DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.23631#0016
Nicholas, the patron saint of L^d, between them. A miniature figure of the goldsmith Konrad is seen
amidst architectural ornaments at the bottom. In all likelihood this is the first portrait of a craftsman
in Polish art and the fact that he portrayed himself in the company of saints and the mighty of this world
is a mark of his prestige and standing.
In the course of the first two centuries of its existence as a state Poland attained a relatively high stan-
dard of artistic development. Though of course the gap which divided it from the advanced countries
of Western Europe was not bridged, nonetheless many works were of considerable artistic merit and were
of a quality surpassing local importance. Many objects were brought over from abroad, such as for
example illumined codices, gold objects, and fabrics, but many were unquestionably made locally, whether
by Polish or foreign craftsmen. The wealth of treasuries may be deduced from inventories of the contents
of the Wawel Cathedral made in iioi under Bishop Baldwin, and again in i i 10 under Bishop Maur,
which mention a gold crown, eighteen chalices of gold and silver, twelve solid gold crosses, ten silver
candelabra and a banner embroidered in gold. The treasury of Gniezno Cathedral was equally wealthy.
The first major catastrophe struck the state shortly after the death of Mieszko II, with an invasion by
the Bohemian Duke Bretislav in 1038. The chronicler Cosmas noted that Bretislav carried away booty
looted mostly from churches, which took a hundred waggons to transport. Shortly before that invasion,
Richeza, widow of Mieszko II, left the country taking with her the coronation insignia. The country
was soon rebuilt under Casimir the Restorer, but the rules of succession established by Boleslaus
Wrymouth on his death in 11 38, weakened the state structure: Boleslaus divided the country into provinces,
each ruled by one of his sons, with the ruler of the Province of Cracow exercising supreme power
in the state as liege-lord over the others. Cracow was to be the capital. Previously there was no regular
capital, and the early Piast rulers, who originated from Great Poland, showed a preference for Poznari.
While the royal and princely courts waxed resplendent and the lords and knights grew rich, the rest
of the population remained rather poor. Their principal occupations were hunting, stock raising, fishing
and bee-keeping. Agriculture was still primitive but developed slowly thanks to the example and dedicated
efforts of Benedictine monks.
During the period of feudal disintegration, which lasted from 1138 to 1320, fratricidal strife for
control of the capital flared up repeatedly; in 1226 Duke Conrad of Mazovia invited the Order of Teutonic
Knights to help conquer Prussia, which was to have dramatic consequences for Poland, while in 1241
southern Poland was laid waste by a terrible incursion of Tartar hordes. Gradually the system of estates
evolved and consolidated; an estate was a class of people with a similar socio-political status, governed by
their own laws and enjoying the same privileges. Thus there were estates of knights, clergy, burghers and
peasants. Having no strong authority the princes ruling in the provinces had to take account of the demands
of their subjects and were forced to give up some of their rights in favour of the more powerful estates,
granting them various privileges. Transition from a natural economy over to monetary economy, and
above all the gradual formation of towns, particularly marked in the 13 th century, carried decisive influ-
ence for the development of trade and industry, and naturally craftsmanship. This gradual evolution of
towns followed Western examples, from which juridic and organizational models were borrowed; for
example towns were chartered under what was known as Magdeburg or German Law. Let us note, however,
that German towns were founded and developed on earlier organizational models borrowed from Italy
and France, which themselves were based on Roman tradition. Magdeburg Law was first introduced
in the town of Sroda in Silesia, and Chelmno in Pomerania. The owner of a stronghold, a duke or a lord,
bent on transforming the place into a town, would find a suitable 'entrepreneur' to whom he would issue
what came to be known as a Charter of Location, and who then would recruit suitable persons to settle in
the new town and take up different crafts and trades. The newcomers would join up with the population
of the stronghold and its borough. The market square and streets would be laid out, and sites for houses
allotted. For a specified period of time, settlers would be exempted from contributing state taxes, but had
to pay rent for land granted them by the owner of the town. The founder of the new town had to carry
out some of the most important building work at his own expense, for example the town walls, gates,
towers and turrets, market stalls and public baths for the use of which he exacted fees. Thus, founding
a town brought benefit to both sides, the owner and the settlers, and in consequence became a major
factor advancing the social and economic development of the whole country. As a rule, the 'entrepreneur'
became the town headman, a hereditary position assuring much local power. The headman administered the
town, received part of the rent, was granted land outside the town confines, and was magistrate of the
amidst architectural ornaments at the bottom. In all likelihood this is the first portrait of a craftsman
in Polish art and the fact that he portrayed himself in the company of saints and the mighty of this world
is a mark of his prestige and standing.
