Pomerania during the High Middle Ages covers the history of Pomerania in the 12th and 13th centuries.
The early 12th century Obodrite, Polish, Saxon, and Danish conquests resulted in vassalage and Christianization of the formerly pagan and independent Pomeranian tribes.Krause (1997), p.40Addison (2003), pp.57ffHerrmann (1985), pp.384ff Local dynasties ruled the Principality of Rügen (House of Vitslav), the Duchy of Pomerania (House of Pomerania, "Griffins"), the Lands of Schlawe and Stolp (Ratiboride branch of the Griffins), and the duchies in Pomerelia (Samborides).
The dukes of Pomerania expanded their realm into Circipania and Uckermark to the southwest, and competed with the Kingdom of Poland and the Margraviate of Brandenburg for territory and formal overlordship over their duchies. Pomerania-Demmin lost most of its territory and was integrated into Pomerania-Stettin (Szczecin) in the mid-13th century. When the Ratiborides died out in 1223, competition arose for the Lands of Schlawe and Stolp,Buchholz (1999), p.87 which changed hands numerous times.
Starting in the High Middle Ages, an influx of German settlers and the introduction of German law, custom, and Low German language began the process of Germanisation (Ostsiedlung). Many of the people groups that had dominated the area during the Early Middle Ages, such as the Slavic Rani, Lutician and Pomeranian tribes, were assimilated into the new German Pomeranian culture. The Germanisation was not complete, as the Kashubians, descendants of Slavic Pomeranians, dominated many rural areas in Pomerelia, and the eastern part of the region remained Polish. The arrival of German colonists and Germanization mostly affected both the central and local administration. Pomorze słowiańskie, Pomorze germańskie, Biuletyn Ministra Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego
The conversion of Pomerania to Christianity was achieved primarily by the missionary efforts of Absalon and Otto von Bamberg, by the foundation of numerous monasteries, and through the Christian clergy and settlers. A Pomeranian diocese was set up in Wolin, the see was later moved to Cammin (Kammin, Kamień Pomorski).
Obodrite realm (1093–1128) After the decline of the Lutician federation and the subsequent expansion of the Obodrite realm into former Lutician areas, and following the victory of Obodrite prince Henry in the Battle of Schmilau in 1093, Helmold of Bosau reported that among others the Luticians,Herrmann (1985), p.379 Pomeranians and Rani had to pay tribute to Obodrite prince Henry.Herrmann (1985), p.367 The Rani however launched a naval expedition in 1100, in the course of which they sieged Liubice, a predecessor of modern Lübeck and then the Obodrite capitol.Herrmann (1985), p.268 This attack was however repulsed, and the Rani became tributary again. After they had killed Henry's son Woldemar and stopped paying tribute, Henry retaliated with two expeditions launched in the winters of 1123/24 and 1124/25, supported by Wendish and Saxon troops. The Rani Svetovit priests were forced to negotiate, and the island was spared only in return for an immense sum which had to be collected from the continental Slavs further east. At this time, Wartislaw I, Duke of Pomerania, was already expanding his realm into Liutician territories south of the Rani. Regrouping after Henry's death (1127), the Rani again assaulted and this time destroyed Liubice in 1128,Herrmann (1985), p.381 ending Obodrite influence in the Pomeranian territories.
As part of Poland (1102/22–1138)
In several expeditions mounted between 1102Richard Roepell: Geschichte Polens, vol. I. Hamburg 1840, p. 229 ff. (in German) and 1121,Richard Roepell: Geschichte Polens, vol. I, Hamburg 1840, pp. 267-268 (in German) most of Pomerania had been acquired by the Polish duke Bolesław III Wrymouth.Piskorski (1999), p.35
From 1102 to 1109, Bolesław campaigned in the Noteć and Parsęta area.Piskorski (1999), p.36 The Pomeranian residence in Białogard was taken already in 1102. From 1112 to 1116, Bolesław took all of Pomerelia. From 1119 to 1122, the area towards the Oder was acquired. Szczecin was taken in the winter of 1121/1122.
The conquest resulted in a high death toll and devastation of vast areas of Pomerania, and the Pomeranian dukes became vassals of Boleslaw III of Poland. Deportations of Pomeranians to Poland took place.Heitz (1995), p.158 The terms of surrender after the Polish conquest were that Wartislaw had to accept Polish sovereignty, convert his people to Christianity, and pay an annual tribute to the Polish duke.
The Annals of Traska report that "Boleslaw III crossed the sea and captured castles.""1123 Boleslaus tercius mare transivit et castra obtinuit," ed. in Bielowski, August; Monumenta Poloniae historica (MPH) vol. 2, Lwow 1872, p. 832 . Cf. ; The currently prevailing view is that this mention refers to a campaign in Pomerania, but proposed targets also include the Levant, Denmark and Öland. In Pomerania, Boleslaw's targets may have been Rügen/Rugia, Wolin or Szczecin.Similarly : "In Polish research many suggestions have been made, from a mere crossing over Stettiner Bucht, to an assault on Rügen. Tyc [...] states that the objective of Boleslaus' navigation remains unknown," referring to
In the conquests of Bolesław III reached the island of Rugia (Rügen), and in 1135 modern Hither Pomerania and Rugia were recognized as a Polish fief.
Emergence of Pomeranian dynasties - Samborides and Griffins
Pomerelia, initially under Polish control, was ruled by the Samborides dynasty from 1227 until 1294. The duchy was split temporarily into districts of Gdańsk, Białogarda, Świecie and Lubieszewo–Tczew .
