Mieszko Mieszkowic (979/984 – aft. 992/95), was a Polish prince, and a member of the

House of Piast The House of Piast was the first historical ruling dynasty of Poland. The first documented Polish monarch was Duke Mieszko I (c. 930–992). The Piasts' royal rule in Poland ended in 1370 with the death of king Casimir III the Great. Branc ...

. He was the second son of

Mieszko I of Poland Mieszko I (; – 25 May 992) was the first ruler of Poland and the founder of the first independent Polish state, the Duchy of Poland. His reign stretched from 960 to his death and he was a member of the Piast dynasty, a son of Siemomysł and a ...

, but eldest born from Mieszko's second marriage to Oda, daughter of

Dietrich of Haldensleben , father = Wichmann the Elder , mother = Frederuna of Ringelheim Dietrich (Theoderich, Theodoric) of Haldensleben (died 25 August 985) was a count in the Schwabengau, later also in the Nordthüringgau and the Derlingau, who was the first Margr ...

, Margrave of the North March.

Life

Little is known about his first years of life. Mieszko's first appearance is in the document "'' Dagome iudex''" (ca. 991/92), along with his parents and brother Lambert. The purpose of the document was to protect Mieszko's and Lambert's inheritance from their older half-brother Bolesław I the Brave, who isn't named there.{{cn, date=April 2013 After Mieszko I's death (25 May 992), a war began between Bolesław I and his half-brothers. There is disagreement among historians as to the course of the conflict; the struggle may have lasted only a few weeks or may have only finished in 995. In the end, Bolesław I took control over all the territories of his father and expelled his stepmother and half-brothers from

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

. Mieszko's further fate is unknown, but in 1032 a certain

Dytryk Dytryk (''Theoderick'') (born after 992 - died after 1032) – factual or titular district Duke of Poland. Grandson of Mieszko I and his second wife Oda of Haldensleben Oda of Haldensleben (c. 955/60 – 1023) was Duchess of the Polans by marriage ...

(son of either Mieszko or his brother Lambert) returned to Poland and took control over part of the country after the fall of

Mieszko II Lambert Mieszko II Lambert (; c. 990 – 10/11 May 1034) was King of Poland from 1025 to 1031, and Duke from 1032 until his death. He was the second son of Bolesław I the Brave, but the eldest born from his third wife Emnilda of Lusatia. He was pro ...

. Dytryk's reign was short-lived: in 1033, he was deposed and expelled by Mieszko II, who reunited all Poland.

References

*''Thietmari chronicon'' (edited by Marian Zygmunt Jedlicki), Poznań 1953, p. 224. *Kürbisówna B., ''Dagome iudex - studium krytyczne, :Początki Państwa Polskiego'', vol. I, Poznań 1962, p. 396. * O. Balzer, ''Genealogia Piastów'', Kraków 1895. *K. Jasiński, ''Rodowód pierwszych Piastów'', Wrocław-Warsaw 1992, pp. 100-101. *J. Widajewicz, ''Początki Polski'', Wrocław 1948. Piast dynasty