In the course of the first two centuries of its existence as a state Poland attained a relatively high stan-
dard of artistic development. Though of course the gap which divided it from the advanced countries
of Western Europe was not bridged, nonetheless many works were of considerable artistic merit and were
of a quality surpassing local importance. Many objects were brought over from abroad, such as for
example illumined codices, gold objects, and fabrics, but many were unquestionably made locally, whether
by Polish or foreign craftsmen. The wealth of treasuries may be deduced from inventories of the contents
of the Wawel Cathedral made in iioi under Bishop Baldwin, and again in i i 10 under Bishop Maur,
which mention a gold crown, eighteen chalices of gold and silver, twelve solid gold crosses, ten silver
candelabra and a banner embroidered in gold. The treasury of Gniezno Cathedral was equally wealthy.
The first major catastrophe struck the state shortly after the death of Mieszko II, with an invasion by
the Bohemian Duke Bretislav in 1038. The chronicler Cosmas noted that Bretislav carried away booty
looted mostly from churches, which took a hundred waggons to transport. Shortly before that invasion,
Richeza, widow of Mieszko II, left the country taking with her the coronation insignia. The country
was soon rebuilt under Casimir the Restorer, but the rules of succession established by Boleslaus
Wrymouth on his death in 11 38, weakened the state structure: Boleslaus divided the country into provinces,
each ruled by one of his sons, with the ruler of the Province of Cracow exercising supreme power
in the state as liege-lord over the others. Cracow was to be the capital. Previously there was no regular
capital, and the early Piast rulers, who originated from Great Poland, showed a preference for Poznari.
While the royal and princely courts waxed resplendent and the lords and knights grew rich, the rest
of the population remained rather poor. Their principal occupations were hunting, stock raising, fishing
and bee-keeping. Agriculture was still primitive but developed slowly thanks to the example and dedicated
efforts of Benedictine monks.
During the period of feudal disintegration, which lasted from 1138 to 1320, fratricidal strife for
control of the capital flared up repeatedly; in 1226 Duke Conrad of Mazovia invited the Order of Teutonic
Knights to help conquer Prussia, which was to have dramatic consequences for Poland, while in 1241
southern Poland was laid waste by a terrible incursion of Tartar hordes. Gradually the system of estates
evolved and consolidated; an estate was a class of people with a similar socio-political status, governed by
their own laws and enjoying the same privileges. Thus there were estates of knights, clergy, burghers and
peasants. Having no strong authority the princes ruling in the provinces had to take account of the demands
of their subjects and were forced to give up some of their rights in favour of the more powerful estates,
granting them various privileges. Transition from a natural economy over to monetary economy, and
above all the gradual formation of towns, particularly marked in the 13 th century, carried decisive influ-
ence for the development of trade and industry, and naturally craftsmanship. This gradual evolution of
towns followed Western examples, from which juridic and organizational models were borrowed; for
example towns were chartered under what was known as Magdeburg or German Law. Let us note, however,
that German towns were founded and developed on earlier organizational models borrowed from Italy
and France, which themselves were based on Roman tradition. Magdeburg Law was first introduced
in the town of Sroda in Silesia, and Chelmno in Pomerania. The owner of a stronghold, a duke or a lord,
bent on transforming the place into a town, would find a suitable 'entrepreneur' to whom he would issue
what came to be known as a Charter of Location, and who then would recruit suitable persons to settle in
the new town and take up different crafts and trades. The newcomers would join up with the population
of the stronghold and its borough. The market square and streets would be laid out, and sites for houses
allotted. For a specified period of time, settlers would be exempted from contributing state taxes, but had
to pay rent for land granted them by the owner of the town. The founder of the new town had to carry
out some of the most important building work at his own expense, for example the town walls, gates,
towers and turrets, market stalls and public baths for the use of which he exacted fees. Thus, founding
a town brought benefit to both sides, the owner and the settlers, and in consequence became a major
factor advancing the social and economic development of the whole country. As a rule, the 'entrepreneur'
became the town headman, a hereditary position assuring much local power. The headman administered the
town, received part of the rent, was granted land outside the town confines, and was magistrate of the