Page "Bolesław I Chrobry" Paragraph 21

The Emperor needed to assess Poland's strength and establish its status within the Holy Roman Empire.

The ensuing Congress of Gniezno, where Bolesław I entertained his distinguished guest, is one of the most famous episodes of medieval Polish history.

During the time the emperor spent in Poland, Bolesław I did not hide the wealth of his country, in fact he showed off its affluence at every step as he tried to dazzle the emperor.

Among other gifts the Polish ruler presented to Otto III were 300 armored knights, while the Emperor responded with a gift of a copy of the lance of Saint Maurice.

Evidently Otto III was impressed with what he saw and he decided that Poland should be treated as a kingdom on par with Germany and Italy, not merely as a tributary duchy like Bohemia.

Since Otto III had intentions to renew the Empire based on a federal concept he called " Renovatio Imperii Romanorum ", and within that federal framework, Polish and Hungarian duchies were to be upgraded to eastern federati of the empire it was towards this end that the Emperor placed his Imperial crown on Bolesław I's brow and invested him with the titles frater et cooperator Imperii (" Brother and Partner of the Empire ") and populi Romani amicus et socius.

He also raised Bolesław I to the dignity of patricius or " elder of the Roman nation ".

This episode has long been a subject of hot debate among historians.

Some historians see this as an act of favor between an Emperor and his vassal, others as a gesture of friendship between equals.

Could placing of the Imperial crown on Bolesław's head mean that the Emperor crowned the Polish Duke?

Most modern historians agree that it could not.

Though it was undoubtedly a sign of Otto's respect for the Polish ruler, it could not truly mean Bolesław I was King as only the Pope had the authority to invest a prince with the crown and elevate his realm to a status of a kingdom.

According to one source afterwards Bolesław I traveled with the Emperor to Aix-la-Chapelle where Otto III had the tomb of Charlemagne opened.

From there Otto III is reputed to have removed the Imperial throne itself and presented it to the Polish Duke.