| Gesta principum Polonorum | |
|---|---|
| Cronicae et gesta ducum sive principum Polonorum | |
 | |
| Author(s) | Anonymous (see Gallus Anonymus) |
| Patron | Unclear |
| Language | Medieval Latin |
| Date | Between c. 1112 – c. 1118 |
| Provenance | Unclear |
| Authenticity | Authentic, but surviving only in later manuscripts |
| Principal manuscript(s) | Codex Zamoyscianus (National Library of Poland Ms. BOZ cim. 28), Codex Czartoryscianus (Czartoryski Museum of Kraków Ms. 1310), Heilsberg Codex (National Library of Poland Ms. 8006) |
| Genre | Historical narrative; gesta |
| Subject | The reign of Boleslaus III Wrymouth (books ii and iii); Wrymouth's ancestors (book i) |
| Period covered | c. 800 – c. 1113 (mainly c. 1080 – c. 1113) |
The Gesta principum Polonorum (Medieval Latin: [ˈgɛsta ˈprinʲtʃipum pɔlɔˈnɔːrum]; "Deeds of the Princes of the Poles") is the oldest known medieval chronicle documenting the history of Poland from the legendary times until 1113. Written in Latin by an anonymous author, it was most likely completed between 1112 and 1118, and its extant text is present in three manuscripts with two distinct traditions. Its anonymous author is traditionally called Gallus (a name which means "Gaul"), a foreigner and outcast from an unknown country, who travelled to the Kingdom of Poland via Hungary. Gesta was commissioned by Poland's then ruler, Boleslaus III Wrymouth; Gallus expected a prize for his work, which he most likely received and of which he lived the rest of his life.
The book is the earliest known, written document on Polish history. It gives a unique perspective on the general history of Europe, supplementing what has been handed down by Western and Southern European historians. It pre-dates the Gesta Danorum and the next major source on the early history of Poland, the Chronica seu originale regum et principum Poloniae, older by roughly a century.
The oldest known copy of the work is currently owned by National Library of Poland in Warsaw.