surnamed Chrobry, succeeded to the sovereignty in 999. He also proKing of Po- fessed and cherished Christianity, and was a man of great valour and prudence. However, the first transaction of his reign savoured very much of the ridiculous piety of those times. He removed from Prague to Gnesna the remains of a saint which he had purchased at a consider able price. The emperor Otho III. made a pilgrimage, on account of a vow, to the tomb of this saint. He was hospitably received by Boleslaus, whom, in return, he invested with the regal dignity; an act which was confirmed by the pope. This new dignity added nothing to the power of Boleslaus, though it increased his consequence with his own subjects. He now affected more state than before his body guards were considerably augmented; and he was constantly attended by a numerous and splendid retinue whenever he stirred out of his palace. Thus he inspired his people with an idea of his greatness, and consequently of their own importance; which no doubt was necessary for the accomplishment of a design he had formed, namely, an offensive

12

hemia

war with Russia: but when he was upon the point of Poland. setting out on this expedition, he was prevented by the breaking out of a war with the Bohemians. The elevation of Boleslaus to the regal dignity had excited the envy of the duke of Bohemia, who had solicited the same honour for himself, and had been refused. His jealousy was further excited by the connection between Boleslaus and the emperor, the former having married Rixa the emperor's niece. Without any provocation, therefore, or without giving the least intimation of his design, the duke of Bohemia entered Poland at the head of a numerous army, committing everywhere dreadful ravages. Boleslaus immediately marched against him, He conand the Bohemians retired with precipitation. Scarcity quers Bo of provisions, and the inclemency of the season, prevented Boleslaus at that time from pursuing; but as soon as these obstacles were removed, he entered Bohemia at the head of a formidable army, with a full resolution of taking ample revenge. The Bohemians were altogether unable to resist; neither indeed had they courage to venture a battle, though Boleslaus did all in his power to force them to it. So great indeed was the cowardice of the duke or his army, that they suffered Prague, the capital of the duchy, to be taken after a siege of two years; having never, during all that time, ventured to relieve it by fighting the Polish army. The taking of this city was quickly followed by the reduction of all the places of inferior note: but though Boleslaus was in possession of almost all the fortified places in Bohemia, he could not believe his conquests to be complete until he became master of the duke's person. This unfortu nate prince had shut himself up with his son in his only remaining fortress of Wissogrod, where he imagined that he should be able to foil all the attempts of the Polish monarch. In this, however, he found himself disappointed. Boleslaus invested the place, and made his approaches with such rapidity, that the garrison, dreading a general assault, resolved to capitulate, and persisted in their resolution notwithstanding all the entreaties and promises of the duke. The consequence was, that the unhappy prince fell into the hands of his enemies, and had his eyes put out by Boleslaus; after which, his son Jaremir was put into perpetual and close confinement.

13

From Bohemia Boleslaus marched towards Moravia; and Moraand no sooner did he arrive on the frontier than the via. whole province submitted without a blow. He then resumed his intention of invading Russia; for which he had now a very fair opportunity, by reason of a civil war which raged with violence among the children of Duke Volodomir. The chief competitors were Jarislaus and Suantepolk. The latter, having been defeated by his brother, was obliged to take refuge in Poland, where he used all the arguments in his power with King Boleslaus in order to induce him to revenge his cause. Boleslaus having already an intention of invading that country, needed but little intreaty; and therefore moved towards Russia at the head of a very numerous army: giving out, that he had no other design than to revenge the injustice done to Suantepolk. He was met on the banks of the river Bog by Jarislaus at the head of an army much superior in number to his own; and for some days the Polish army was kept at bay by the Rus- Gains a sians. At last Boleslaus, growing impatient, resolved great victo pass the river at all events; and therefore forming his tory over cavalry in the best manner for breaking the torrent, he sians. exposed

14

the Rus

Poland

15 Places

on the throne of Russia,

16 who at

with nis

whole ar

17

exposed his own person to the utmost of its force. Encouraged by his example, the Poles advanced breasthigh in the water to the opposite shore; from whence the enemy gave them all the annoyance in their power. In spite of all opposition, however, the Poles reached the bank, and soon gained a complete victory, Jarislans being obliged to fly to Kiovia. This city was immediately invested; but Jarislaus retired farther into the country in order to recruit his army, leaving the city to its fate. The garrison made a brave defence, but were at last compelled to surrender at discretion. A vast treasure was found in the place; great part of which was distributed by Boleslaus among the soldiers.

