Boleslaw I the Tall
Encyclopedia
Boleslaus I the Tall was a Duke
of Wroclaw
from 1163 until his death.
He was the eldest son of Władysław II the Exile by his wife Agnes of Babenberg
, daughter of Margrave Leopold III of Austria
and half-sister of King Conrad III of Germany
.
, which became the capital of the Seniorate Province
, ruled by his father as High Duke and overlord of Poland.
The reign of Władysław II was short and extremely stormy. The conflicts began when the High Duke tried to remove his half-brothers, the Junior Dukes, from his districts. According to the chronicler Wincenty Kadłubek, the confrontation between the siblings was mainly instigated by Władysław II's wife, Agnes of Babenberg, who believed that her husband, as the eldest son, was the rightful sole ruler of the whole country. On the other hand, Salome of Berg-Schelklingen, widow of Bolesław III and Władysław's stepmother, who attempted to form alliances with foreign rulers and took every opportunity to secure the reign of her sons, feared that the Junior Dukes had been relegated from their positions to make way for Władysław's sons, the young Bolesław and his brother Mieszko.
The conflict erupted in 1141, when Salome of Berg, without the knowledge of the High Duke, decided to leave her sons the land of Łęczyca and tried to give her youngest daughter Agnes in marriage to one of the sons of Vsevolod II Olgovich, Grand Prince of Kiev
. Władysław was, however, faster and gave the Grand Prince several additional political advantages, as a result of which the marriage of Bolesław with the daughter of Grand Prince Vsevolod, Zvenislava took place in 1142.
However, Bolesław's expedition to Kiev ended in a complete disaster, when the Grand Prince died of disease. This created a general confusion in Kiev. In the critical year of 1146, he had to return to Poland fast to help his father. The few troops which Bolesław recruited were not enough to stop the general rebellion against Władysław II, who was completely defeated by the Junior Dukes. The deposed High Duke and his family initially escaped to the court of Duke Vladislav II in Prague
in Bohemia.
(half-brother of Agnes) offered his hospitality and assistance toward the High Duke's restoration. At first, it seemed that the exile would just be for a few months, thanks to the family connections of Duchess Agnes; however, the hurried and insufficiently prepared expedition failed to cross the Oder River), and finally failed because of the strong opposition of the former Władysław II's subjects and the problems of Conrad III in Germany caused by his extended travels. The King gave Władysław II and his family the town of Altenburg
in Saxony
. This was intended as a temporary residence, but they spent the rest of their lives there.
with Conrad III, during which he visited, among other places, Constantinople
and the Holy Land
.
Conrad III died in 1152 without having secured the return of Władysław II to Poland. His successor was his energetic nephew Frederick Barbarossa, whose service Bolesław almost immediately joined. The first action of the new German ruler, however, was not to help Władysław II, but instead to march against Rome to be crowned Holy Roman Emperor
. Bolesław accompanied him.
.
Bolesław's faithful service to the Emperor was finally rewarded in 1163, when Barbarossa - this time through diplomacy: by signing an agreement in Nuremberg
, Germany - finally succeeded in restoring to the descendants of Władysław II their inheritance over Silesia
. Bolesław IV agreed to accept the return of the exiled princes because, after the death of Władysław II, his sons, with any support in Poland who directly affected his authority, only count with the Imperial support and in this way, the High Duke maintain Barbarossa far away from Poland.
However Bolesław IV decided to maintain the security of his lands and retain the control over the main Silesian cities (Wroclaw
, Opole
, Racibórz
, Głogów and Legnica
).
After almost 16 years of exile, Bolesław returned to Silesia with his elder children, Jarosław and Olga, his second wife; Christina (Zvenislava had died around 1155); and his younger brother Mieszko Tanglefoot. The youngest brother, Konrad
, remained in Germany.
Bolesław and Mieszko initially ruled jointly and two years later (1165) both retook the major Silesian cities handed by the High Duke and obtained full control over all Silesia. However Bolesław, the eldest brother held overall authority. Three years after taking control over Silesia, Bolesław felt strong enough to lead a retaliatory expedition against the High Duke Bolesław IV, to recover supremacy over Poland.
