Mieszko I of Poland elders, and limited their authority. Clergy who arrived in the country contributed to the development of education and culture, and of the state administration and diplomacy, as well. At the end of Mieszko's reign (ca. 990), Poland began to pay tribute to the pope (Peter's Pence). However, the conversion of the Polish population to Catholicism was a long-term process, and was not completed during the reign of Mieszko I. The duke probably had to deal with rebellions led by the old pagan priest caste. In some villages, the old Slavic beliefs and customs were continued until the 16th century. After
Mieszko I of Poland after the battle, a testimony to Mieszko's high standing among the Empire's dignitaries, just one year after his baptism: Widukind of Corvey reported that the dying Wichmann asked Mieszko to hand over Wichmann's weapons to Emperor Otto I, to whom Wichmann was related. For Mieszko the victory had to be a satisfying experience, especially in light of his past defeats inflicted by Wichmann. The exact result of Mieszko's fighting in Western Pomerania is not known. Subsequent loss of the region by Mieszko's son Bolesław Chrobry suggests that the conquest was difficult and the hold over that territory rather tenuous. In