History, Wonder Tales, Fairy Tales, Myths and Legends The Flemish | Page 288

FLEMINGS IN POLAND
Numerous West Slavic tribes had inhabited most of the area of present-day Poland
since the 6th century.
Mieszko I of the Polans from his stronghold in the Gniezno area subdued various
neighboring tribes in the second half of the 10th century, creating the first Polish state
and becoming the first historically recorded Piast duke. His realm roughly included all
of the area of the "Recovered Territories" except for Warmia-Masuria. His son and
successor, Bolesław I, expanded the southern part of the realm, but lost control over
Pomerania.
After fragmentation, pagan revolts and a Bohemian invasion in the 1030s, Casimir I
the Restorer again united most of the former Piast realm, including Silesia and the
Lubusz Land, but without Pomerania.
Pomerania was subdued again temporarily by Bolesław III in 1116-1121. On his death
in 1138, Poland was divided into several semi-independent duchies, ruled by
Bolesław's sons and later their succesors, who were often in conflict with each other.
Partial reunification was achieved by Władysław I, crowned king of Poland in 1320,
although the Silesian and Masovian duchies remained independent.
In the course of the 12th to 14th centuries, large numbers of German, Dutch and
Flemish settlers moved into East Central and Eastern Europe (a process known as the
Ostsiedlung).
In Pomerania, Brandenburg, East Prussia and Silesia, the former West Slav (Polabian
Slavs and Poles) or Balt population became extinguished or dissimilated except for
small minorities. In Poland and Pomerelia (West Prussia) however, German settlers
formed a minority.

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