Carolingian Models of Power in the First Piast Monarchy
Carolingian Models of Power in the First Piast Monarchy

Summary/Abstract: The coronation of Bolesław the Brave marked the culmination of a long and deliberate process through which the Piast monarchy sought to define its position within the political and ideological landscape of Christian Europe. From the symbolic act of imperial investiture performed by Otto III at Gniezno, through the appropriation of Carolingian models of rulership, to the careful construction of dynastic centers at Gniezno and Poznań, the evolution of Piast authority followed patterns of power familiar from the Frankish world yet adapted to local realities. The model for an act at Gniezno was an ancient and well-known imperial custom, the emperor could confer the royal title of his own will and confirmed it by placing a crown on the candidate's head as it happened with count Boso in 877. The titles, insignia, and ceremonies that Bolesław received reflected both the emperor's vision of a renewed Christian empire and the Polish ruler's own ambitions for autonomy and royal dignity. By consciously invoking the language and ritual of Carolingian kingship, Bolesław transformed these imperial symbols into instruments of sovereignty, culminating in his coronation of 1025 - a solemn affirmation of independence and divine favor.

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