Piast Kołodziej (Piast the Wheelwright) was a semi-legendary figure in prehistoric Poland (9th cent. AD), the founder of the Piast dynasty that would rule the future Kingdom of Poland.[1]
Legend and aftermath [link]
Piast makes an appearance in the Polish Chronicle of Gallus Anonymus[2], along with his father, Chościsko and Piast's wife Rzepka.
The chronicle tells the story of an unexpected visit paid to Piast by two strangers. They ask to join Piast's family in celebration of the 7th birthday of Piast’s son, Siemowit (a pagan rite of passage for young boys). In return for the hospitality, the guests cast a spell making Piast's cellar ever full of plenty. Seeing this, Piast's compatriots declare him their new prince, to replace the late Prince Popiel.
If Piast really existed, he would have been the great-great-grandfather of Prince Mieszko I (ca. 930–92), the first historic ruler of Poland, and the great-great-great-grandfather of Bolesław Chrobry (967–1025), the first Polish king.
Two theories explain the etymology of the word Piast. The first gives the root as piasta (hub in Polish), a reference to his profession. The second relates Piast to piastun (custodian or keeper). This could hint at Piast's initial position as a maior domus (majordomo), or a "steward of the house", in the court of another ruler, and the subsequent takeover of power by Piast. This would parallel the development of the early medieval Frankish dynasties, when the majordomos of the Merovingian kings gradually usurped political control.
References [link]
- ^ Norman Davies (23 August 2001). Heart of Europe: The Past in Poland's Present. Oxford University Press. p. 249. ISBN 978-0-19-280126-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=lMQei5CPZUgC&pg=PA249. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
- ^ Excerpts from the Gallus Anonymus' chronicle, PL: Gimnazjum, https://www.staropolska.gimnazjum.com.pl/ang/middleages/Sec_prose/Gall.php3.
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