A pilgrimage to the Ossiach Benedictine monastery, to the alleged tomb of king Bolesław II the Bold—also known as the Generous—in Carinthia, Austria.

According to a popular legend, which is also supported by Benedictine chronicles, one summer evening in 1081 or 1082, an anonymous lone rider arrived at the Benedictine monastery of Ossiach in Carinthia, asking for permission to stay incognito as a simple novice monk. He gave only one reason—to expiate his sins. He was received and allowed to stay for as long as he wished. He performed all the lowly duties of a novice monk without complaint, although some versions of the legend mention that he brought a cache of gold with him to convince the monks. Years later, on his deathbed, after final reconciliation, he revealed his true identity to his confessor.

REX : BOLESLAVS : POLONIE : OCCISOR : SANCTII : STANISLAI : EPI : CRACOVIENSIS

The highly symbolic original ancient Roman legionnaire marble tomb plate, depicting a saddled horse orphaned by the rider, was placed on the outer wall of the monastery, perhaps at least two centuries after his death, as the stylized Latin inscription suggests. It mentions the controversial Saint Stanislaus—executed in 1079, most likely by the enraged king himself, as a traitor and leader of a mutiny, but somehow—for reasons known only to the Roman Catholic Church—canonized two centuries later, in 1253. The plate was first referenced in sources dated to the sixteenth century, confirming much older reports that the king died in a monastery on the western boundaries of Hungary, having been forced to flee the country due to a noble mutiny—perhaps led by the treacherous bishop—and his insidious brother who seized power. Some versions of the legend claim the king’s death occurred in Ossiach, as a result of a knife attack by unknown men who appeared suddenly from the dark.

Nonetheless, anyone who chose symbols of a Roman cavalry commander for his tomb must have been well-versed in the history of medieval Europe, not to mention the details of the king’s life. Especially his role as a powerful and faithful ally of Pope Gregory VII in his deep conflict with German King Henry IV. After the famous walk to Canossa in 1077 and the pope’s mistake of absolving Henry from excommunication, the time for revenge arrived, affecting not only the pope but also his ally, Boleslaus.

It is now believed that the earthly remains of the king were transferred sometime between 1086 and 1089 to another Benedictine monastery in the king’s homeland, Tyniec near Cracow, the very place of his alleged sin of killing the traitor bishop who, surprisingly, became a saint two centuries later. So why the artificial tomb plate in Ossiach, obscuring the facts? Benedictine monks have always had the reputation of being learned, wise, and compassionate. They know the truth. And their benefactors earned their respect and protection, both during their lives and beyond. It’s worth noting that the king founded at least three Benedictine monasteries in Poland.

Several archaeological investigations of the tomb in the past have yielded no clearly conclusive findings. It is presumed that, due to the church’s rebuilding, especially after a devastating fire in the fifteenth century, the tomb plates were moved around the building and its surroundings, adding another layer of obscurity.