Piast the Wheelwright

Piast the Wheelwright
Piast plate by Walery Eljasz-Radzikowski (1841–1905)
Duke of the Polans
Predecessor	Chościsko
Successor	Bolesław the Forgotten
Born	740/1
Died	861 (aged 120)
Consort	Rzepicha
Issue	Siemowit
House	House of Piast (founder)
Father	Chościsko
Religion	Slavic Pagan

Piast Kołodziej (Polish pronunciation: [ˈpʲiast kɔˈwɔd͡ʑɛj], Piast the Wheelwright; 740/1 – 861) was a semi-legendary figure in medieval Poland (9th century AD), the founder of the Piast dynasty that would rule the future Kingdom of Poland.

Piast makes an appearance in the Polish Chronicle of Gallus Anonymus, along with his father, Chościsko, and Piast's wife, Rzepka.

The chronicle tells the story of an unexpected visit paid to Piast by two strangers. They ask to join Piast's family in celebration of the 7th birthday of Piast’s son, Siemowit (a pagan rite of passage for young boys). In return for the hospitality, the guests cast a spell making Piast's cellar ever full of plenty. Seeing this, Piast's compatriots declare him their new prince, to replace the late Prince Popiel.

If Piast really existed, he would have been the great-great-grandfather of Prince Mieszko I (c. 930–92), the first historic ruler of Poland, and the great-great-great-grandfather of Bolesław Chrobry (967–1025), the first Polish king.

The Piasts were native of Gniezno, a well fortified castle town founded between the eighth and ninth century, within the tribal territory of the Polanie .

According to legend, he died in 861 aged 120 years.

Two theories explain the etymology of the word Piast. The first gives the root as piasta ("hub" in Polish), a reference to his profession. The second relates Piast to piastun ("custodian" or "keeper"). This could hint at Piast's initial position as a majordomo, or a "steward of the house", in the court of another ruler, and the subsequent takeover of power by Piast. This would parallel the development of the early medieval Frankish dynasties, when the Mayors of the Palace of the Merovingian kings gradually usurped political control.