But in

Though the king of Poland had now become master of the greatest part of Russia, he knew that the only possible means of keeping the country in subjection was Suantepolk by placing a natural sovereign over the inhabitants. For this reason he reinstated Suantepolk, though his pretensions were still disputed by Jarislaus. The latter had formed a flying camp, and meditated a scheme of surprising and carrying off his rival brother; but having failed in his attempt, he retired to Novogorod, where the attachment of the inhabitants enabled him to make some resistance, till at last he was attacked and defeated by Boleslaus, which seemed to give the finishing stroke to his affairs. The king of Poland, however, now met tempts to with a more dangerous enemy in the perfidious and uncut him off grateful Suantepolk than he had experienced in Jarislaus. The Russian prince, imagining himself a dependent on my, but is Boleslaus, formed a conspiracy against him; by which defeated. he projected nothing less than the destruction of him and his whole army. The massacre was already begun when Boleslaus received intelligence. The urgency of the case admitted of no delay: the king therefore mounted his horse; and having with the utmost haste assembled part of his army, fell upon the traitors with such fury, that they were obliged to betake themselves A dreadful to flight, and Boleslaus got safe into Poland. the mean time Jarislaus having assembled fresh forces, pursued the Polish army; and having come up with them just as one half had crossed the river Boristhenes, attacked them with the utmost fury. Boleslaus defended himself with the greatest resolution; but, by reason of his forces being divided, victory was dubious for a long time. At last, when the army had wholly crossed, the Russians were entirely put to the rout, and a terrible carnage ensued. The victory, however, though complete, was not decisive; for which reason Boleslaus thought proper to continue his retreat, without attempting to conquer a country too extensive for him ever to Saxony conquered keep in subjection. Still, however, his martial inclination continued, and he led his army into Saxony. The inhabitants of this country had hitherto resisted all attempts that had been made on their freedom, and still made a violent struggle for liberty; though, in spite of their utmost efforts, they were obliged at last to submit to the yoke. On his withdrawing the troops from Saxony, however, the king thought proper to leave the people to their liberty, contenting himself with a rich booty. The boundaries of his empire he now fixed at the river Elbe; where he erected two iron columns, in order to transmit the memory of his conquest to posterity.

battle between the Russians

18

by Boleslaus,

Boleslaus, still unsated with victory, now meditated

9 with Pius

sta and 'omerania.

20

over the

Kussians,

the conquest of Prussia and Pomerania; the latter of Poland. which provinces had, in the former civil wars, been dismembered from Poland. His arms were attended with equal success against both: indeed the very terror of his name seemed to answer all the purposes of a formidable army. These, however, he seems to have designed to be the last of his warlike enterprises; for he now applied himself wholly to the enacting of wholesome laws for the benefit of his people. But in the midst of this tranquillity Jarislaus assembled the most numerous army that had ever been heard of in Russia, with which he appeared on the frontiers of Poland. Boleslaus, though now Gains anoadvanced in years, marched out against his adversaries, be great and met them on the banks of the Boristhenes, rendered Victory famous by the victory he had lately gained there. The Poles crossed the river by swimming; and attacked the. on watch enemy before they had time to draw up in order of the whole battle with such impetuosity, that a total rout soon en-country sued. The Russians were seized with a panic, and Ja-` rislaus was hurried away, and almost trampled to death by the fugitives. Many thousand prisoners were taken, but Boleslaus released them upon very easy conditions; contenting himself with an inconsiderable tribute, and endeavouring to engage the affections of the people by his kindness. This well-timed clemency produced such a happy effect, that the Russians voluntarily submitted to his jurisdiction, and again became his subjects. Soon Boleslaus after this he died in the year 1025, after having great-dies. ly extended his dominions, and rendered his subjects happy.

submits..

