Poland at the time of the death of Boleslav the Wrymouthed 1138: how could one resist a map with a title like that? Not that the map isn’t remarkable in its own right. The starkly contrasting colour scheme with sinuous black rivers slicing through Polish white and white streams dissecting the the encircling black lands, the mention of better- and lesser-known lands and tribes (the Kurons and the Jadzvings!) and the delicate amplification of the coastline, making waves deep into the Baltic Sea: it all lends an unreal air to the map.
Surprisingly real, though, is the position and size of Poland. Considering how many times that country would expand, contract, be partitioned (three times, I think) and reconstituted, shifting east and (most recently) west, the Poland of Boleslav the Wrymouthed looks remarkably much like present-day Polska. It seems the only missing parts are the southern part of the area occupied by the Prussians (a Baltic tribe, later displaced by German colonists) and the area hemmed in by the labels Bohemia and Moravia, usually referred to as Silesia.
What kind of king was Boleslav? Actually, no king at all, since he was Duke of Poland. Boleslav defeated the Pomeranians (shaded area on the Polish coast on the map) in 1109, regaining access to the sea. Nominally a liege of the German emperor, Boleslav defeated Henry V in 1109 – must have been a good year to be a Polish duke – and paid tribute in the form of the isle of Rügen and western Pomerania to Lotharius II.
By his second wife, Salome von Berg-Schelklingen, Boleslav had 14 children, some of whom continued the family tradition of carrying silly nicknames. Boleslav IV the Curly and Mieszko III the Old spring to mind. In his testament, Boleslav III divided his lands among four of his sons, providing that the eldest would have supreme power. This didn’t last long, and Poland descended into centuries of feudal fragmentation and German encroachment.
This map was suggested to me by Benjamin; a more precise source is lacking – but for some reason, the colouring seems to suggest the period leading up to the Second World War.
It’s a wonderful map, but beyond its inherent coolness, this post is all worthwhile for the phrase, “Boleslav defeated the Pomeranians.”
Comment by Mary Mactavish — June 18, 2007 @ 10:52 pm
[...] Maps springs back to life with an irresistibly-titled map: Poland at the time of the death of Boreslav the Wrymouthed, 1138. Posted by: John Halton @ 10:27 am | Trackback | [...]
Pingback by The Boar’s Head Tavern » Plucky little Poland — June 19, 2007 @ 2:28 pm
Coincidence! The other day, I attended a talk by a fellow student about Boleslav the Wrymouthed. Medieval history being totally not my area, I don’t really remember much about it, other that he said that the Wrymouthed thing could mean that he had a figurative sharp tongue or a literal twisted mouth.
Comment by Brett — June 19, 2007 @ 4:09 pm
There is nothing on the web about the Jadzvings. Color me intrigued.
Comment by Botec — June 19, 2007 @ 4:57 pm
Here’s the only reference to the Jadzvings I could find-
http://books.google.com/books?q=jadzvings&btnG=Search+Books
So, they appear to be a Baltic tribe, and “Jadzving” appears to be a term used by European researchers. I’ll keep poking around.
Comment by James Erwin — June 19, 2007 @ 7:46 pm
And I can now stop poking around. We are dealing with the Yotvingians, on which you’ll find plenty-
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=yotvingian
Comment by James Erwin — June 19, 2007 @ 7:48 pm
@ Mary Mactavish:
Now that you mention it… Sounds like something out of Gary Larson, doesn’t it?
@ Botec & James Erwin:
Thanks for pointing out the Jadzvings were missing, and finding them as Yotvingians (sometimes also known as Sudovians!)
Comment by strangemaps — June 19, 2007 @ 8:44 pm
Hi,
It definitely has that propagandistic “threatened Poland” feeling to it. I wonder if that was intended to portray the idea that the Duke was Christian (was he?) vs. a lot of non-Christian neighbors.
One minor quibble: You said he was “nominally a liege of the German emperor.” I think you mean “vassal;” a vassal was the one who owed service to a superior (his liege).
