View source for Siemowit

{{Infobox royalty
| image       = Siemowit (99006958).jpg
| reign        = {{circa}} 861 – 900
| succession  = [[Duke of the Polans]]
| predecessor = [[Piast the Wheelwright]]
| successor   = [[Lestek]]
| issue       = [[Lestek]]
| house       = [[Piast dynasty|Piast]]
| father      = [[Piast the Wheelwright]]
| mother      = [[Rzepicha]]
| birth_date    = {{circa}} 845
| death_date  = 900<!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD|df=y}} -->
| religion    = [[Slavic paganism]]
}}
'''Siemowit''' (Polish pronunciation: [ɕɛˈmɔvit], also '''Ziemowit''' [ʑɛˈmɔvit]) was, according to the chronicles of [[Gallus Anonymus]], the son of [[Piast the Wheelwright]] and [[Rzepicha]]. He is considered to be the first ruler of the [[Piast]] dynasty.<ref>K. Jasiński, Rodowód pierwszych Piastów, p. 47.</ref>

He became the [[Duke of the Polans]] in the 9th century after his father, [[Piast the Wheelwright]], son of [[Chościsko]], refused to take the place of legendary Duke [[Popiel]]. Siemowit was elected as new duke by the ''[[wiec]]''.<ref name="Roszko1980">{{cite book|author=Janusz Roszko|title=Kolebka Siemowita|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4tNBAAAAYAAJ|access-date=29 February 2012|year=1980|isbn=978-83-207-0090-9|page=170|publisher=Iskry }}</ref> According to a popular legend, Popiel was then eaten by mice in his tower on [[Gopło]] lake.<ref name = "Marvels">{{cite book | author =Jan Bondeson | author-link =Jan Bondeson | title =Two-Headed Boy, and Other Medical Marvels | pages =91–2 | year =2000 | publisher =[[Cornell University Press]] | isbn =978-0-8014-8958-7 | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=qHQNw69S-9cC&q=Popiel&pg=PA92 }}</ref>

The only mention of Siemowit, along with his son, [[Lestek]], and grandson, [[Siemomysł]], comes in the medieval chronicle of Gallus Anonymus.<ref name="Gall">{{in lang|en|la}} {{cite book | author =Gallus Anonymus | author-link =Gallus Anonymus |author2=Knoll, Schoer |author3=Bisson, Schaen | title =The Chronicles and Deeds of the Dukes or Princes of the Poles | pages =17–22 |date=10 May 2003 | publisher =[[Central European University]] Press | isbn =978-963-9241-40-4 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Xr0nW9ChZl0C&q=Popiel&pg=PA17 }}</ref>

Siemowit's great-grandson, [[Mieszko I of Poland|Mieszko I]], was the first Christian ruler of Poland.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==See also==
* [[Poland in the Early Middle Ages]]
* [[Ziemowit (given name)]]

{{Monarchs of Poland}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Siemowit}}
[[Category:9th-century Polish monarchs]]
[[Category:Piast dynasty]]
[[Category:Legendary Polish monarchs]]
[[Category:Dukes of Poland]]
[[Category:9th-century births]]
[[Category:Year of birth uncertain]]
[[Category:Year of death unknown]]
[[Category:9th-century Slavs]]
[[Category:Slavic pagans]]


{{Poland-noble-stub}}