21

22

driven out

Boleslaus was succeeded by his son Mieczlaus II. but he possessed none of the great qualities of his father, being indolent and debauched in his behaviour. In the very beginning of his reign, the Russians, Bohemians, and Moravians, revolted. However, as the spirit and discipline introduced by Boleslaus still remained in the Polish army, Mieczslaus found no great difficulty in reducing them again to obedience: after which, devoting himself entirely to voluptuousness, he was seized with a frenzy, which put an end to his life in the year 1034. The bad qualities of this prince proved very Rixa, a ty detrimental to the interest of his son Casimir; though rannical the latter had received an excellent education, and was re ent possessed of many virtues. Instead of electing him king, with: her they chose Rixa his mother queen-regent. She proved on Casimir. tyrannical, and so partial to her countrymen the Germans, that a rebellion ensued, and he was forced to fly to Germany; where she obtained the protection of the emperor by means of the immense treasures of Boleslaus, which she had caused to be transported thither before her. Her bad behaviour and expulsion proved still more fatal to the affairs of Casimir than even that of his father. He was immediately driven out of the kingdom; and a civil war taking place, a great many pretenders to the crown appeared at once. To the miseries occasioned Poland distressed by by this were added those of a foreign war; for the Bo- foreign and hemians and Russians invaded the kingdom in different don stic places, committing the most dreadful ravages. The wars. consequence of these accumulated distresses was, that the nobility came at last to the resolution of recalling Casimir, and electing him sovereign. However, before they took this measure, it was thought proper to send to Rome to complain of the behaviour of the duke of Bohemia. The deputies were at first received favourably :

23

Poland. but the influence of the duke's gold prevailing, no redress was obtained; so that at last, without farther struggle, it was resolved to recal Casimir.

24

Casimir re

elected king.

At

The only difficulty was where to find the fugitive called and prince; for he had been gone five years from the kingdom, and nobody knew the place of his retreat. last, by sending an embassy to his mother, it was found out that he had retired into France, where he applied closely to study at the university of Paris. Afterwards he went to Italy; where, for the sake of subsistence, he took upon him the monastic habit. At that time he had returned to France, and obtained some preferment in the abbey of Clugni. Nothing now obstructed the prince's return but the sacred function with which he was invested. However, a dispensation was obtained from the pope, by which he was released from his ecclesiastical engagements, on condition that he and all 25 the kingdom should become subject to the capitation tax Poland sub-called Peter-pence. Some other conditions of less conjected to Ject tax cal sequence were added; such as, that the Poles should shave their heads and beards, and wear a white linen robe at festivals, like other professors of the Catholic religion. Great preparations were made for the recep tion of the young prince: and he was met on the frontier by the nobility, clergy, and forces of the nation; by whom he was conducted to Gnesna, and crowned by the primate with more than usual solemnity. He proved a virtuous and pacific prince, as indeed the distracted situation of the kingdom would not admit of the carrying on of wars. However, Casimir proved his courage in subduing the banditti by which the country was overrun; and by marrying the princess Mary, sister to the duke of Russia, all quarrels with that nation were for the present extinguished. Upon the whole, the kingdom flourished during his reign; and became more respectable from the wisdom and stability of the administration than it could have been by many victories. After a happy reign of 16 years, he died beloved and regretted by all his subjects.

led Peterpence.

26 BoleslausII.

and successful prince.

