Bohemia in the Politics of Bolesław the Brave
Bohemia in the Politics of Bolesław the Brave

Summary/Abstract: The article analyses Bolesław the Brave's policy towards Bohemia between 992 and 1018, placing it within the broader framework of long-term Polish-Bohemian relations and the changing imperial and ecclesiastical context of Central Europe. It argues that Bolesław's primary objective was not territorial expansion at the expense of the Přemyslid state, but rather the international and ecclesiastical recognition of the conquests previously achieved by Mieszko I, especially in Silesia and the Cracow region. A crucial role in this process was played by the internal crisis of the Bohemian polity after 995, the conflict between the Přemyslids and the Slavníks, and the activity of Saint Adalbert, all of which facilitated Polish diplomatic efforts. The article interprets the Congress of Gniezno as the decisive moment of state-ecclesiastical sanction of these acquisitions and demonstrates that Bolesław's brief rule in Prague in 1003-1004 resulted from extraordinary political circumstances rather than from a coherent program of domination over Bohemia. The concluding section highlights the limited success of Bolesław's policy in winning over the Bohemian elites and the long-term consequences of the conflict with the Empire.

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