Old Polish language in the context of "Book of Henryków"

Middle Polish (Polish: język średniopolski) is the period in the history of the Polish language between the 16th and 18th centuries. It evolved from Old Polish, and gave rise to Modern Polish.

The Polish language is a West Slavic language, and thus descends from Proto-Slavic, and more distantly from Proto-Indo-European; more specifically, it is a member of the Lechitic branch of the West Slavic languages, along with other languages spoken in areas within or close to the area of modern Poland: including Kashubian, Silesian, and the extinct Slovincian and Polabian.

The separation of Polish as a language is conventionally dated at the second half of the 10th century, linked with the establishment of Polish statehood and the Christianization of Poland. The history of the language can then be divided into the following periods periods of development: Old Polish (staropolski) with a pre-literate, pre-Polish era up to 1136, the literate era from 1136 with the Bull of Gniezno up to the start of the 16th century; Middle Polish (średniopolski) from the 16th century until the end of the 18th century (1772) with the first parition of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth; New Polish (nowopolski) from 1772-1939; and Modern Polish, since World War II.

Bogurodzica (Polish pronunciation: [bɔɡurɔˈd͡ʑit͡sa], calque of the Greek term Theotokos), in English known as the Mother of God, is a medieval Christian hymn composed sometime between the 10th and 13th centuries in Poland. It is believed to be the oldest religious hymn or patriotic anthem in the Polish language, which was traditionally sung in Old Polish with the Ancient Greek phrase Kyrie eleison lit. 'Lord, have mercy'. While its origin is not entirely clear, several scholars agree that Saint Adalbert of Prague is the likely author. Polish knights chanted Bogurodzica prior to their engagement at the Battle of Grunwald and it also accompanied the coronation ceremonies of the first Jagiellonian kings.

The Bible of Queen Sophia (or Queen Sophia's Bible, Polish: Biblia królowej Zofii, also Sárospatak Bible, Biblia Szaroszp(a)otacka) is the oldest surviving translation of the Old Testament into the Polish language and the first complete translation of the Bible into Polish. The work is seen as a significant milestone in the history of the Polish language, and the most extensive example of the medieval Old Polish language.

The bible was commissioned by Sophia of Halshany, wife of the Polish king Jogaila. Queen Sophia did not know Latin, and wished for a bible she could read herself. The translation started in 1433 and ceased in 1455; the work was not fully finished (some illustrations were completed only two centuries later). The primary author of the translation was the Queen's chaplain, Andrzej z Jaszowic.

A vila, or víla (plural: vile, or víly ; Bulgarian: vila, diva, juda, samovila, samodiva, samojuda; Czech: víla, samodiva, divoženka; Old East Slavic: vila; Polish: wiła; Serbo-Croatian: vila; Slovak: víla; Slovene: vila) is a Slavic fairy similar to a nymph.

The vila is mostly known among South Slavs; however, some variants are present in the mythology of West Slavs as well. Among Czechs, víla denotes a woodland spirit (15th century), and ancient place names such as Vilice near Tábor, Vilov near Domažlice, and Vilín near Sedlčany seem to indicate that she was known there as well. In the Chronicle of Dalimil (3, 53) vila is "fool" (as in Old Polish). In Russia, vile are mentioned in the 11th century, but there is doubt that they were truly a part of Russian folklore, and not just a literary tradition. There are common traits between the vile and the rusalki, and Schneeweis holds that they are identical.