The first Polish king, Bolesław Chrobry (Boleslaus the Brave), was crowned in 1025. Neither the date nor the precise location of this event is known. The ceremony most likely took place at the tomb of the martyred bishop but Poznań Cathedral, the temple in which the king was laid to rest, cannot be ruled out either.
The first Polish ruler known to have been crowned in Gniezno was Bolesław’s son, Mieszko II. This took place on 25 December 1025 – the first day of Christmas – in accordance with the accepted practice of holding coronation ceremonies on important church holidays. Bolesław Śmiały (Boleslaus the Bold) was the next Polish ruler to be crowned in Gniezno Cathedral. The ceremony took place on 25 December 1076. The third was Przemysł II, who was anointed on 26 July 1295.
The last Polish ruler to be crowned in Gniezno Cathedral was Wacław II (Wencelslaus II of Bohemia) of the Przemyślid (Přemyslid) dynasty. This occurred in late August or early September 1300. Władysław Łokietek (Władysław the Elbow High), the first king to rule over a re-united Poland, was crowned in Cracow Cathedral on Wawel Hill in 1320, as were all subsequent rulers except Stanisław Leszczyński and Stanisław August Poniatowski, whose ceremonies were held in Warsaw. The Archbishop of Gniezno, who has held the office of Primate of Poland since the 15th century, was given the privilege of performing the act of coronation.
