Congress of Gniezno

The act of Gniezno (Polish zjazd gnieźnieński, english Congress of Gniezno ) in February / March 1000 led to the establishment of the ecclesiastical province of Gniezno and to rise in rank Bolesław by Emperor Otto III.

Probably the most important trigger of the journey of the Emperor Otto to Gniezno was the martyred Bishop Adalbert of Prague, who was killed on April 23, 997 of the pagan Prussians. According to the hagiographic sources Otto is broken to Gniezno to get the relics Adalbert. After Thietmar of Merseburg was the goal of the trip at the tomb of St. Adlabert ( orationis causa ) to pray. It should also lead to the creation of the Archdiocese of Gniezno. To the Christmas festival 999 Otto III burst. of Rome to the trip to Gniezno. On January 17, he is north of the Alps Bavarian Staffelsee detectable. For the first time appeared on Staffelsee added to both the imperial title, from which one has far-reaching intentions for the trip closed: Servus Jesus Christ et Romanorum imperator Augustus secundum voluntatem Dei salvatorisque nostrique liberatoris ( servant of Jesus Christ and Emperor of the Romans, Augustus according to the will of God, our Redeemer and Savior ). All the way these devotional apostolorum ( servant of the apostles ) was added to the title of emperor, and after his return to Formula servus modified. With these formulas, the Emperor presented in the tradition of spreading the Christian faith.

The sources of stress in driving the many honors that the Alps have been proven Otto north. After Thietmar of Merseburg never had set out from Rome and returned there a glorious Emperor. In Eulau am Bober Otto was honorably received by Bolesław and led to Gniezno. The honorable reception shows that Boleslaw was not surprised by the arrival of the emperor.

Otto went barefoot in Gniezno and was led by the Bishop of Poznań Unger at the grave of St. Adalbert. Otto built an altar for Adalbert in Gniezno and founded an ecclesiastical province of the three bishoprics Kolberg, Krakow and Wroclaw was assumed. Otto III gave Boleslaw a copy of the Holy Lance and Bolesław I. Chobry gave the emperor for an arm relic of St.. Adalbert. The three bishops named Poppo of Krakow, Wroclaw and John of Reinbern of Kolberg were placed under the Archbishopric of Gniezno. The foundation of the Archdiocese of Gniezno was carried out without the consent of the Poznań bishop Unger. The approval of the local bishop refused establishing an archbishopric meant canonically a veto. But in practice, had the objection Ungers no meaning. Thietmar told with a clear criticism (ut spero, legittime ) that the Emperor had erected the Archdiocese.

With the ecclesiastical independence of Poland an appreciation of the reign of Boleslaw was connected. Debatable, however, whether there had been an improvement as a king or an appreciation as a friend of the Emperor. After Thietmar of Merseburg, Otto Bolesław had raised from tributarius ( tributaries ) to the dominus ( Lord). It is in the Saxon sources the only news of a rise in rank Bolesław. Saxon sources report only in 1025 by a royal collection. In contrast, reported that arose in the 12th century chronicle of Gallus Anonymus Poland of a king Bolesław survey by Otto. The Emperor is said to have made ​​excellent Boleslaw as " brother and accessaries of the Empire " ( fratrem et cooperatorem constituit imperii ) and " the friend and comrade of the Roman people " ( populi Romani et amicum socium ). The royal collection was only expected from a secular act, by the Emperor the crown on the head of Boleslaw sets. There will be no mention of any religious acts or ceremonies. Several acts were, however, in a friendly alliance usual: the exchange of relics and gifts, emphasizing the demonstrative unit by a multi-day binge, the designation as a frater, amicus and socius. The expectations of Boleslaw seem in any case have been met, for he gave Otto a brilliant escort to the realm back and accompanied him on Magdeburg to Aachen. In Aachen, Otto is said to have even donated to the throne of the Carolingian after the opening of the tomb Karl Bolesław.

Source location

The Chronicle of the Bishop of Merseburg Thietmar, who held office from 1009 to 1018, has been written from the perspective of the war between Bolesław and Henry II. In his presentation about the act of Gniezno Thietmar are very cautious. Clearly, the resentment against Bolesław be recognized.

The run up to 1113 chronicle of Gallus Anonymus Poland intends to shine and the importance of Bolesław to clarify rule. In his description of the visit Otto in Gniezno he relied on the non-received report on the "Life of St.. Adalbert ". The journey of Emperor Otto to Gniezno he describes as a pilgrimage to the grave of St. Adalbert. The second motif Gallus calls the request of Otto III. know the glory Bolesław ( gratia glorosi Bolezlaui cognoscendi famam ).

Assessment in research

With the establishment of the Ecclesiastical Province and the honorable appreciation of the Polish ruler Otto promoted the process of independence of the dominions sustainable. In the history of science the act of Gniezno was considered a " great moment " and " first highlight " in the history of German - Polish relations and as a " world-historical event" that had the entire westslawisch -Hungarian- German region for the next millennium his mark.

Swell

• Galli anonymity cronicae et gesta ducum immersive principum Polonorum. Ed. Carolus Maleczyński. ( Monumenta Historica Poloniae, NS. 2 ) Kraków 1952.
• Johann Friedrich Böhmer: Regesta imperii 2/3: The synopses of the Empire under Otto III. 980 (983-1002), neubearb. by Mathilde Uhlirz. Graz / Cologne 1956, Nos. 1327 - 1390c, here Nos 1341a - 1349.
• Thietmar of Merseburg Chronicle, translated by Werner Trillmich ( Freiherr vom Stein Memorial Issue 9 ) Darmstadt 1957.