This article covers thehistory of Poland in theMiddle Ages. This time covers roughly amillennium, from the 5th century to the 16th century. It is commonly dated from theFall of the Western Roman Empire, and contrasted with a laterEarly Modern Period. The time during which the rise ofhumanism in theItalian Renaissance and theReformation unfolded is generally associated with the transition out of the Middle Ages, with European overseas expansion as a succeeding process, but such dates are approximate and based upon nuanced arguments.

The first waves ofSlavic migration settled the area of the upperVistula River and elsewhere in the lands of present-day southeasternPoland and southernMasovia, coming from the upper and middle regions of theDnieper River. Results of a genetic study by researchers fromGdańsk Medical University "support hypothesis placing the earliest known homeland of Slavs in the middleDnieper basin".^[1] TheWest Slavs came primarily from the more western early Slavic branch called theSclaveni by theByzantine historianJordanes inGetica, the eastern branch being theAntes.^[a] The Slavs had first migrated into Poland in the second half of the 5th century, some half century after these territories had been vacated byGermanic tribes (after a period during which settlements were absent or rare).^[2][3] According to the references given in this andPoland in the Early Middle Ages article, many scholars now believe that the Slavic tribes had not been present in Poland before the earliest medieval period,^[b] though the opposite view, predominant in Polishprehistory andprotohistory in the past, is still represented.^[4][5]

From there, over the 6th century, the new population dispersed north and west. The Slavs lived mostly by cultivating crops but also engaged inhunting and gathering. Their migrations took place whileEastern andCentral Europe were being invaded from the east by waves of peoples and armies such as theHuns,Avars andMagyars.^[4][5]

A number of West SlavicPolish tribes formed small states, beginning in the 8th century, some of which later coalesced into larger states. Among these tribes were theVistulans (Wiślanie) in southern Poland, withKraków andWiślica as their main centers (major fortified centers were built in their country in the 9th century), but later the tribe(s) referred to as thePolans (Polanie—literally, "people of the fields") would prove of decisive historic importance. At the end of the 9th century Vistulans were part of theGreat Moravia, according to some theories.

The tribal states built manygords – fortified structures with earthen and wooden walls and embankments – from the 7th century onward. Some of these were developed and inhabited; others featured a large empty space and may have served primarily as refuges in times of trouble. The Polans settled the plains aroundGiecz,Poznań andGniezno that would become the early center of Poland and lent their name to the country. They went through a period of accelerated building of gord-type fortified settlements and of territorial expansion, beginning in the first half of the 10th century, and the Polish state developed from their tribal polities in the second half of the 10th century.^[5][6]

The Polish state begins with the rule ofMieszko I of thePiast dynasty in the second half of the 10th century. Mieszko chose to bebaptized in the WesternLatin Church in 966. Following its emergence, thePolish nation was led bya series of rulers who converted the population toChristianity, createda strong kingdom and integrated Poland into theEuropean culture. Mieszko's sonBolesław I Chrobry established aPolish Church province, pursued territorial conquests and was officially crowned, becoming the firstKing of Poland. This was followed by a collapse of the monarchy and restoration underCasimir I. Casimir's sonBolesław II the Bold became fatally involved in a conflict with theecclesiastical authority, and was expelled from the country. AfterBolesław IIIdivided the country among his sons, internal fragmentation eroded the initial Piast monarchy structure in the 12th and 13th centuries.One of the regional Piast dukes invited theTeutonic Knights to help him fight theBalticPrussian pagans, which caused centuries of Poland's warfare with the Knights and then with theGerman Prussian state. The Kingdom was restored underWładysław I the Elbow-high, strengthened and expanded by his sonCasimir III the Great. The western provinces ofSilesia andPomerania were lost after the fragmentation, and Poland began expanding to the east. The consolidation in the 14th century laid the base for, after the reigns of twomembers of theAngevin dynasty, the new powerfulKingdom of Poland that was to follow.^[7]

Beginning with theLithuanian Grand DukeJogaila (Władysław II Jagiełło), theJagiellon dynasty (1385–1569) formed thePolish–Lithuanian union. The partnership brought vastLithuania-controlledRus' areas into Poland's sphere of influence and proved beneficial for the Poles andLithuanians, who coexisted and cooperated in one of the largestpolitical entities in Europe for the next four centuries. In theBaltic Sea region Poland's struggle with the Teutonic Knights continued and included the milestonePeace of Thorn under KingCasimir IV Jagiellon; the treaty created the futureDuchy of Prussia. In the south Poland confronted theOttoman Empire and theCrimean Tatars, and in the east helped Lithuania fight theGrand Duchy of Moscow. Poland was developing as afeudal state, with predominantly agricultural economy and an increasingly dominantlanded nobility component. TheNihil novi act adopted by the PolishSejm (parliament) in 1505, transferred most of thelegislative power from themonarch to the Sejm. This event marked the beginning of the period known as "Golden Liberty", when the state was ruled by the "free and equal"Polish nobility.Protestant Reformation movements made deep inroads into the Polish Christianity, which resulted in unique at that time in Europe policies ofreligious tolerance. The EuropeanRenaissance currents evoked in late Jagiellon Poland (kingsSigismund I the Old andSigismund II Augustus) an immensecultural flowering. Poland's and Lithuania's territorial expansion included the far north region ofLivonia.^[7][8]

• Culture of medieval Poland
• Obotrites
• Principality of Nitra

• Medieval history of Poland

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