"Poland" is derived from the word "Polanie," the name for a Slavic people that settled in the area, probably in the fifth century, A.D. Polish history begins in 966 with the conversion of the Polish nation to Christianity under Prince Mieszko I. His son, Boleslaw I, became the first king of Poland, establishing the Piast dynasty that lasted until 1370. The Polish Renaissance of the 16th century produced a flourishing of the arts and intellectual life, including the scientific work of Copernicus.