Lechia
Lechia is an ancient name of Poland,[1][2] stemming from the legendary founder Lech (a common first name today). The root syllable survives in several European languages and in some languages of Central Asia and the Middle East in names designating Poland, for example:
- Leasir in Old Norse
- Lenkija in Lithuanian
- Lehia in Romanian
- Lengyelország in Hungarian
- Lehastan in Armenian
- Lehistan in Ottoman Turkish, Gagauz, Kumyk and Crimean Turkish
- Ləhistan/Löhüstan (لهستان) in Middle Azerbaijani
- Lahestan/Lehestan (لهستان) in Persian
- Lähistan (لەھىستان) in Uighur
- Läxstan in Tatar, Bashkir and Siberian Tatar
- Liachistan, Liachija, Lech Jer, Liach, Liach Bijligi in Karaim
![](../../I/Chronica_Polonorum_Lech_%2526_Czech.jpg.webp)
According to legend, the name derives from the first ruler of Poland, Lech. See name of Poland and Lechites for details. It is also the root of the term Lechitic languages.
Several Polish sports organizations have adopted the name Lechia. The best-known example is Lechia Gdańsk. Other examples include Lechia Lwów and Lechia Zielona Góra. In the People's Republic of Poland, the Nivea branch located in Poznań was named the Pollena-Lechia Cosmetics Factory (Fabryka Kosmetyków Pollena-Lechia).
See also
References
- "Laesir is the Old Norse term for the Ljachar, a people originating at the river Vistula in Poland". [in:] Theodore Murdock Andersson, Kari Ellen Gade Morkinskinna : The Earliest Icelandic Chronicle of the Norwegian Kings (1030-1157). ISBN 978-0-8014-3694-9 p. 471; "The word here for Poles is "Laesum" – the dative plural from a nominative plural "Laesir". This clearly is derived from the old name for Pole – "Lyakh", since in the course of the Slavonic paradigm -kh- becomes -s-in accordance with the "second palatalization" and the addition of the regular Norse plural ending of -ir- [...] [in:] The Ukrainian review. 1963. p. 70
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Pritsak, Omeljan; Hryshevs'kyi, Mykhailo S (1981). The Origin of Rus': Old Scandinavian sources other than the sagas. Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute monograph series. 1 of The Origin of Rus'. Harvard University Press. p. 300. ISBN 9780674644656. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
[...] 'eastern Wends,' meaning obviously the Vjatyci/Radimici, Laesir 'Poles' or 'Western Slavs' (cf. Old Rus'ian ljaxy) [...].