Bolesław's exercise of overall power at the expense of his younger brother caused the revolt of Mieszko Tanglefoot in 1172. In a major disturbance in the Silesian ducal family, Mieszko supported Jarosław, the eldest son of Bolesław, who was forced to become a priest due to the intrigues of his stepmother Christina, who wished her sons to be the only heirs. The rebellion was a complete surprise to Bolesław, who was forced to escape to Erfurt
, Germany. This time, Frederick Barbarossa decided to support Bolesław with a strong armed intervention to restore him to his Duchy. Eventually Mieszko III the Old was sent by the High Duke to calm the fury of the Emperor and keep him away from Polish affairs. Mieszko gave Barbarossa 8000 pieces of silver and promised him the restoration of Bolesław, who finally returned home at the beginning of 1173. However despite his reconciliation with his brother and son, he was forced to divide Silesia and create the Duchies of Racibórz (granted to Mieszko) and Opole (to Jarosław).
and his cousin Odon (Mieszko III's eldest son) to deprive Mieszko III the Old
of the government. The coup gained the support of Lesser Poland
, which was mastered by Casimir and shortly afterwards the Greater Poland
sided with Odon. However, Bolesław suffered a sudden and surprising defeat by his brother Mieszko and his own son Jarosław; this left the way free for Casimir II to be proclaimed High Duke; Bolesław again escaped to Germany. Thanks to the mediation of Casimir II, Bolesław returned to his Duchy without major troubles in 1177; however, he suffered a further diminution of his authority when he was compelled to give Głogów to his youngest brother Konrad.
During the last years of his reign, Bolesław devoted himself to economic and business activity. Colonization, initially from poor German areas, substantially accelerated the economic development of the Duchy, and was continued by his son Henry I the Bearded
. He founded the Cistercian Abbatia Lubensis abbey
in Lubiąż
with the collaboration of monks from Pforta
across the Saale River in Thuringia
This became the Silesian Ducal burial place.
from Pope Innocent III
. There was a reconciliation between Bolesław and his eldest son, Jarosław, recently elected Bishop of Wrocław. This enabled him, after Jarosław's death on 22 March 1201, to inherit Opole, which was again reunited with his lands.
Bolesław survived his son by only nine months, and died on 7 or 8 December 1201 in his castle of Leśnica
. He was buried in the Lubiąż
Cistercian monastery
which he had founded.
. They had two children:
By 1157, Bolesław married his second wife Christina (d. 21 February 1204/1208), a German; according to the historian Kazimierz Jasiński, she was probably a member of the comital house of Everstein, Homburg
or Pappenheim
. They had seven children:
and the Holy Roman Empire
in the early Medieval period. According to some German historians the date of 1163, when Bolesław and his brothers were allowed to return to Silesia, is considered to be the moment when Silesia separated from Poland and became part of the Holy Roman Empire
.
On the other hand Polish historians claim that Exile's sons who were allowed to return by the High Duke of Poland Bolesław IV the Curly were simply typical Piast dukes who ruled in the divided Kingdom of Poland. (see more in Differing views of the Silesian Piasts).
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
of Wroclaw
Wroclaw
Wrocław , situated on the River Oder , is the main city of southwestern Poland.Wrocław was the historical capital of Silesia and is today the capital of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. Over the centuries, the city has been part of either Poland, Bohemia, Austria, Prussia, or Germany, but since 1945...
from 1163 until his death.
He was the eldest son of Władysław II the Exile by his wife Agnes of Babenberg
Agnes of Babenberg
Agnes of Babenberg , was a German noblewoman, a scion of the Franconian House of Babenberg and by marriage High Duchess of Poland and Duchess of Silesia....
, daughter of Margrave Leopold III of Austria
Leopold III, Margrave of Austria
Saint Leopold III was the Margrave of Austria in 1073–1136. He is the patron saint of Austria, of the city of Vienna, of Lower Austria, and, jointly with Saint Florian, of Upper Austria. His feast day is November 15.-Biography:...
and half-sister of King Conrad III of Germany
Conrad III of Germany
Conrad III was the first King of Germany of the Hohenstaufen dynasty. He was the son of Frederick I, Duke of Swabia, and Agnes, a daughter of the Salian Emperor Henry IV.-Life and reign:...
.
Early Years
Bolesław spent his childhood in the court of his grandfather and namesake, Bolesław III Wrymouth, in Płock. It was not until 1138, after the death of Bolesław III, that he moved with his parents to KrakówKraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
, which became the capital of the Seniorate Province
Seniorate Province
Seniorate Province, also known as the Senioral Province , Duchy of Kraków , Duchy of Cracow, Principality of Cracow, Principality of Kraków, was the superior among the five provinces established in 1138 according to the Testament of Bolesław III Krzywousty...
, ruled by his father as High Duke and overlord of Poland.
