1. Sedes regni principales: the place and role of strongholds in the emergence of the early medieval Piast dominion
Strongholds are a part of the settlement landscape of Mieszko I’s dominion in the making in the 10th century. He was the first historical prince of the Piast dynasty. The functions of these oftentimes mighty ramparts in terms of volume and the area occupied, have been a subject of archaeological and historical analyses. It has been a long debate as to whether these sites had an exclusively military function or played an economic, cultic and administrative role. The sedes regni principales are of special importance in this case, together with the so-called central strongholds which have also been of interest to scholars in recent years, especially from an interdisciplinary perspective. It comes as no surprise that this issue has been at the heart of Central European medieval studies. Discussions held in Polish historiography between, for example, Karol Buczek and Karol Modzelewski, and concerning the role of strongholds, continue among successive generations of scholars. However, contemporary advanced archaeological research supported by numerous specialised analyses allows us to take a much broader view of the sedes regni principales as well.
In Wiślica, there are two fortified settlements from early Middle Ages: 1) the site “on the meadows”, located outside the perimeter of the town on a gypsum rock outcrop, surrounded by the woodland that overgrows the oxbow lake of the Nida River and 2) the so-called “Regia” – situated in the north-western part of the modern-day town where archaeologists discovered a Romanesque residential and sacral complex composed of two palatia (buildings A and C) and two rotundas (buildings B and D). The overall view of the development of Wiślica shows its importance in the Middle Ages. However, in consequence of lacking pertinent data that would allow us to narrow down the dating of archaeological material from the oldest phases of both fortified settlements, determining which of them was established earlier, which one was destrioid during the invasion in 1135 or whether they functioned simultaneously is, still open question, as well as the question about thier function.
The stronghold at Ląd does not appear among the sedes regni principales in historical sources, yet the available records suggest it was a place of exceptional significance. This was likely due to its favourable location, although other factors may have played a role. It was probably founded in the tribal period and later rebuilt, and the date of this investment (around 940) allows it to be called a "peer" of the central Piast strongholds. Like them, it experienced a time of great prosperity, followed by the crisis of the 1030s. The era of the second monarchy ushered in a new phase of development and promising prospects for the future. The "three acts" of the stronghold mentioned in the title reflect distinct periods in its history, as well as the evolving functions it served in response to changing historical circumstances.
Muzeum Archeologiczne w Poznaniu Rezerwat Archeologiczny Genius Loci
Area around Sandomierz constituted the north-western border of the area between the Vistula and the eastern border of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains, which until the mid-10th century was functioning outside the scope of interest of the forming early state structures. Situation changed at the turn of the 10th and 11th centuries. These areas became an important part of the territorial scope of the early Piast monarchy, allowing for strategic control of the directions of political and economic expansion between Wielkopolska and the Kraków Land, the Baltic coast and the south and Latin Europe and Rus. Sandomierz then grew to the rank of one of the main centers of the state - sedes regni principales, enabling further expansion. In the 11th and 12th centuries it was the centre of the early Piast province, in the 12th century the centre of the castellany and the seat of one of the archdeaconries of the Kraków diocese, and in the 12th and 13th centuries the capital of the district principality
The paper will report on the results of recent studies of the early medieval settlement complex at Kaldus, a remnant of historic Chełmno. An NCN grant is currently being realised, within the framework of which many categories of artefacts have been developed, allowing conclusions to be drawn about the changing socio-cultural functions of this centre over a period of around 300 years and its regional and supra-regional role.
The date and place of the paper will be announced soon, along with the detailed schedule of the Congress.
Before Santok became a stronghold known as the “guard and key of the kingdom”, it was a thriving centre, which began with a settlement established in the proglacial valley at the confluence of the rivers by a community participating in the exchange process. Archaeological sources indicate interactions between the Baltic zone and the Oder basin and the flow of goods along the Warta-Noteć route as early as the 8th century. For a century, the seemingly peripheral area was transformed into a place of great importance and potential, integrated with distant territories, as a nodal point in the network of water connections. At the end of the 9th century, the settlement was surrounded by ramparts and the topography of the stronghold was changing. The need to take control of a node in the communication network was the reason for including Santok in the structures of the organised Piast state. It became a multifunctional centre in the system of state strongholds.
The settlement center located within the Piast patrimony in Giecz is one of the so-called central places, whose prominent political and social role, already during the reign of Bolesław the Brave, is confirmed by a record in the Polish Chronicle by Gallus Anonymus, which places it on the elite list of the great strongholds of this ruler.
