Casimir I the Restorer not supported by modern historians. Regardless, he left church work for good in 1031. Casimir's father, Mieszko II, was crowned King of Poland in 1025 after the death of his father Bolesław I the Brave. However, the powerful magnates of the country feared a strong central government like the one that existed under Bolesław I's rule. This led to considerable friction between the King and the nobility. Taking advantage of the King's precarious situation, Mieszko II's older half-brother Bezprym and younger brother Otto turned against him and allied themselves with the Holy Roman Emperor Conrad II, whose forces attacked Poland
Mieszko Kazimierzowic "Gesta principum Polonorum" written in the early 12th century, put Mieszko third in order, among his brother. Modern historian, Janusz Bieniak, has supposed that Mieszko was the second son of Casimir I and was older than Władysław Herman, but most scholars disagree with this hypothesis. The date of Mieszko's birth was given by "Rocznik krakowski" (Kraków Annals). This source omitted dates of birth of Mieszko's brothers. Kazimierz Jasiński thought that "Rocznik" was started shortly before Mieszko's birth and this was the reason for absence of his older brothers. Przemysław Wiszewski supposed tha Casimir I chose Mieszko as his successor and