The beginnings of statehood

In the mid-10th century the Piast dynasty, rulers of the Polanian tribe, adopted Christianity. The Vislanians had already established links with Christendom earlier. However, the Polanian Prince Mieszko decided that conversion to Christianity would raise his own and his country's status, not only at home - with a common religion for all the subject tribes, and supremacy for the anointed prince - but also in foreign affairs. Poland would join the civilised realms, and the German thrust to bring Christianity to the Slavs would be halted. The year 966, when Mieszko was baptised, is regarded as marking the origin of Poland as an independent, Christian, centralised state, following the model set up in Christian Europe.