Krakus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Krakus or Krak or Grakch is the name given to a legendary Polish prince and founder of Kraków, the ruler of the tribe of Lechitians (Poles). Krakus is also credited with building Wawel Castle. The first record about Krakus (Polish: Krak), then written as Grakch, is in the Chronica seu originale regum et principum Poloniae from 1190.
Historian J. Banaszkiewicz attributes Krak's name to a pre-Slavic word "krakula", meaning judge's staff. The same word-root is believed to have been used in Czech and Russian naming conventions.
However, historians Cetwiński and Derwich suggest a different etymology, which seems more probable to some, with Krak, meaning simply an oak, a sacred tree, most often associated with the concept of genealogy.
Krakus Mound, which exists to this day, was previously believed to contain Krakus' remains. It has been the subject of thorough archeological research from 1934-38, however, no grave has ever been found in it. The mound has a diameter of over 50 meters. According to research, it was erected between the 8th and 10th centuries as a central element of an ancient grave site, which does not exist today.
[edit] References
- KRAK, Krakus, Gracchus, Grakch at encyklopedia.interia.pl
- [http://www.historycy.org/index.php?showtopic=20414 Krak or Krakus? at historycy.org (Polish)
[edit] See also
Princess Wanda, Krak's legendary daughter
[edit] External links
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