Episode 6: Will No One Rid Me of This Turbulent Duke?

Bolesław mourns his old friend Emperor Otto III, tries to intervene in the succession crisis in the Empire, picks the losing side, and then ends up in a two-decade war with the Holy Roman Empire that ends with no clear winner.

It’s a long slog for Bolesław, but luckily for us we get to enjoy it from the comfort of our favorite podcast app.

Speaking of podcast apps, if you’re enjoying the History of Poland podcast there are a few things you can do! First, you can leave a review on iTunes here, or you can follow us on Twitter here, or if you’re feeling really adventurous you can send me an email at historyofpolandpodcast [at] gmail [dot] com.

Trevor Gilbert
Episode 5: Adalbert's Demise

Adalbert sets off towards Prussia where he meets some fellows who are not at all enthusiastic to see him or his companions. Not to spoil anything, but by the end of his trip I’m guessing that he wished he had brought along those guards Bolesław had lent him. Silver lining: The Congress of Gniezno is the result of Adalbert’s missionary journey, which we’ll also be covering this week.

Trevor Gilbert
Episode 4: Introducing Bolesław

Mieszko is gone and the seat of power in the early Polish state lies vacant, only to be filled by Mieszko’s son Bolesław. His reign will feature some of the most daring exploits for a state that has only recently been formed, but before we get to that, let’s get to know a little bit more about Bolesław, his early years, and about a friend he made named Adalbert.

Trevor Gilbert
Episode 3: The Baptism of Poland

Mieszko continues to turn Poland from an Eastern Pagan state into a Western Christian state. It won’t be perfectly smooth sailing, but by the end of his life Mieszko will have left his mark on both Poland and Europe.

Trevor Gilbert
Episode 2: Mieszko the First

We jump from the legendary past into the era of recorded Polish history and meet up with a man named Mieszko, the first historical ruler of Poland. We’ll join him as he establishes the original state of Poland, fights against the rascally nobleman Wichmann, and begins the process of converting Poland to Latin Christianity.

Trevor Gilbert