Comment by jay denari — June 20, 2007 @ 10:45 pm
@ jay denari:
interesting thought, that christian vs. non-christian suggestion. The Baltic peoples were among the last in Europe to be converted.
as to the liege thing, I agree ‘vassal’ is a better word; but only because ‘liege’ can both mean the vassal *and* the liege lord and is thus unnecessarily confusing.
Comment by strangemaps — June 20, 2007 @ 11:18 pm
This map is probably motivated by the need to find a historical precedent for Poland’s post-WWII borders. The principality of Michael the Brave (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_the_Brave has the map) has similarly served as a precedent for present-day Rumania.
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Comment by Bharat Jain — June 22, 2007 @ 6:26 am
Boleslav was Christian. Poland was officially ‘Christened’ in 966 in a political move to stop German encroachment justified as missionary efforts. The date is now considered the beginning of the Polish state. The tribes to the north and east of Poland remained pagan for hundreds of years leading to Polish encroachment/missionary activity in their lands. In the early 13th century another Polish Prince (the proper term for an independent feudal leader who is not a king – a duke is a vassal) Prince Konrad of Mazovia (no silly nickname, unfortunately) in a political move that was astoundingly stupid invited the Teutonic Knights to come and deal with the Prussians and Jadzvings. This they did by killing them all and replacing them with German colonists (who then took over the name of ‘Prussians’). In effect, instead of a barbarian tribe, Poland ended up with an expansionist, militarist, religiously fanatic organisation on its northern borders leading to hundreds of years of conflict. The repercussions of Konrad’s decision have been felt down the ages having been instrumental in the unification of Germany by the latter Prussians, the start of the second world war when Germany demanded a ‘land corridor’ to Prussia and, even now, leaving the Kaliningrad oblast of Russia as an enclave surrounded by the EU – with the attendant political tensions.
Comment by Konrad Talmont-Kaminski — June 23, 2007 @ 7:19 am
Boleslav the Wrymouthed is considered to have been called so because of an accident he had in his youth during hunting. Thus it seems to be literal, having nothing to do with his religious activity.
Consider another silly nickname: Ladislas the Elbow-High, a king of Poland, known for being exceptionally short.
Comment by Bart — June 24, 2007 @ 12:16 am
Concerning the Kurons – the thin spit of land seen jutting into the Baltic (next to their name on this map) is known as the Curonian spit. The Kurons today would probably be called Curonians. The Curonian spit is now partly in Lith., and partly in Kalinigrad – a piece of Russia separated from the rest of the country.
Comment by Barbara — June 24, 2007 @ 2:15 am
WPIYF!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boles%C5%82aw_III_Wrymouth
Comment by K — June 25, 2007 @ 9:40 pm
The map is from 1912.
Comment by W — November 16, 2007 @ 7:43 pm
Aside from the French army, who exactly wouldn’t have a tough time defeating the Pomeranians. I mean *giggle* how hard can it be to fight a bunch of 10 pound, fluffy dogs. Surely their armor was enough to keep the little ankle-humpers at bay! ROFL.
Comment by Phillip — October 26, 2008 @ 9:02 pm
“Wrymouthed” means “his speak is not right” = liar.
A map of Poland in Xth century (Mieszko I, Boleslaw Chrobry [Boleslaw the Brave]) is almost the same as the present.
Comment by Pawel — November 17, 2008 @ 8:49 pm
thanks alot
Comment by Tony — May 4, 2009 @ 2:47 am
thanks for this map..
good
luck
Comment by Solomon — May 11, 2009 @ 7:38 am
merci
Comment by aspicco . — May 17, 2009 @ 5:24 am
> the area hemmed in by the labels Bohemia and Moravia, usually referred to as Silesia.
That’s not true. The whole Silesia on this map belongs to Poland (you can see it’s capital Wrocław/Breslau) and the border is very similar to current one. It’s only a matter of taken map projection.
Comment by miasto-maßa-maszyna — May 28, 2009 @ 7:12 pm
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Comment by yory — June 12, 2009 @ 9:36 pm
Vielen Dank
Comment by moon — July 3, 2009 @ 4:15 am
Muchas gracias
Comment by sun — July 4, 2009 @ 6:58 am