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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piast_the_Wheelwrighthttps://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piast_de_WagenmakerPiast Kołodziej is a legendary figure from the
prehistory of Poland , founder of the
Piast dynasty that would rule the
early Kingdom of Poland. Son of Choscisko.
According to the
allegorical Polish Chronicle of
Gallus Anonymus, he was once surprised by two unexpected foreign guests. They asked to stay with Piast and his family in order to celebrate the seventh birthday of Piast’s son,
Siemowit. In return for his hospitality, the guests made a special blessing, which ensured that Piast’s cellar never ran out of food. Seeing this blessing, Piast’s compatriots decided that he would be their new prince. Because the current Prince
Popiel was gone, Piast became the country's new leader. He is also believed to be the great-great-grandfather of
Mieszko I, the first ruler of Poland and father of the first
Polish king,
Bolesław Chrobry.
The
genitive plural of the name Kołodziej is Kołodziejów, which
allegorically means "wheel of time". The genitive form of the name Piast is Piasta, which also means "the hub of the wheel". Gallus Anonymus reports an
invocation stating that his successors' eyes would shine like
stars.
The term "Piast Dynasty", referring to the early rulers of the
Polans and Poland, was introduced by historian
Adam Naruszewicz . Descendants of the line who governed duchies in
Silesia, such as the last Piast
George IV William of Legnica, duke of Legnica and Brzeg, who died in 1675, also referred to themselves as Piasts.