Lech, founder of Poland
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Lech, Czech and Rus' (, ) refers to a founding legend of three Slavic brothers who founded three Slavic peoples: the
Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, who share a common history, culture, the Polish language and are identified with the country of Poland in C ...
(or
Lechites Lechites (, german: Lechiten), also known as the Lechitic tribes (, german: Lechitische Stämme), is a name given to certain West Slavic tribes who inhabited modern-day Poland and eastern Germany, and were speakers of the Lechitic languages. Dist ...
), the
Czechs The Czechs ( cs, Češi, ; singular Czech, masculine: ''Čech'' , singular feminine: ''Češka'' ), or the Czech people (), are a West Slavic ethnic group and a nation native to the Czech Republic in Central Europe, who share a common ancestry, ...
, and the Rus'. The three legendary brothers appear together in the '' Wielkopolska Chronicle'', compiled in the early 14th century. The legend states that the brothers, on a hunting trip, followed different prey and thus travelled (and settled) in different directions: Lech in the northwest, Czech in the west, and Rus' in the northeast. There are multiple versions of the legend, including several regional variants throughout West Slavic, and to lesser extent, other
Slavic countries Slavs are the largest European ethnolinguistic group. They speak the various Slavic languages, belonging to the larger Balto-Slavic branch of the Indo-European languages. Slavs are geographically distributed throughout northern Eurasia, main ...
that mention only one or two brothers. The three also figure into the
origin myth An origin myth is a myth that describes the origin of some feature of the natural or social world. One type of origin myth is the creation or cosmogonic myth, a story that describes the creation of the world. However, many cultures have st ...
of
South Slavic peoples South Slavs are Slavic peoples who speak South Slavic languages and inhabit a contiguous region of Southeast Europe comprising the eastern Alps and the Balkan Peninsula. Geographically separated from the West Slavs and East Slavs by Austria, ...
in some legends. Their stories are often, to some extent as well, used as a myth to understand the eventual foundation of the Polish, Czech and East Slavic states (
Kievan Rus' Kievan Rusʹ, also known as Kyivan Rusʹ ( orv, , Rusĭ, or , , ; Old Norse: ''Garðaríki''), was a state in Eastern and Northern Europe from the late 9th to the mid-13th century.John Channon & Robert Hudson, ''Penguin Historical Atlas of ...
), in accordance with the legend.


Polish version

In the Polish version of the legend, three brothers went hunting together but each of them followed a different prey and eventually they all traveled in different directions. Rus' went to the east, Čech headed to the west to settle on the Říp Mountain rising up from the Bohemian hilly countryside, while Lech traveled north. Lech, while hunting, followed his arrow and suddenly found himself face-to-face with a fierce, white eagle guarding its nest from intruders. Seeing the eagle against the red of the setting sun, Lech took this as a good omen and decided to settle there. He named his settlement
Gniezno Gniezno (; german: Gnesen; la, Gnesna) is a city in central-western Poland, about east of Poznań. Its population in 2021 was 66,769, making it the sixth-largest city in the Greater Poland Voivodeship. One of the Piast dynasty's chief cities, ...
(
Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...
''gniazdo'' – 'nest') in commemoration and adopted the White Eagle as his
coat-of-arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its w ...
. The white eagle remains a symbol of Poland to this day, and the colors of the eagle and the setting sun are depicted in Poland's coat of arms, as well as its flag, with a white stripe on top for the eagle, and a red stripe on the bottom for the sunset. According to '' Wielkopolska Chronicle'' (13th century), Slavs are descendants of Pan, a Pannonian prince. He had three sons – Lech (the youngest), Rus', and Čech (the oldest), who decided to settle north, east, and west, respectively.