The reign of Władysław II was short and extremely stormy. The conflicts began when the High Duke tried to remove his half-brothers, the Junior Dukes, from his districts. According to the chronicler Wincenty Kadłubek, the confrontation between the siblings was mainly instigated by Władysław II's wife, Agnes of Babenberg, who believed that her husband, as the eldest son, was the rightful sole ruler of the whole country. On the other hand, Salome of Berg-Schelklingen, widow of Bolesław III and Władysław's stepmother, who attempted to form alliances with foreign rulers and took every opportunity to secure the reign of her sons, feared that the Junior Dukes had been relegated from their positions to make way for Władysław's sons, the young Bolesław and his brother Mieszko.
The conflict erupted in 1141, when Salome of Berg, without the knowledge of the High Duke, decided to leave her sons the land of Łęczyca and tried to give her youngest daughter Agnes in marriage to one of the sons of Vsevolod II Olgovich, Grand Prince of Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
. Władysław was, however, faster and gave the Grand Prince several additional political advantages, as a result of which the marriage of Bolesław with the daughter of Grand Prince Vsevolod, Zvenislava took place in 1142.
Trip to Ruthenia
The Polish-Ruthenian alliance soon proved to be extremely important in the struggle between Władysław II and the Junior Dukes. The final outbreak of the conflict took place after the death of Salome of Berg in 1144. It seemed that the victory over the High Duke - thanks to his military predominance - was just a matter of time. Władysław II was confident enough of winning at home that he sent Bolesław to aid the Grand Prince Vsevolod II during a revolt against him.However, Bolesław's expedition to Kiev ended in a complete disaster, when the Grand Prince died of disease. This created a general confusion in Kiev. In the critical year of 1146, he had to return to Poland fast to help his father. The few troops which Bolesław recruited were not enough to stop the general rebellion against Władysław II, who was completely defeated by the Junior Dukes. The deposed High Duke and his family initially escaped to the court of Duke Vladislav II in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
in Bohemia.
Unsuccessful attempt at restoration
After a short time in Bohemia, Władysław II and his family moved to Germany, where King Conrad IIIConrad III of Germany
Conrad III was the first King of Germany of the Hohenstaufen dynasty. He was the son of Frederick I, Duke of Swabia, and Agnes, a daughter of the Salian Emperor Henry IV.-Life and reign:...
(half-brother of Agnes) offered his hospitality and assistance toward the High Duke's restoration. At first, it seemed that the exile would just be for a few months, thanks to the family connections of Duchess Agnes; however, the hurried and insufficiently prepared expedition failed to cross the Oder River), and finally failed because of the strong opposition of the former Władysław II's subjects and the problems of Conrad III in Germany caused by his extended travels. The King gave Władysław II and his family the town of Altenburg
Altenburg
Altenburg is a town in the German federal state of Thuringia, 45 km south of Leipzig. It is the capital of the Altenburger Land district.-Geography:...
in Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
. This was intended as a temporary residence, but they spent the rest of their lives there.
Knight at the court of Conrad III and Frederick Barbarossa
Tired of a tedious life in Altenburg, Bolesław travelled to the court of his protector, King Conrad III. With him, the young Polish prince extensively took part in German political affairs. In 1148 he joined in the Second CrusadeSecond Crusade
The Second Crusade was the second major crusade launched from Europe. The Second Crusade was started in response to the fall of the County of Edessa the previous year to the forces of Zengi. The county had been founded during the First Crusade by Baldwin of Boulogne in 1098...
with Conrad III, during which he visited, among other places, Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
and the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
.
Conrad III died in 1152 without having secured the return of Władysław II to Poland. His successor was his energetic nephew Frederick Barbarossa, whose service Bolesław almost immediately joined. The first action of the new German ruler, however, was not to help Władysław II, but instead to march against Rome to be crowned Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
. Bolesław accompanied him.
Expedition of Frederick Barbarossa to Poland
It was not until 1157 that the Emperor finally organized an expedition against Poland. It is unknown whether Władysław II and his sons directly participated in the expedition. However despite the military victory and the humiliating submission of Bolesław IV to Frederick Barbarossa, Władysław II was in the end disappointed, as the Emperor decided to maintain the rule of Bolesław IV and the Junior Dukes in Poland. Two years later, on 30 May 1159, the former High Duke died in his exile in Altenburg.Restoration of the Silesian Inheritance
Despite his dissatisfaction at the Emperor's treatment of his family, Bolesław remained at the side of the Emperor, participating in his many wars. From 1158-1162 he took part in the Barbarossa's expedition to Italy, where he won fame after killing a well-known Italian knight in a duel on the walls of MilanMilan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
.
Bolesław's faithful service to the Emperor was finally rewarded in 1163, when Barbarossa - this time through diplomacy: by signing an agreement in Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
, Germany - finally succeeded in restoring to the descendants of Władysław II their inheritance over Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
. Bolesław IV agreed to accept the return of the exiled princes because, after the death of Władysław II, his sons, with any support in Poland who directly affected his authority, only count with the Imperial support and in this way, the High Duke maintain Barbarossa far away from Poland.
