The pace of the early Christianisation of the Piast lands

Abstract

The traditional idea that the conversion of Mieszko I in 966 marked the conversion to Christianity of all of what we may consider to be Poland and its establishment as a nation is questioned in this paper. An examination of the archaeological record providess evidence of Christianity in the area before 966, which suggests that the date of 966 was selected to give some definitive support for the idea of Poland becoming civilised. It also does not provide much evidence of a massive programme of Christianisation under Mieszko I or his son and successor, Boleslaw the Brave. Full Christianisation had to wait until the thirteenth century.