Middle Ages & Renaissance

The first day of the New Year is also an important date in Polish calendar. Not only because it is the International Peace Day. Poles attribute this day to the name of Mieszko and Mieczyslaw. All men with this first name have their namesday on January 1st. The namesday of Mieczyslaw and Mieszko is on the 1st of January not by a coincidence. Mieszko was a name of the first historic ruler of Poland from Piast dynasty. Mieszko was also the first Polish prince which achieved international recognition since he unified Polish tribes against German invaders. He also adopted Christianity by marriage with Czech princess, Dobrawa.

The name Mieszko is for Poles - what Luis is for French.

Poles had two main royal dynasties - Piasts, which established the first Polish state and Jagiellons who expanded the state into Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth, one of the biggest, multinational state in Europe.
The name Mieszko - was very popular among Piast princes since it was a name of the founder. See the images of Polish kings - Mieszko I, Mieszko II and Mieszko III, the Old.

Read more: January 1st is the Namesday of Mieszko, the Founder of the First Polish Royal Dynasty