Entertains

three un

By the happy administration of Casimir the kingdom a valiant recovered sufficient strength to carry on successful wars against its foreign enemies. Boleslaus II. the son of Casimir, an enterprising and valiant prince, succeeded to the throne; and soon made himself so famous, that three unfortunate princes all took refuge at his court at once, 27 having been expelled from their own dominions by their rebellious subjects. These were, Jacomir, son of Britefortunate slaus duke of Bohemia; Bela, brother to the king of princes. Hungary; and Zaslaus duke of Kiovia, eldest son to Jarislaus duke of Russia, and cousin to the king of Poland. Boleslaus determined to redress all their grievances; but while he deliberated upon the most proper means for so doing, the duke of Bohemia, dreading the consequences of Jacomir's escape, assembled an army, and, without any declaration of war, marched through the Hercynian forest, desolated Silesia, and laid waste the frontiers of Poland with fire and sword. Boleslaus marched against him with a force greatly inferior; and, succour to by mere dint of superior capacity, cooped up his adverJacomir prince of sary in a wood, where he reduced him to the greatest Bohemia. distress. In this extremity the duke sent proposals for accommodation; but they were rejected with disdain by Boleslaus; upon which the former, ordering fires to be kindled in his camp, as if he designed to continue there, removed with the utmost silence in the night-time; and

Affords effectual

marching through narrow defiles, had adtanced several Poland. leagues before Boleslaus received advice of his retreat. The king pursued him, but in vain; for which reason he returned, after having ravaged the frontiers of Moravia. The next year he entered Bohemia with a numerous army; but the duke, being unwilling to encounter such a formidable adversary, submitted to such terms as Boleslaus thought proper to impose. In these the king of Poland stipulated for certain conditions in favour of Jacomir, which he took care to see punctually executed; after which he determined to march towards Hungary, to assist the fugitive prince Bela.

29

This prince had been for some time solicited by a and to Bela party of disaffected nobility to return, as his brother, prince of the reigning king, had alienated the hearts of his sub- Hungary. jects by his tyrannical behaviour: as soon therefore as Boleslaus had finished the war in Bohemia, he was solicited by Bela to embrace so favourable an opportunity, and put him in possession of the kingdom of Hungary. This the king readily complied with, as being agreeable to his own inclination; and both princes entered Hungary by different routes, each at the head of a numerous body. The king of that country, however, was not disconcerted by such a formidable invasion; and being largely assisted by the emperor, advanced against his antagonists with a vast army; among whom was a numerous body of Bohemians, who had come to his assistance, though in direct violation of the treaty subsisting between the duke and the king of Poland. At last a decisive battle was fought, in which the Germans behaved with the greatest valour, but were entirely defeated through the treachery of the Hungarians, who in the heat of the battle deserted and went over to Bela. Almost all the foreign auxiliaries were killed on the spot; the king himself was seized, and treated with such insolence by his perfidious subjects, that he died. in a short time of a broken heart; so that Bela was placed on the throne without further opposition, except from a revolt of the peasants, which was soon quelled by the Polish army.

30

Russia.

31

Boleslaus, having succeeded so happily in these two He projects enterprises, began to look upon himself as invincible; the conand, instead of designing only to assist Zaslaus, as he quest of had first intended, now projected no less than the subjection of the whole country. He had indeed a claim to the sovereignty by virtue of his descent from Mary, queen of Poland, sister to Jarislaus ; and this he endeavoured to strengthen by marrying a Russian princess himself. Having therefore assembled a very numerous and well-disciplined army, he entered the duchy of Kiovia, where he was opposed by Wisseslaus, who had usurped the sovereignty, with a vast multitude of forces. Boleslaus, however, continued to advance; and the Meets witha Russian prince being intimidated by the number and surprising good order of his enemies, deserted his own troops, and fled away privately with a slender retinue; upon which his force dispersed themselves for want of a leader. The inhabitants of the city of Kiovia now called to their assistance Suantoslaus and Wszevold two brothers of Wisseslaus; but these princes acting the part of mediators, procured pardon for the inhabitants from Zaslaus their natural sovereign. With the same facility the two princes recovered all the other dominions belonging to Zaslaus; only one city venturing to stand a siege, and that was soon reduced. But in the mean time the king

of:

success.