| Radwan | |
| Church: | Roman Catholic Church |
| Archdiocese: | Poznań |
| See: | Poznań |
| Appointed: | --> |
| Retired: | --> |
| Predecessor: | Pean |
| Successor: | Cherubin |
| Rank: | bishop |
| Death Date: | 1172 |
| Tomb: | --> |
| Partner: | --> |
| Previous Post: | --> |
Radwan (Radowan) (died 1172) was a bishop of Poznań.
Nothing is known about his origin and family. He was a chancellor of duke Mieszko III Stary (mentioned in 1152/1153) and later, probably in 1164, became a bishop of Poznań. His promotion was a basic argument for Tadeusz Wojciechowski's hypothesis about a special connection between the chancellor office and Poznań's bishopric.
His name in Latin was written as Radovanus.[1]
Most Polish historians used Radwan as a Polish version of his name. Historian Tomasz Jurek considered the version Radowan as a proper one.[2]
According to Jan Długosz, a chronicler living in 15th century, Radwan was member of the Śreniawitas (Śreniawici) family, but modern historians considered this information as erroneous.[3] Historian Józef Nowacki supposed that Radwan was member of the Radwan family.[3]
Radwan was a chancellor of Mieszko III the Old, duke of Greater Poland. As a chancellor he is mentioned in the foundation charter for the Cistercian monastery in Łekno.[2] The charter was issued in 1153.[3] [2] According to Cistercians' tradition the start of a new year was Lady Day (25 March), so the charter could be issued between 25 March 1152 and 24 March 1153.[2] He probably became a chancellor in 1146 when his predecessor Pean became the bishop of Poznań.
Later Radwan became a bishop of Poznań. His promotion was a basic argument for Tadeusz Wojciechowski's hypothesis about a special connection between the chancellor office and Poznań's bishopric.[3] Radwan's career looks similar to other bishops of Poznań who earlier were Mieszko's chancellors, like his predecessor Pean and successor Cherubin.[4]
There is a dispute among historians about dates when Radwan was a bishop of Poznań. According to chronicler Jan Długosz Radwan was bishop from 1156 to 1162, but in other place he mentioned that he was a bishop on 6 May 1170.[3] The first information is considered as untrue, while the second was based on earlier sources.[3] [2]
According to the Rocznik Lubiński (Lubin's Yearbook) Radwan was a successor of Cherubin, who died in 1172.[3] This information is false as Cherubin was a bishop of Poznań during a synod in Łęczyca in 1180.[2] Historian Władysław Semkowicz supposed there is a mistake in sequence of bishops in Rocznik Lubiński and Radwan should be placed before Cherubin.[3] This thesis is widely accepted by scholars.[3] [5] According to most historians Radwan was a bishop from 1164 to 1172.[6] [4]
On May 6, 1170 Mieszko III Stary and Radwan founded a hospice at the Church of Saint Michael the Archangel near Poznan.[7] In 1187 Mieszko III Stary gave the hospice to the Knights of Saint John.[7]