Kingdom of Poland: Map & History
The Kingdom of Poland was a state in Central Europe during the medieval and early modern periods from 1025 until 1795.
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The Kingdom of Poland was a state in Central Europe during the medieval and early modern periods from 1025 until 1795.
Modern Countries Once Part of Kingdom of Poland
At its mapped extent, Kingdom of Poland covered territory in 5 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
- Czechia1003–1027 CE · nearly all
- Slovakia1003–1017 CE · nearly all
- Poland962–1449 CE · most
- Ukraine1352–1449 CE · a small part
- Germany1003–1009 CE · a small part
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Kingdom of Poland's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Kingdom of Poland in Depth
History
In 1025, Bolesław I the Brave of the Piast dynasty was crowned the first King of Poland at Gniezno Cathedral, elevating Poland from a duchy to a kingdom with the approval of Pope John XIX. Following the death of Bolesław, his son Mieszko II Lambert inherited the crown and a vast territory after his father, which included Greater Poland (with Mazovia), Lesser Poland, Silesia, Pomerania, Lusatia, Moravia, Red Ruthenia, and Upper Hungary. However, in 1031, he was forced to renounce the title and flee the country when a series of peasant uprisings broke out in what became known as the pagan reaction, and Yaroslav I the Wise, the Grand Prince of Kiev, invaded the country from the east while Mieszko II was in Lusatia fighting the Holy Roman Emperor, Conrad II.
Background
The West Slavic tribe of Polans, who lived in what is today the historic region of Greater Poland, gave rise to a state in the early 10th century, which would become the nascent predecessor of the Kingdom of Poland. Following the Christianization of Poland in 966, and the emergence of the Duchy of Poland during the rule of Mieszko I, his eldest son Bolesław I the Brave inherited his father's dukedom and subsequently was crowned as king.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Kingdom of Poland (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Kingdom of Poland: Key Facts
| Capital | Gniezno |
|---|---|
| Religion | Catholic Church |
| Founded | 18 April 1025 |
| Dissolved | 14 August 1385 |
Succeeded by
- Crown of the Kingdom of Poland
Facts from Wikidata Q577867 (CC0).
Kingdom of Poland Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Kingdom of Poland appears, with the other states of the time.
Kingdom of Poland Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 424,991 km² in 1006 CE.
Kingdom of Poland: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Kingdom of Poland exist?
The Kingdom of Poland is dated to 962 CE – 1449 CE, in the Early Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of the Kingdom of Poland?
The capital of the Kingdom of Poland was Gniezno (until 1038) Kraków (until 1793) Warsaw (until 1795).
How large was the Kingdom of Poland at its peak?
At its peak in 1006 AD the Kingdom of Poland covered about 424,991 km².
How did the map of the Kingdom of Poland change over time?
The Kingdom of Poland appears on 3 dated world maps in the atlas, from 1000 CE to 1400 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
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