Czech version

A variant of this legend, involving only two brothers (and three sisters), is also known in the
Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
. As in the Polish version, Čech is identified as the founder of the Czech nation (''Češi'' pl.) and Lech as the founder of the Polish nation. Zdeněk Nejedlý argued that
Cosmas of Prague Cosmas of Prague ( cs, Kosmas Pražský; la, Cosmas Decanus; – October 21, 1125) was a priest, writer and historian. Life Between 1075 and 1081, he studied in Liège. After his return to Bohemia, he married Božetěcha, with whom he had a so ...
's ''
Chronica Boemorum The ''Chronica Boemorum'' (Chronicle of the Czechs, or Bohemians) is the first Latin chronicle in which the history of the Czech lands has been consistently and relatively fully described. It was written in 1119–1125 by Cosmas of Prague. The ...
'' (12th century) described Čech's arrival from Northeastern Bohemia once called
White Croatia White Croatia (also Great Croatia or Chrobatia; hr, Bijela Hrvatska, also ) is the region from which part of the White Croats emigrated to the Western Balkans. Some historians believe that, after the migration of the White Croats in the 7th cent ...
. The older chronicles from 14th century (such as those of Dalimil, Wenceslaus Hajek and Přibík Pulkava z Radenína) do not specify the location of Čech and Lech's homeland ''Charvaty'', but in the Alois Jirásek retelling of '' Staré pověsti české (Old Bohemian Legends)'' from 1894 it is more closely determined; ''Za Tatrami, v rovinách při řece Visle rozkládala se od nepaměti charvátská země, část prvotní veliké vlasti slovanské'' (Behind the
Tatra Mountains The Tatra Mountains (), Tatras, or Tatra (''Tatry'' either in Slovak () or in Polish () - '' plurale tantum''), are a series of mountains within the Western Carpathians that form a natural border between Slovakia and Poland. They are the hi ...
, in the plains of the river
Vistula The Vistula (; pl, Wisła, ) is the longest river in Poland and the ninth-longest river in Europe, at in length. The drainage basin, reaching into three other nations, covers , of which is in Poland. The Vistula rises at Barania Góra in ...
, stretched from immemorial time Charvátská country (probably meaning so-called Great or White Croatia), the initial part of the great Slavic homeland), and ''V té charvátské zemi bytovala četná plemena, příbuzná jazykem, mravy, způsobem života'' (In Charvátská existed numerous tribes, related by language, manners, and way of life). In the same century, Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor in 1347 claimed "seniority of Croatian" language over
Bohemian language Czech (; Czech ), historically also Bohemian (; ''lingua Bohemica'' in Latin), is a West Slavic language of the Czech–Slovak group, written in Latin script. Spoken by over 10 million people, it serves as the official language of the Czech Re ...
, while Jan of Holešov in 1397 wrote "it should be known, first, that we, Bohemians, by origin and language initially descend from the
Croats The Croats (; hr, Hrvati ) are a South Slavic ethnic group who share a common Croatian ancestry, culture, history and language. They are also a recognized minority in a number of neighboring countries, namely Austria, the Czech Republic, ...
, as our chronicles relate and testify, and therefore our Bohemian language by its origin is the Croatian language".
Dušan Třeštík Dušan Třeštík (1 August 1933 – 23 August 2007) was a Czech historian. He specialized in medieval history ( Dark Ages (500–1000)) of the Czech lands and theory of history. Třeštík was born in 1933 in Sobědruhy, now a part of the city ...
saw parallels of number seven and else in the Croatian ''origo gentis'' of five brothers and two sisters from the 30th chapter of '' De Administrando Imperio'' by Constantine VII (10th century). However, numerous battles had made the country very unfavorable for the people, who were accustomed to living in peace, cultivate the land and grow grain. According to other versions, the reason was that Čech had been accused of murder. They gathered their people and set off towards the sunset. According to the ''Chronicle of Dalimil'' (1314), when Čech and his people climbed Říp Mountain, he looked upon the landscape and told his six brothers that they have reached the promised land: a country where there are enough of beasts, birds, fish, and bees so that their tables will be always full, and where they could defend themselves against enemies. He settled in the area with a tribe and, according to the ''Přibík Pulkava'' version (circa 1374), his brother Lech continued his journey to the lowlands over the snowy mountains of the north, where he founded Poland. Wenceslaus Hajek's version from 1541 adds many (probably fanciful) details not found in other sources. According to Hájek, the brothers were dukes who had already owned castles in their homeland before their arrival in the region and dates their arrival to the year 644.


