# Early Slavs settle the Polish lands (550)

URL: https://poland-history.com/timeline/550-early-slavs-settle-the-polish-lands
Location: Poland

Slavic communities associated with the Prague-Korchak culture spread into southern and central Poland, living in small villages of sunken-floor huts. Within the broader Slavic Tribes period: Slavic tribes settled the region from the sixth century, building fortified gords and tribal territories. Legends of Lech, Krakus and Piast preserve memories of this age, which ended with the rise of the Polans around Gniezno. At this point in the timeline (c. 550), the governing authority was Slavic tribal rulers (Tribal chieftains). Early West Slavic tribes such as the Polans, Vistulans, Masovians, Silesians, Lendians and Pomeranians were led by local chiefs and elders before the Piast state united most of them. Early Slavs settle the Polish lands mattered because movements of peoples reshaped the population, languages and cultures of the lands that became Poland. 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
Early Slavs settle the Polish lands mattered because movements of peoples reshaped the population, languages and cultures of the lands that became Poland.

Ruler at the time: [Slavic tribal rulers](https://poland-history.com/rulers/slavic-tribal-rulers)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Prague-Korchak culture](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prague-Korchak_culture)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Early Slavs settle the Polish lands](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Early+Slavs+settle+the+Polish+lands)
- [Wikipedia — Polish tribes (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_tribes)