What was the basis for the special significance of the Giecz center in the structures of the Piast realm? What functions did the dynasty attribute to it? An attempt will be made to answer these questions based on the results of recent archaeological work, a new perspective on archival research outcomes, and the verification/clarification of the dating of noticeable changes in the spatial and functional organization of the developing settlement in the pre- and early Piast periods. The issues related to the earliest material manifestations of cultural changes associated with the Piasts' integration into the Christian cultural sphere will also be addresse
The presentation will concern the stronghold on Ostrów Tumski in Poznań, which played an important role in the formation of the Piasts' rule. This was determined both by its favourable location and the functions associated with the site. An intensive expansion of the fortifications of the stronghold is recorded from around the middle of the 10th century, while the increase in its importance came during the reign of Mieszko I. At that time, it was the best fortified stronghold with a multi-part division. It is one of the places associated with conversion to Christianity and an episcopal missionary centre. The monumental architecture, the presence of a goldsmith's workshop and the attested processing of other metals, as well as numerous imports, attest to its importance. After a crisis in the 30s of the 11th century, the Poznan stronghold continued to be an important centre until the founding of the city on the left bank of the Warta in the middle of the 13th century.
The paper will concern the importance of strongholds in the system of both the united Piast monarchy and the later Piast dukedoms, based on written sources, taking into account the historical and political perspective and openness to dialogue with archaeologists, and assuming complementarity to the synthetic text by Franciszek Dąbrowski from 2018 on a similar topic. An attempt will be made to determine what scope of functions of strongholds at various levels is directly reflected in written sources, which can be reconstructed based on certain general assumptions, and which of these assumptions adopted in the current historiography remain correct.
The aim of the presentation is to present the current state of research on the early Piast stronghold complex, established on the Lech Hill in Gniezno. In the first part, an attempt will be made to present the special features of the location of Gniezno within northern Wielkopolska, influencing the role of this place as a central point. In the next part, the image of the stronghold complex will be described in a synthetic approach, with emphasis on the results of more recent archaeological research, some of which have not been published so far. In this context, a unique system of defensive ramparts in Wielkopolska, faced with stone walls, characteristic of the defensive construction of Silesia, Lusatia and the areas to the south, will be presented. A special discovery is an exposed fragment of a pincer-type entrance gate faced with walls, leading to the ducal part of the hillfort. Issues related to the spatial formation of the hillfort members also need to be discussed.
The year 2025 marks 200 years since the first excavations in Płock - the search for the graves of Władysław Herman and Bolesław Krzywousty. Archaeological research, intensive in the 1960s and 1990s, is still ongoing. The following text attempts to summarize the current state of knowledge and possibilities of interpreting the results of archaeological research, including both older ones and discoveries made in recent years. Particular emphasis will be put on the issue of the beginnings of the stronghold, both in the context of the "tribal" settlement of Mazovia and the formation of early state structures. The spatial and structural changes of the Płock stronghold will be characterized. The question of Płock church foundations – important, given the role of Płock as both princely and episcopal residence – will also be presented. Eventually, the position of Płock in the communication network of the Piast state will be briefly discussed.
Kruszwica is a place associated with a centuries-old historical tradition, considered one of the oldest in Poland, and therefore, from the earliest times, in the consciousness of Poles, this place was associated with the genesis of the Piast state. The special natural and cultural conditions of medieval Kruszwica and the region on Gopło caused that studies on the history of this center occupy an important position in the historiography of Poland. Kruszwica has permanently inscribed itself in Polish dynastic history, the construction of the Piast state and its structures. During over 65 years of research, primarily archaeological, a collection of unique sources of material culture was obtained. Their development allowed for the verification of many previous findings regarding the beginnings of the state, the formation of church, administrative and economic structures and expanded the existing historical knowledge on the formation of the spiritual and material foundations of the institution of power and cult.
The area of Grzybowo in the early Middle Ages underwent dynamic transformations closely linked to the development of Piast rule. Changes in the settlement structure resulted from comprehensive political, economic, and military-administrative processes shaping the Piast domain. A particularly significant moment was the construction of the Grzybowo stronghold, which was carried out between 919 and 923, and then continued between 929 and 935, as well as at the beginning of the next decade of the 10th century. In this way, by the first half of the 10th century, a facility with an area of 4.4 hectares was already functioning, which is classified as one of the so-called central strongholds. Archaeological excavations conducted since the late 1980s have allowed for the development of an interdisciplinary research model combining the analysis of archaeological and natural sources. The application of comparative methods has enabled a better understanding of the specificity of the Grzybowo microregion and its role in shaping state structures in the early Middle Ages.
There is no doubt that Wrocław was one of the most important centres of the Piast state. However, it was also a specific place, both due to the relatively late date of its foundation (the 2nd half of the 10th century) and its special location, somewhat on the periphery of the emerging state. This raises the question of whether Wrocław followed the same patterns as other so-called central centres, or whether completely different socio-economic processes occurred there. This study will attempt to answer that question by examining the history of the Wrocław stronghold from its establishment until its decline in significance during the 1st half of the 13th century. We will focus on both stable periods and breakthrough moments in the history of this centre, comparing Wrocław to other important strongholds of the Piast state.
