View source for Lestek

{{short description|9th/10th-century Duke of the Polans}}
{{Infobox royalty
| succession   = [[Duke of the Polans]]
| predecessor  = [[Siemowit]]
| successor    = [[Siemomysł]]
| issue        = [[Siemomysł]]
| house        = [[House of Piast]]
| father       = [[Siemowit]]
| birth_date   = {{circa}} 870–80
| birth_place  =
| death_date   = 930–50<!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD|df=y}} -->
| religion     = [[Slavic paganism]]}}
'''Lestek''' (also '''Leszek''', '''Lestko''') was the second duke of [[Polans (western)|Polans]], and son of [[Siemowit]], born c. 870–880, mentioned in the oldest Polish chronicle, ''[[Gesta principum Polonorum]]'' by [[Gallus Anonymus|Gallus Anonimus]]. The dukes of Polans were the foundation of the [[Piast dynasty]], the first historical ruling [[dynasty]] of [[Poland]].
Initially, no-one doubted the historicity of Lestek. In the second half of the nineteenth century, however, his existence began to be questioned. The issue was basically settled thanks to an article written by [[Henryk Łowmiański]],<ref>''Dynastia Piastów we wczesnym średniowieczu (The Piast Dynasty in the Early Middle Ages'') - see Bibliography below</ref> in which he came out in favor of the credibility of Gallus Anonymus's account, and thus in favor of the historicity of the three direct predecessors to [[Mieszko I|Mieszko]]. This view is dominant in the Polish historiography.
The origin of his name is not known, but it can be derived from the old Polish word ''lście'' which means "crafty". It is believed this is a diminutive of the [[Slavs|Slavic]] name ''Lścimir'' or ''Lścisław''. The number and existence of Lestek's wives or consorts are unknown. A theory by [[Stanisław Zakrzewski]] claims Lestek (or Lestko) could have been married to a [[Moravia]]n princess. Another theory (inferred from the descriptions of a Belgian chronicler from the 14th century) is that a Saxon princess could have been Lestek's wife and that they had a son, [[Eraclus|Ewraker]], later the [[List of bishops and prince-bishops of Liège|Bishop of Liège]]. Lestko's son, [[Siemomysł]], was the next ruler of the [[Poland|Polish]] state. {{citation needed|date=July 2014}}
==References==
{{reflist}}
==Bibliography==
* {{cite book |first=Kazimierz |last=Jasiński |author-link=Kazimierz Jasiński |title=Rodowód pierwszych Piastów |lang=pl |trans-title=Genealogy of the First Piasts |publisher=Oficyna Wydawnicza |location=[[Warsaw|Warszawa]], [[Wrocław]] |date=1992 |isbn=9788370634094 |oclc=57711993}}
* {{cite book |first=Feliks |last=Koneczny |author-link=Feliks Koneczny |title=Dzieje Polski za Piastów |lang=pl |trans-title=These Polish (,) the Piasts |publisher=(not available) |location=[[Kraków]] |date=1902 |page=28 |oclc=250489461}}
* {{cite book |first=Henryk |last=Łowmiański |author-link=Henryk Łowmiański |title=Dynastia Piastów we wczesnym średniowieczu |lang=pl |trans-title=The Piast Dynasty in the Early Middle Ages |publisher=Wydawnictwo PTPN |location=[[Poznań]] |date=1962 |oclc=749570930}}
* {{cite book |first=Henryk |last=Łowmiański |author-link=Henryk Łowmiański |title=Początki Polski |lang=pl |trans-title=Polish Origins |publisher=PWN |location=[[Warsaw|Warszawa]] |date=1973 |volume=5 |oclc=310478714}}
* {{cite book |first=Jerzy |last=Wyrozumski |title=Dzieje Polski piastowskiej : VIII w.-1370 |lang=pl |trans-title=History of the Polish Piasts: 8th Century-1370 |publisher=Fogra |location=[[Kraków]] |date=1999 |page=70 |isbn=9788385719380 |oclc=45872048}}
{{Monarchs of Poland}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lestek}}
[[Category:9th-century Polish monarchs]]
[[Category:10th-century Polish monarchs]]
[[Category:Piast dynasty]]
[[Category:870s births]]
[[Category:10th-century deaths]]
[[Category:Year of birth uncertain]]
[[Category:Year of death uncertain]]
[[Category:Dukes of Poland]]
[[Category:9th-century Slavs]]
[[Category:Slavic pagans]]
{{Poland-noble-stub}}