Encyclopaedia Britannica > Volume 15, PLA-RAM

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POL
Tolanc!.
15
Places
Suantepolk
on the
throne of
Rufiia,
t6
Who at¬
tempts to
cut him off
with his
whole ar¬
my, but is
defeated.
17 ,
A dreadful
battle be-
Iween the
Ruflians
iad Poles.
18
Saxony
conquered
by Bole-
Saus,
tdrfent, expofed his own perfon to the utfnoft of its
force. Encouraged by his example, the Poles advan¬
ced breaft-high in the water to the oppofite (hore ; from
Whence the enemy gave them all the annoyance in their
power. In fpite of all oppofition, however, the Poles
reached the bank, and foon gained a complete vi&ory,
Jariflaus being obliged to fly to Kiovia. This city was
immediately invefted; but Jariflaus retired farther into
the country in order to recruit his army* leaving the city
to its fate. The garrifon made a brave defence, but
were at laft compelled to furrender at difcretion. A vaft
treafure was found in the place; great part of which
was dillributed by Boleflaus among the foldiers.
Though the king of Poland had now become mafter
of the greatefl: part of Ruffia, he knew that the only
pofiible means of keeping the country in fubje&ion was
by placing a natural fovereign over the inhabitants. For
this reafon he reinftated Suantepolk, though his preten-
fions were ftill difputed by Jariflaus. Phe latter had
formed a flying camp, and meditated a fcheme of fur-
prifing and carrying off his rival brother; but having
failed in this attempt, he retired to Novogofod, where
the attachment of the inhabitants enabled him to make
fome refiftance, till at laft he was attacked and defeated
by Boleflaus, which feemed to give the finifliing ftroke
to his affairs. The king of Poland, however, now met
with a more dangerous enemy in the perfidious and un¬
grateful Suantepolk than he had experienced in Jariflaus,
The Ruffian prince, imagining himfelf a dependent on
Boleflaus, formed a confpiracy againft him ; by which
he projected nothing lefs than the deftru&ion of him
and his whole army. The maffacre was already begun
when Boleflaus received intelligence. The urgency of
the cafe admitted of no delay: the king therefore
mounted his horfe ; and having with the utmoft hafte
affembled part of his army, fell upon the traitors with
fuch fury, that they were obliged to betake themfelves
to flight, and Boleflaus got fafe into Poland. But in
the mean time Jariflaus having affembled frefli forces,
purfued the Polifh army ; and having come up with
them juft as one half had croffed the river Borifthenes,
attacked them with the utmoft fury. Boleflaus defend¬
ed himfelf with the greateft refolution ; but, by reafon
of his forces being divided, vi&ory was dubious for
a long time. At laft, when the army had wholly croffed,
the Ruffians were entirely put to the rout, and a terrible
carnage enfued. The vi&ory, however, though com¬
plete, was not decifive j for which reafon Boleflaus
thought proper to continue his retreat, without attempt¬
ing to conquer a country too extenflve for him ever to
keep in fubje&ion. ■ Still, however, his martial inclina¬
tion continued, and he led his army into Saxony. Phe
inhabitants of this country had hitherto refilled all at¬
tempts that had been made on their freedom, and ftill
made a violent ftruggle for liberty; though, in fpite of
their utmoft efforts, they were obliged at laft to fubmit
to the yoke. On his withdrawing the troops from
Saxony, however, the king thought proper to leave the
people to their liberty, contenting himfelf with a rich
booty. The boundaries of his empire he now fixed at
the river Elbe ; where he ere&ed two iron columns,
in order to tranfmit the memory of his conqueft to
pofterity.
-Boleflaus, ftill unfated with vi&ory, now meditated
the conqueft of Pruffia and Pomerania; the .latter of Poland. ^
which provinces had, in the former civil wars, been dif- jj'
membered from Poland. His arms were attended with With f’nif-
equal fuccefs againft both : indeed the very terror of his fii and Po-
name feemed to anfwer all the purpofes of a formidable mcrauu.
army. Thefe, however, he feems to have defigned to
be the laft of hie warlike enterprifes ; for he now applied
himfelf wholly to the ena&ing of wholefome laws for the
benefit of his people. But in the midft of this tran¬
quillity Jariflaus aflembled the moft numerous army that
had ever been heard of in Ruffia, with which he appear- 2(5
ed on the frontiers of Poland. Boleflaus, though now Gains ann»
advanced in years, marched out againft his adverfaries,ther great
and met them on the banks of the Borifthenes, rendered^r°^e
famous by the vi&ory he had lately gained there. TheRufflang>
Poles croffed the river by fwimming ; and attacked the on which
enemy before they had time to draw up in order ofthe whole
battle with fuch impetuoftty, that a total rout foon en-^^PJL
fued. The Ruffians were feized with a panic, and Ja¬
riflaus was hun-ied away, and almoft trampled to death
by the fugitives. Many thoufand prifoners were taken,
but Boleflaus releafed them upon very eafy conditions ;
contenting himfelf with an inconflderable tribute, and
endeavouring to engage the affe&ions of the people by
his kindnefs. This well-timed clemency produced fuch
an happy effe&, that the Ruffians voluntarily fubmitted
to his jurifdi&ion, and again became his fubje&s. Soon ^
after this he died in the year tozy, after having
vaftly extended his dominions, and rendered his fubje&s
happy.
Boleflaus was fucceeded by bis fon Mieczflaus II.
but he poffeffed none of the great qualities of his father,
being indolent and debauched in his behaviour. In
the very beginning of his reign, th& Ruffians, Bohe¬
mians, and Moravians, revolted. However, as the fpirit
and difcipline introduced by Boleflaus ftill remained in
the Polifh army, Mieczflaus found no great difficulty
in reducing them again to obedience : after which, de¬
voting himfelf entirely to voluptuoufnefs, he was feized
with a frenzy, whith put an end to his life in the year
1034. The bad qualities of this prince proved very R;xaj a tp,
detrimental to the intereft of his fon Cafimir; thoughrannical
the latter had received an excellent education, and wasr,e?ent»
^ driven r
' Boleflattl
poffeffed of many virtues. Inftead of ele&ing him king,
they chofe Rixa his mother queen-regent. She proved fon Cali-
tyrannical, and fo partial to her countrymen the Ger-niir.
mans, that a rebellion enfued, and fhe was forced to fly
to Germany ; wiiere file obtained the prote&ion of the
emperor by means of the immenfe treafures of Boleflaus,
which fhe had caufed to be tranfported thither before
her. Her bad behaviour and expulfion proved ftill more
fatal to the affairs of Cafimir than even that of his father.
He wras immediately driven out of the kingdom; and a
civil war taking place, a great many pretenders to the 23
crown appeared at once. To the iniferies occafioned Poland di*
by this were added thofe of a foreign war ; for the Bo-^re^e^ by
hemians and Ruffians invaded the kingdom in different
places, committing the moft dreadful ravages. Thewais.
confequence of thefe accumulated diitreffes was, that the
nobility came at laft to the refolution of recalling Cafimir,
and ele&ing him fovereign. However, before they
took this meafure, it was thought proper to fend to
Rome to complain of the behaviour of the duke of Bo¬
hemia. The deputies were at firft received favourably t
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