Lestek
Lestek (also Leszek, Lestko) was the second duke of Polans, and son of Siemowit, born c. 870–880, mentioned in the oldest Polish chronicle, Gesta principum Polonorum by Gallus Anonimus.
| Lestek | |
|---|---|
| Duke of the Polans | |
| Predecessor | Siemowit |
| Successor | Siemomysł |
| Born | c. 870–80 |
| Died | 930–50 |
| Issue | Siemomysł |
| House | House of Piast |
| Father | Siemowit |
| Religion | Slavic paganism |
Initially, no-one doubted the historicity of Lestek. In the second half of the nineteenth century, however, his existence began to be questioned. The issue was basically settled thanks to an article written by Henryk Łowmiański, Dynastia Piastów we wczesnym średniowieczu (The Piast Dynasty in the Early Middle Ages), in which he came out in favor of the credibility of Gallus Anonymus's account, and thus in favor of the historicity of the three direct Mieszko's predecessors. This view is dominant in the Polish historiography.
The origin of his name is not known, it can be derived from the old Polish word lście which means "crafty". It is believed this is a diminutive of the Slavic name Lścimir or Lścisław. Lestek's wife (or wives or consorts) is unknown. A theory by Stanisław Zakrzewski claims Lestek (or Lestko) could have been married to a Moravian princess. Another theory (inferred from the descriptions of a Belgian chronicler from the 14th century) is that a Saxon princess could have been Lestek's wife and that they had a son, Ewraker, later the Bishop of Leodium. Lestko's son, Siemomysł, was the next ruler of the Polish state.
Bibliography
- Kazimierz Jasiński, Rodowód pierwszych Piastów, Warszawa-Wrocław (1992).
- Feliks Koneczny, Dzieje Polski za Piastów, Kraków 1902, p. 28.
- Henryk Łowmiański, Dynastia Piastów we wczesnym średniowieczu, Początki Państwa Polskiego, Poznań 1962.
- Henryk Łowmiański, Początki Polski, b. 5, Warszawa 1973.
- Jerzy Wyrozumski, Dzieje Polski piastowskiej (VIII w. - 1370) (History of Polish Piast (8th Century - 1370)), Kraków 1999, p. 70.