Stronghold organization vs. stronghold-castellan organization: the example of Silesia

In the paper, the nature of the transformation of local governance structures between the united monarchy of Piasts of the 11th–12th centuries and the dukedoms of the early 13th century was studied, exemplified by the case of Silesia.

Hradská a hradsko-kastelánská soustava na příkladu Slezska

Why is Polish historiography obsessed with the idea of royal coronations of the first Piast rulers? An essay on differences in the perception of royal power and its function in newly converted West-Slavic Lands and Scandinavia

This paper looks at the ways in which the royal power functioned in newly converted Scandinavia and in the West Slavic Lands. It pinpoints the differences between them and emphasises that contrary to the general understanding, the coronations of the first three Polish kings were not symbols of sovereignty, but dependence on the Holy Roman Empire.

This paper gives details on a feature uncovered during archaeological research in Ostrów Tumski in Poznań, which yielded crucibles with particles of gold, fragments of gold foil, filigree, rivets, semi-finished products and finished products and beads from decorative stones. The feature was identified as a goldsmith’s workshop and attempts were made to determine the origin of the raw materials and where the artisans came from.

The Bug river lands as remembered by Polish and Ruthenian chroniclers from the 12–13th centuries

The article deals with the issue of the Polish-Ruthenian part of the Bug river in the Middle Ages and is an attempt to explain how the area was perceived by inhabitants of the two neighboring countries.

Antipositivist Breakthrough and Structuralism in Aleksander Gieysztor’s Mitologia Słowian [Mythology of the Slavs]

The first part of the article is devoted to a discussion of Aleksander Gieysztor’s research on the religion and mythology of the Slavs. It discusses the sources of his inspiration (among others the works of Georges Dumézil on the original beliefs and mythology of the Indo-European peoples, the Romans and the Germans; the Parisian ‘Annales’ school) and the achieved results, e.g., the reconstruction of the pantheon of the original Slavic deities. In the second part of the paper, the author reinterprets Gallus Anonymous’ account of the founding of the Piast dynasty.