Mieszko I of Poland at Gniezno, Poznań, Ostrów Lednicki and elsewhere. The existence of the missionary diocese emphasized the individuality and independence of the Polish state. At the time of the reign of Mieszko, there was no single place serving as the capital, instead, he built several "palatiums" around his country. The most important locations were Poznań (Ostrów Tumski), Gniezno and Ostrów Lednicki. The latter was a ring-fort some 500 meters in circumference, containing the country's first monumental architecture, a stone palace used as the duke's residence. The Catholicization also led to political changes. The emergent power structures were independent of the traditional tribal
Mieszko I of Poland in the hands of Bohemia. Sandomierz under this scenario was the central hub of the area, with Czerwień, Przemyśl and Chełm assuming the function of defensive borderland strongholds. After the death of Emperor Otto I in 973 Mieszko, like his brother-in-law, Duke Boleslav II of Bohemia, joined the German opposition in support of the attempted imperial succession of Henry II, Duke of Bavaria. Mieszko may have been motivated by revenge because of the (presumably) negative verdict of the Quedlinburg summit, but, more importantly, he may have wanted more favorable terms for his cooperation with Germany. The participation of Mieszko in