Non-cancelled block issue "1000th anniversary of the coronation of Bolesław Chrobry" 

Catalogue number: 273 
Issue date: 18-04-2025 

The stamp presents a fragment of Jan Matejko's painting “Coronation of the First King of Poland 1001” from 1889, showing the moment of the coronation of Boleslaw Chrobry as king in 1025. The painting comes from the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw; the photograph of the painting was taken by Piotr Ligier. The FDC envelope depicts the crown of Boleslaw Chrobry, drawn by the graphic artist. The postmark design also features the crown of Boleslaw Chrobry. 

Boleslaw I Chrobry (the Great) (b. 967, d. June 17, 1025) - ruler of Poland from the Piast dynasty from 992-1025, prince of Poland from 992 and first crowned king of Poland (from 1025), also prince of Bohemia as Boleslaw IV from 1003-1004. He was the son of Mieszko I, prince of Poland, and Dobrawa, a Czech princess. Neither the place nor the exact date of Boleslav's birth is known. He took the reign in 992, ousting his stepmother Oda and half-brothers shortly thereafter. 

He supported the Christianization of Poland and the missionary expeditions of Wojciech Slavnikovic, bishop of Prague, and Bruno of Kwerfurt. The martyrdom of the former (997) and his imminent canonization gave rise to the Gniezno congress (1000), during which a Polish archbishopric (church metropolis) was established in Gniezno and bishoprics in Krakow, Wroclaw and Kolobrzeg, and Emperor Otto III confirmed the independence of the Polish state and its ruler. After the death of Otto III (1002), Boleslaw found himself in conflict with his successor Henry II, waging protracted wars with him for dominion over Swabia and Bohemia (1002-1018), ending with the Peace of Bautzen (1018) and the ceding of Milsko and Lusatia to Poland. Around 1003 Chrobry also annexed Moravia, giving Poland control of the Moravian Gate and access to the Danube. 

In 1018, Boleslaw I expeditioned into Ruthenia and captured its capital Kyiv, installing his son-in-law Sviatopolk I on the Ruthenian throne and taking large spoils from there. On his way back from Kyiv, he regained for the Polish state the strategic Cherniviv Grody, an important crossroads of trade routes lost in 981. For his last years, he co-ruled with his son Mieszko II Lambert. Just before his death (1025), he crowned himself the first king of Poland. 

The nickname Chrobry was given to him during the reign of his son, Mieszko II, and denotes a man of valor, bravery and courage; later he was also referred to by the nickname Great.