In Pomerania proper, Polish rule ended with Boleslaw III's death in 1138.Inachin (2008), p.17Herrmann (1985), pp.386Norman Davies, "God's Playground", Columbia University Press, 2005, pg 69 The Słupsk and Sławno areas (Lands of Schlawe and Stolp were ruled by Ratibor I and his descendants (Ratiboriden branch of the Griffin House of Pomerania) until the Danish occupation and extinction of the Ratiboride branch in 1227.
The areas stretching from Kołobrzeg to Szczecin were ruled by Ratibor's brother Wartislaw I and his descendants (House of Pomerania, also called Griffins, of which he was the first ascertained ancestor) until the 1630s.
Conversion of Pomerania
The first attempt to convert the Pomeranians to Christianity following the acquisition of Pomerania by Boleslaw III of Poland was made in 1122. The Spanish monk Bernard (also Bernhard) travelled to Jumne (Wolin), accompanied only by his chaplain and an interpreter. The Pomeranians however were not impressed by his missionary efforts and finally threw him out of town.Buchholz (1999), p.25Maclear (1969), pp.218ff Bernard was later made bishop of Lubusz.
After Bernard's misfortune, Boleslaw III asked Otto of BambergMedley (2004), p.152 to convert Pomerania to Christianity, which he accomplished in his first visit in 1124/25.Krause (1997), p.40ff Otto's strategy severely differed from the one Bernard used: While Bernard travelled alone and as a poor and unknown priest, Otto, a wealthy and famous man, was accompanied by 20 clergy of his own diocese, numerous servants, 60 warriors supplied to him by Boleslaw, and carried with him numerous supplies and gifts. After arriving in Pyrzyce, the Pomeranians were assured that Otto's aim was not the gain of wealth at the expense of the Pomeranian people, as he was wealthy already, but only to convert them to Christianity, which would protect the Pomeranians from further punishment by God, as which the devastating Polish conquest was depicted. This approach turned out to be successful, and was backed by parts of the Pomeranian nobility that in part was Christian raised already, like duke Wartislaw, who encouraged and promoted Otto's mission. Many Pomeranians were baptized already in Pyrzyce and also in the other burghs visited.Addison (2003), pp.59ffPalmer (2005), pp.107ffPiskorski (1999), pp.36ff Afterwards, also Kamień, Szczecin and Wolin accepted Christianity, however, the two latter cities only after Bolesław III intervened and promised to reduce taxes.
At this first mission, Otto founded at least eleven churches, two of those each in Szczecin and Wolin.Piskorski (1999), p.39 In Szczecin and Wolin, some locals still tried to fight Christianization.
Otto of Bamberg returned in 1128, this time invited by duke Wartislaw himself, aided by the emperor Holy Roman Emperor Lothair III, to convert the Slavs of Western Pomerania just incorporated into the Pomeranian duchy, and to strengthen the Christian faith of the inhabitants of Szczecin and Wolin, who fell back into heathen practices and idolatry.Herrmann (1985), pp.402ffPiskorski (1999), p.40 Otto this time visited primarily Western Pomeranian burghs, had the temples of Gützkow and Wolgast torn down and on their sites erected the predecessors of today's St. Nicholas and St. Peter churches, respectively, before turning to Kamień, Wolin and Szczecin. The nobility assembled to a congress in Usedom, at which they accepted Christianity on 10 June 1128.Buchholz (1999), p.26 Otto then was titled apostolus gentis Pomeranorum, made a saint by pope Clement III in 1189, and was worshiped in Pomerania even after the Protestant Reformation.Buchholz (1999), p.28
Holy Roman Emperor Lothair claimed the areas west of the Oder for his empire. Thus the terms of Otto's second mission were not negotiated with Boleslaw III of Poland, but with Lothar and Wartislaw. However Lothair terminated the mission in the fall of 1128, probably because he distrusted Otto's contacts with Boleslaw. Otto visited Gniezno on his way back to Bamberg.
Adalbert of Pomerania, the later Pomeranian bishop, participated in Otto's mission as an interpreter and assistant.Piskorski (1999), p.47
The priests of the numerous gods worshipped before the conversion were one of the most powerful class in the early medieval society. Their reaction to the Christianization of Pomerania was ambiguous: In 1122, they saved missionary Bernhard's life by declaring him insane, otherwise he would have been killed in Wolin. On the other hand, Otto of Bamberg's mission was a far larger threat to the established pagan tradition, and eventually it succeeded in Christianization of the region. There are reports of unsuccessful assassination attempts made against Otto of Bamberg by the pagan priesthood. Following Otto's success, some of the pagan priests were crucified, while it is unknown what happened to the others. It has been speculated that they adapted to the new reality.
All of Pomerania from the Oder to the Vistula was under the ecclesiastical administration of the Polish Archdiocese of Gniezno until 1123/, when new dioceses were founded.
Pomeranian diocese (1140)
On Otto of Bamberg's behalf, a diocese was founded with the see in Wolin (Julin, Jumne, Vineta), a major Slavic and Viking town in the Oder estituary. On 14 October 1140 Adalbert of Pomerania was made the first Bishop by Pope Innocent II. Otto however had died the year before. There was a rivalry between Otto's Diocese of Bamberg, the Diocese of Magdeburg and the Archdiocese of Gniezno for the incorporation of Pomerania. Pope Innocence II solved the dispute by repelling their claims and placed the new diocese directly under his Holy See. The see of the diocese was the church of St Adalbert in Wolin.Buchholz (1999), p.29 The diocese had no clear-cut borders in the beginning, but roughly reached from the Tribsees burgh in the West to the Łeba River in the East. In the South, it comprised the northern parts of Uckermark and Neumark. As such, it was shaped after the territory held by Ratibor I, Duke of Pomerania.