poland history: early history until 1385, the origins of poland, the society, the economy, government  poland early history, and present, polish economy, polish government, polish travel guide, polish religious strength, art and culture<br>in the first centuries of its existence, the polish nation was led by a series of strong rulers who converted the poles to christendom, created a strong central european state, and integrated poland into european culture. formidable foreign enemies and internal fragmentation eroded this initial structure in the thirteenth century, but consolidation in the 1300s laid the base for the dominant polish kingdom that was to follow.<br>