Congress of Gniezno

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Tomb of St. Adalbert in Gniezno Cathedral

Political map of Europe in 1000

Bolesław the Brave by Jan Matejko. Bolesław is holding the replica of the Holy Lance given him by Otto III.

Otto III in a medieval manuscript

The spearhead of the Holy Lance

The Congress of Gniezno (Polish: Zjazdy gnieźnieńskie) took place on March 11, 1000 and is one of the more important events in Polish history, though scholars disagree over the details of the decisions made at the meeting, especially whether the Polish prince was pledged the king's crown or not.

After his death, Adalbert of Prague was soon made a saint by the common effort of Boleslaus I of Poland and Otto III, becoming the first saint of Slavic origins. His body, bought by Boleslaus I for its weight in gold, was put into the tomb in Gniezno, contemporary capital of the Polans of later Poland.

Otto III committed to a pilgrimage to St. Adalbert's tomb in Poland in his attempt to extend the influence of Christianity in Eastern Europe. As part of this policy, he also invested Saint-King Stephen the Great of Hungary with the king's crown. The Polans and Piasts Mieszko I had previously received the title and position as duke from the empire under margrave Gero and from the emperors Otto I and Otto II. While on the pilgrimage, Otto III invested Boleslaus I of Poland with the title Frater et Cooperator Imperii ("Brother and Partner of the Empire") in 1000 A.D. On the same visit Otto III raised Gniezno to the rank of an archbishopric. Due this nomination Poland kept from the bishopric of Magdeburg province of the church, which helped her to keep semi-independence from the Holy Roman Empire through the Middle Ages. Eventually, Poland stayed outside the Holy Roman Empire, while e.g. Bohemia had become part of its countries in 950 AD.

Three new dioceses subordinate to Gniezno were created: in Kraków, Wrocław and Kołobrzeg. St. Adalbert's brother Radzim Gaudenty became the first archbishop of Gniezno. Otto III gave Boleslaus a replica of his Holy Lance, and Boleslaus presented the Emperor with a relic, an arm of St. Adalbert in exchange.

The event is described by German chronicle writer Thietmar and Polish (by allegiance, not ethnicity) Gallus Anonymus.