Boleslaw Smialy (1972)

The power struggle between Church and state in the Middle Ages had already reached a climax in 1077 with the journey of the German emperor to Canossa. The conflict between the English king and the Archbishop of Canterbury is also well known, culminating in the murder of Thomas Becket in 1170. Beautifully filmed in [url=https://www.moviemeter.nl/film/6408]Becket (1964) [/ url] although the overly lamentable Peter O'Toole irritated me a little too much, but that's besides the point.

This of course also happened in Poland. The king who gained more and more power at the expense of the Church and nobility. Bolesław, who was crowned in 1076, initially started out lenient and soon acquired the nickname the Generous. An extramarital affair initiated the conflict with Stanisław, the Bishop of Kraków. Even though there was more going on, such as Bolesław's political rapprochement with Muscovy, which was not well received by the Polish nobility. Nevertheless, the infidelity was reason enough for excommunication. In a fit of rage, the king then ordered the bishop to be killed in 1079. There is a source where Bolesław picks up the sword himself, but director Lesiewicz opts for the most common representation.

In fact, between the lines, sides are also taken for the king, the state and against the meddling bishop. Which is understandable by communist standards. In an open ending, we see Bolesław, who after the murder was nicknamed Śmiały, the Bold, fleeing to Hungary on horseback. The viewer is not told that he will be poisoned by his opponents a few years later.

Translated from Dutch · View original