# Pagan reaction and peasant uprising (1038)

URL: https://poland-history.com/timeline/1038-pagan-reaction-and-peasant-uprising
Location: Greater Poland

A revolt against the new Christian order and the lords swept the country, destroying churches and strongholds. Within the broader Piast Monarchy period: Under Mieszko I and his successors the Piast state accepted Christianity, gained its own church province and royal crown, and fought to hold its place between the Holy Roman Empire, Bohemia and Kievan Rus'. At this point in the timeline (1038), the governing authority was Bolesław the Forgotten (Duke of Poland (disputed)). A ruler of disputed historicity said to have reigned during the collapse of the 1030s; the period is marked by pagan reaction and foreign invasion. Pagan reaction and peasant uprising mattered because collective action by ordinary people challenged those in power and changed Polish society. The event is placed here so readers can follow it alongside changes in government, warfare, society, religion and culture across Polish history.

## Why it matters
Pagan reaction and peasant uprising mattered because collective action by ordinary people challenged those in power and changed Polish society.

Ruler at the time: [Bolesław the Forgotten](https://poland-history.com/rulers/boleslaw-the-forgotten)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Pagan reaction in Poland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pagan_reaction_in_Poland)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Pagan reaction and peasant uprising](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Pagan+reaction+and+peasant+uprising)
- [Wikipedia — History of Poland during the Piast dynasty (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Poland_during_the_Piast_dynasty)