- According to earlier sources, Dobrawa urged her husband Mieszko 1 of Poland to accept baptism in 966, the year after their marriage. Modern historians believe, however, that the change of religion by Mieszko was one of the points discussed in the Polish-Bohemian agreement concluded soon before his marriage with Dobrawa. Her role in his conversion is not considered now to be as important as it is often represented in medieval chronicles.
In the second half of 964 an alliance between Boleslav 1 the Cruel, Duke of Bohemia, and Mieszko 1 of Poland was concluded. In order to consolidate the agreement, in 965 Boleslav 1's daughter Dobrawa was married to Mieszko 1. There was a difference of religion between the spouses; she was a Christian, he was a pagan.
Two independent sources attribute Dobrawa's important role in the conversion to Christianity of Mieszko 1 and Poland. The first is the chronicles of Thietmar, who was born two years before the death of Dobrawa. He wrote that the Bohemian princess tried to persuade her husband to accept Christianity (even at the cost of breaking their marriage and with it the Polish-Bohemian Alliance). It the end, she finally obtained the conversion of Mieszko 1 and with him, of all Poland.
In turn, the 12th century chronicler Gallus Anonymus says that Dobrawa came to Poland surrounded by secular and religious dignitaries. She agreed to marry Mieszko I providing that he was baptized. The Polish ruler accepted, and only then was able to marry the Bohemian princess.
However, modern historians allege that the baptism of Mieszko I was dictated by political benefits and should not be attributed to any action of Dobrawa, who according to them had virtually no role in the conversion of her husband. They note that the conversion of Mieszko 1 thanks to Dobrawa formed part of the tradition of the Church which stressed the conversion of Pagan rulers through the influence of women.
On the other hand, literature doesn't refuse to give Dobrawa a significant role in the Christianization of the Poles. In her wedding procession, she arrived to Poland with Christian clergymen, among them possibly Jordan, the first Bishop of Poland (since 968).
Tradition attributes to Dobrawa the establishment of the Holy Trinity and St. Wit Churches in Gniezno and the Church of the Virgin Mary in Ostrow Tumski, Poznan.
Dobrawa's marriage cemented the alliance of Mieszko 1 with Bohemia, which continued even after her death. On 21 September 967 Mieszko 1 was assisted by Bohemians in the decisive Battle against the Volinians led by Wichmann the Younger.
When, after the death of Emperor Otto 1 in 973, a struggle for the supremacy in Germany began, both Dobrawa's husband and brother Boleslav II the Pious, Duke of Bohemia, supported the same candidate for the German throne, Duke Henry 2 of Bavaria.
The marriage of Mieszko 1 and Dobrawa produced 3 children:
1. Boleslaw 1 the Brave (Chrobry) (b. 967 - d. 17 June 1025).
2. A daughter, perhaps named Swietoslawa, perhaps identical to the legendary Sigrid the Haughty (b. 968/72 - d. ca. 1016), perhaps married firstly with Eric the Victorious, King of Sweden, and later wife of Sweyn Forkbeard, King of Denmark, by whom she is said to have been mother of Canute the Great, King of Denmark, Norway and England.
3. Gunhilda of Poland, who married Swyen 1 Forkbeard, King of Denmark and England [1]
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Abt 0967 - 1025 (58 years)