Topic: From the expansion to the fall of the first Piast dynasty

Target group

5th‑grade students of elementary school

Core curriculum

V. Poland in the early Piast period. Pupil:

1) situates the state of the first Piasts in time and space and presents its genesis;

2) explains the circumstances of the Piast's baptism and the cultural, social and political consequences of the Christianization of Poland;

3) characterizes the development and crisis of the monarchy of Bolesław Chrobry and Mieszko II;

4) characterizes the reconstruction and development of the Piast dynasty during the reign of Kazimierz the Restorer (...);

General aim of education

You will find out how the fall of the power of the first Piasts came to be.

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Criteria for success
The student will learn:

• to list Bolesław the Brave's merits for the betterment of Poland;

• to characterize the crisis of the Piasts' monarchy;

• to understand the significance of the Congress of Gniezno;

• to explain why the state of Bolesław I the Brave fell apart;

• to characterize the greatest monuments of Polish culture.

Methods/techniques

• expository

  • talk.

• activating

  • discussion.

• programmed

  • with computer;

  • with e‑textbook.

• practical

  • exercices concerned.

Forms of work

• individual activity;

• activity in pairs;

• activity in groups;

• collective activity.

Teaching aids

• e‑textbook;

• notebook and crayons/felt‑tip pens;

• interactive whiteboard, tablets/computers.

Lesson plan overview

Before classes

1. Students should recall the origins of Mieszko I state and his merits.

Introduction

1. The teacher states the subject of the lesson, explains the aim of the lesson and together with students determines the success criteria to be achieved.

2. The teacher, referring to the previous lesson, asks students to recall how Mieszko I state was shaped and what achievements we owe to this ruler.

Realization

1. The teacher presents the students the character of Boleslaw the Brave and the period of his rule. He should remember several aspects - strengthening the state and close cooperation with Otto III (congress in Gniezno, participation in the universalist concept of the emperor), matters related to the Church (creation of the Polish province, mission and martyrdom of Saint Adalbert) and international politics (war with Germany, wars with the Czechia and Kiev Rus). Students do Task 1.

2. The teacher explains the importance of the royal crown being accepted by Bolesław Chrobry. Students carry out the Task 2.

3. Students get to know the figure of Saint Wojciech and its significance for the state of Bolesław Chrobry and the fate of Poland. Students do Exercise 1 and Task 3.

4. The teacher presents the fate of Poland after the death of Boleslaw the Brave and explains why the crisis and the collapse of the Piast monarchy took place. He discusses the characters of Mieszko II and Kazimierz the Restorer. Students do Task 4 and Exercise 2. The teacher then makes sure that the tasks have been carried out correctly and gives feedback.

Summary

1. Summing up the classes, the teacher asks students how it happened that in less than 50 years Poland from the great state of Bolesław Chrobry became dependent on neighbors and a weak state?.

2. Then he starts brainstorming and asks students how, by knowing the history today, one could avoid the collapse of the monarchy of the first Piasts?.

Homework

1. Homework: (Is not an obligatory part of the scenario) Consider why Prince Kazimierz Odnowiciel moved the capital from Gniezno to Krakow? In your opinion, was this decision the right one?.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

From the expansion to the fall of the first Piast dynasty

The Baptism of Mieszko I, the first historical ruler of Poland, in 966 led the country into the world of Christian Europe. This was of great importance, as it not only sanctioned the duke's power, but also put him on a par with other rulers. His policy was based on the recognition of supremacy of and cooperation with the Empire. After the death of Mieszko I, his son Bolesław, later called the Brave, assumed power over the country. He continued his father's policy by strengthening ties with Emperor Otto III which was also due to the martyr's death of Bishop Adalbert in 997, a friend of the emperor. After his corpse was bought and buried with honours in the Gniezno Cathedral, and after the missionary was recognised as a saint, the Church in Poland gained valuable relics of the martyr and the patron, while Bolesław - the recognition and authority of a good Christian ruler. This made the country credible on the international arena and brought Emperor Otto III closer to Bolesław, the best expression of which was the Congress of Gniezno in 1000, where the German ruler came to officially manifest the alliance with the Polish duke. Unfortunately, Otto III died too early without an heir which ruined the prospects for a lasting alliance and a universalist Europe. The new ruler, Henry II, not only did not follow the policy of his predecessor, but also did not like Bolesław. The expansive policy of the Polish duke led to the Polish‑German war ended in 1018 in Budziszyn where a peace accord was signed. This enabled him to retain independence and some of the lands he conquered. At the same time, Bolesław also pursued an active eastern policy, conquering some Ruthenian lands and strengthening his rule there. The culmination of his policy was his coronation as the first king of Poland in 1025. Unfortunately, the king did not enjoy the crown long, as he died the same year. After that, Mieszko II, his son, was crowned the king.

The young ruler tried to pursue his father's superpower policy, but the lack of allies, the hostile attitude of his neighbors and the society wrested with numerous wars and the removal of other brothers from power led to the collapse of the power of the first Piasts and the escape of Mieszko II from Poland in 1031. Bezprym, the eldest son of Bolesław the Brave, assumed power over Poland which was stripped of lost provinces. His rule was short and terribly cruel. Mieszko II returned to the country a year later thanks to the support of the mighty and an agreement with the emperor. As a result, he lost his royal crown, had to submit to the emperor's authority, lost numerous lands and had to share his rule with brothers. Over time, however, he managed to unite the country under his rule. Attempts to rebuild the unity and power of the state, however, did not last long. Unexpectedly, the ruler died in 1034 and the country fell into chaos. We do not know exactly the circumstances or course of the crisis. It was a period of numerous revolts of subjects against the mighty and the Church, and invasions of the country by Bretislav I, Duke of Bochemia, who completely plundered Silesia and Greater Poland with the capital in Gniezno. However, Poland did not cease to exist. It was rebuilt by the son of Mieszko II, Casimir the Restorer. With the military support of the emperor, he conquered Greater Poland and Lesser Poland with Kraków to which he moved the capital. He also managed to recover Masovia. In his policy of cooperation with the mighty and the Church, he rewarded their support with numerous land assignments (benefice). Casimir slowly rebuilt the state of his ancestors, basing his functioning on the alliance with the Empire and Kievan Rus', focusing not on conquests, but on the development of the country.