Croatian version

A similar legend with partly changed names (Čeh, Leh, Meh and sister Vilina), was also registered in folk tales in
Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...
in the
Kajkavian dialect Kajkavian (Kajkavian noun: ''kajkavščina''; Shtokavian adjective: ''kajkavski'' , noun: ''kajkavica'' or ''kajkavština'' ) is a South Slavic regiolect or language spoken primarily by Croats in much of Central Croatia, Gorski Kotar and nort ...
of Krapina in Zagorje (northern Croatia). Sakač, S. K. (1940).
Krapina-Kijev-Ararat, Priča o troje braće i jednoj sestri
'. Obnovljeni Život 21/3-4: 129–149, Zagreb
However, some believe it isn't of ancient origin but rather it was introduced among commoners by literary people since 16th century. Hajek was the first to mention Krapina as place of origin of Leh meanwhile Čeh ruled over Psar near stream/river Krupa, while
Klemens Janicki Klemens Janicki (Janiciusz, Januszkowski, from Januszkowo) ( la, 'Clemens Ianicius') (1516–1543) was one of the most outstanding Latin poets of the 16th century. Biography Janicki was born in Januszkowo, a village near Żnin, Poland, to a peasa ...
wrote that Lech emigrated from island
Hvar Hvar (; Chakavian: ''Hvor'' or ''For'', el, Φάρος, Pharos, la, Pharia, it, Lesina) is a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea, located off the Dalmatian coast, lying between the islands of Brač, Vis and Korčula. Approximately long, wi ...
in Dalmatia. Already since 16th century
Vinko Pribojević Vinko Pribojević ( la, Vincentius Priboevius mid-15th century – after 1532) was a Venetian Slavic historian and ideologue, best known as one of the founders of the early pan-Slavic ideology. Life Pribojević was born on the island of Hvar, i ...
,
Faust Vrančić Fausto Veranzio ( la, Faustus Verantius; hr, Faust Vrančić; Hungarian language, Hungarian and Latin regional pronunciation, Vernacular Latin: ''Verancsics Faustus'';Andrew L. SimonMade in Hungary: Hungarian contributions to universal cultur ...
,
Mavro Orbini Mavro Orbini (1563–1614) was a Ragusan chronicler, notable for his work ''The Realm of the Slavs'' (1601) which influenced Slavic ideology and historiography in the later centuries. Life Orbini was born in Ragusa (now Dubrovnik), the capital o ...
and others from today's Croatia wrote that Čeh and Leh arrived from Croatia and related Czech and Polish language with Croatian, while Juraj Ratkaj was the first to assert that Čeh, Leh, and Meh's origin is in Krapina. Many wrote about it, including Johann Christoph Jordan who personally came to Krapina to hear it told by the local people and mentioned it in ''De Originibus Slavicis'' (1745), in 1702 was held a theatre play, in 1848 the three brothers were part of the coat of arms of Varaždin county and the flag was present during the office inauguration of Josip Jelačić, the legend was in addition popularized especially by Ljudevit Gaj, while Stjepan Ortner published the legend in full form in 1899. The legend was one of the reasons Croatian language was chosen in 17th century as the common Slavic language for Catholic books for all Slavic nations.


