Legend of the White Eagle – Dębno
Fact of the Polish figure „Polish national myths – Gniezno Cathedral”
Part of the „The story of the beginning” topic
The emblem of the Polish state is a crowned White Eagle on a red background. Historians do not agree when this symbol became the emblem of a state or dynasty. What is certain is its use on the majestic seal of Przemysl II in 1295. The eagle motif also appears in the Lives of St. Stanislaus, which further reinforces the bird’s importance in the cultural memory of Poles. Since the permanent unification of the Kingdom in the 14th century, the White Eagle has become a royal emblem with the passing of centuries evolving into a national emblem.
In the past centuries, no single legend emerged to explain the adoption of the Eagle as a sign of ruler and country. Today there is a legend present in many collections of legends for children, which is a compilation of information from the Chronicle of Greater Poland and Dlugosz’s Annals. According to it, three brothers Lech, Czech and Rus traveled to find a place to settle. At one point Lech – the ancestor of the Poles – settled in a place he called Gniezno, or nest. Jan Długosz further added an eagle that nestled in the crown of an oak tree, which was supposed to be a sign to Lech that he had chosen the right place. Contemporary writers added Lech’s resolve to make the eagle his emblem. This compiled legend is taught to children in schools, and many people have learned to read it.