Debate

In the Bohemian chronicles, Čech appears on his own or only with Lech. Čech is first mentioned in Latin as ''Bohemus'' in the Cosmas' chronicle of 1125. The earliest Polish mention of Lech, Čech, and Rus' is found in the '' Chronicle of Greater Poland'' written at the end of the 13th or the beginning of the 14th century. The legend suggests a common ancestry of the
Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, who share a common history, culture, the Polish language and are identified with the country of Poland in C ...
,
Czechs The Czechs ( cs, Češi, ; singular Czech, masculine: ''Čech'' , singular feminine: ''Češka'' ), or the Czech people (), are a West Slavic ethnic group and a nation native to the Czech Republic in Central Europe, who share a common ancestry, ...
and the Rus', and illustrates the fact that as early as the 13th century at least three different Slavic peoples were aware of being ethnically and linguistically interrelated. The legends also agree on the location of the homeland of the Early Slavic peoples in
Eastern Europe Eastern Europe is a subregion of the European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic connotations. The vast majority of the region is covered by Russia, whic ...
. This area overlapped the region presumed by mainstream scholarship to be the
Proto-Indo-European Proto-Indo-European (PIE) is the reconstructed common ancestor of the Indo-European language family. Its proposed features have been derived by linguistic reconstruction from documented Indo-European languages. No direct record of Proto-Indo- ...
homeland in the general region of the
Pontic–Caspian steppe The Pontic–Caspian steppe, formed by the Caspian steppe and the Pontic steppe, is the steppeland stretching from the northern shores of the Black Sea (the Pontus Euxinus of antiquity) to the northern area around the Caspian Sea. It extend ...
. In the framework of the
Kurgan hypothesis The Kurgan hypothesis (also known as the Kurgan theory, Kurgan model, or steppe theory) is the most widely accepted proposal to identify the Proto-Indo-European homeland from which the Indo-European languages spread out throughout Europe and par ...
, "the Indo-Europeans who remained after the migrations became speakers of Balto-Slavic". The most well-known version of the legend is seen to be somewhat Polonocentric, as it mentions a national symbol (the white eagle) only for Lech and the Polish nation, while relegating the two other brothers Czech and Rus' to secondary characters. Furthermore, this particular version does not address the origin of the South Slavic peoples. The legend also attempts to explain the etymology of the ethnonyms: Lechia (another name for Poland including
Silesia Silesia (, also , ) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at around 8,000,000. Silesia is split ...
), the
Czech lands The Czech lands or the Bohemian lands ( cs, České země ) are the three historical regions of Bohemia, Moravia, and Czech Silesia. Together the three have formed the Czech part of Czechoslovakia since 1918, the Czech Socialist Republic since ...
(including Bohemia,
Moravia Moravia ( , also , ; cs, Morava ; german: link=yes, Mähren ; pl, Morawy ; szl, Morawa; la, Moravia) is a historical region in the east of the Czech Republic and one of three historical Czech lands, with Bohemia and Czech Silesia. The m ...
, and also
Silesia Silesia (, also , ) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at around 8,000,000. Silesia is split ...
), and Rus'.
Jan Kochanowski Jan Kochanowski (; 1530 – 22 August 1584) was a Polish Renaissance poet who established poetic patterns that would become integral to the Polish literary language. He is commonly regarded as the greatest Polish poet before Adam Mickiewicz. ...
, a prominent
Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (800 BC to AD ...
Polish man of letters, in his essay on the origin of the Slavs, makes no mention of the third "brother", Rus'. Moreover, he dismisses the legend entirely, stating that "no historian who has taken up the subject of the Slavic nation ..mentions any of those two Slavic leaders, Lech and Czech". He goes on to assume that "Czechy" and "Lechy" are quite probably the original names for the two nations, although he does not dismiss the possibility that there might have been a great leader by the name Lech whose name replaced the original and later forgotten name for the Polish nation.


Legacy


Oaks of Rogalin

Three large
oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...
s in the garden adjacent to the 18th-century palace in
Rogalin Rogalin is a village in western Poland, situated on the river Warta. It lies approximately east of the town of Mosina, and south of the metropolitan city of Poznań.Greater Poland, are named after the brothers (''Lech, Czech i Rus), and are several hundred years old. They vary between in circumference. They are part of the
Rogalin Landscape Park Rogalin Landscape Park ( pl, Rogaliński Park Krajobrazowy) is a protected area ( Landscape Park) in west-central Poland, covering an area of . It includes two nature reserves. Overview The Park lies within Greater Poland Voivodeship, across ...
, and together with others they have been declared
nature monument A natural monument is a natural or natural/cultural feature of outstanding or unique value because of its inherent rarity, representative of aesthetic qualities or cultural significance. Under World Commission on Protected Areas guidelines, nat ...
s and placed under protection."Dęby rogalińskie"
Catalog of protected objects (retrieved 7 October 2016)


See also

*
Kyi, Shchek and Khoryv Kyi, Shchek and Khoryv ( uk, Кий, Щек, Хорив ; orv, Кии, Щекъ, Хоривъ) were three legendary brothersoften mentioned along with their sister Lybid ( uk, Либідь, links=no ; orv, Лыбѣдь, links=no)who, accordin ...
, three brothers who are the legendary founders of Kyiv * Jonakr's sons * Romulus and Remus, two brothers in the founding myth of
Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...
*
List of national founders The following list of national founding figures is a record, by country, of people who were credited with establishing a state. National founders are typically those who played an influential role in setting up the systems of governance, (i.e. ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lech, Czech And Rus Legendary Polish monarchs History of the Rus' people Origin myths Mythological city founders Founding monarchs Polish legends Russian legends Czech legends West Slavic history Sibling trios Legendary progenitors