However Bolesław IV decided to maintain the security of his lands and retain the control over the main Silesian cities (Wroclaw
Wroclaw
Wrocław , situated on the River Oder , is the main city of southwestern Poland.Wrocław was the historical capital of Silesia and is today the capital of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. Over the centuries, the city has been part of either Poland, Bohemia, Austria, Prussia, or Germany, but since 1945...
, Opole
Opole
Opole is a city in southern Poland on the Oder River . It has a population of 125,992 and is the capital of the Upper Silesia, Opole Voivodeship and, also the seat of Opole County...
, Racibórz
Racibórz
Racibórz is a town in southern Poland with 60,218 inhabitants situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , previously in Katowice Voivodeship...
, Głogów and Legnica
Legnica
Legnica is a town in south-western Poland, in Silesia, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the plain of Legnica, riverside: Kaczawa and Czarna Woda. Between 1 June 1975 and 31 December 1998 Legnica was the capital of the Legnica Voivodeship. It is currently the seat of the county...
).
After almost 16 years of exile, Bolesław returned to Silesia with his elder children, Jarosław and Olga, his second wife; Christina (Zvenislava had died around 1155); and his younger brother Mieszko Tanglefoot. The youngest brother, Konrad
Konrad Spindleshanks
Konrad Spindleshanks , was a Duke of Głogów since 1177 until his death.He was the third and youngest surviving son of Władysław II the Exile by his wife Agnes of Babenberg, daughter of Margrave Leopold III of Austria and half-sister of King Conrad III of Germany.-Life:Little is known about Konrad's...
, remained in Germany.
Bolesław and Mieszko initially ruled jointly and two years later (1165) both retook the major Silesian cities handed by the High Duke and obtained full control over all Silesia. However Bolesław, the eldest brother held overall authority. Three years after taking control over Silesia, Bolesław felt strong enough to lead a retaliatory expedition against the High Duke Bolesław IV, to recover supremacy over Poland.
Rebellion of Mieszko Tanglefoot
Erfurt
Erfurt is the capital city of Thuringia and the main city nearest to the geographical centre of Germany, located 100 km SW of Leipzig, 150 km N of Nuremberg and 180 km SE of Hannover. Erfurt Airport can be reached by plane via Munich. It lies in the southern part of the Thuringian...
, Germany. This time, Frederick Barbarossa decided to support Bolesław with a strong armed intervention to restore him to his Duchy. Eventually Mieszko III the Old was sent by the High Duke to calm the fury of the Emperor and keep him away from Polish affairs. Mieszko gave Barbarossa 8000 pieces of silver and promised him the restoration of Bolesław, who finally returned home at the beginning of 1173. However despite his reconciliation with his brother and son, he was forced to divide Silesia and create the Duchies of Racibórz (granted to Mieszko) and Opole (to Jarosław).
Rebellion against Mieszko III the Old
Four years later, it seemed that Bolesław was close to achieving the main objective of his life, the recovery of the Seniorate, and with this the title of High Duke. He conspired with his uncle Casimir II the JustCasimir II the Just
Casimir II the Just was a Lesser Polish duke at Wiślica during 1166–1173, and at Sandomierz since 1173. He became ruler over the Polish Seniorate Province at Kraków and thereby High Duke of Poland in 1177; a position he held until his death, interrupted once by his elder brother and predecessor...
and his cousin Odon (Mieszko III's eldest son) to deprive Mieszko III the Old
Mieszko III the Old
Mieszko III the Old , of the royal Piast dynasty, was Duke of Greater Poland from 1138 and High Duke of Poland, with interruptions, from 1173 until his death....
of the government. The coup gained the support of Lesser Poland
Lesser Poland
Lesser Poland is one of the historical regions of Poland, with its capital in the city of Kraków. It forms the southeastern corner of the country, and should not be confused with the modern Lesser Poland Voivodeship, which covers only a small, southern part of Lesser Poland...
, which was mastered by Casimir and shortly afterwards the Greater Poland
Greater Poland
Greater Poland or Great Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska is a historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief city is Poznań.The boundaries of Greater Poland have varied somewhat throughout history...
sided with Odon. However, Bolesław suffered a sudden and surprising defeat by his brother Mieszko and his own son Jarosław; this left the way free for Casimir II to be proclaimed High Duke; Bolesław again escaped to Germany. Thanks to the mediation of Casimir II, Bolesław returned to his Duchy without major troubles in 1177; however, he suffered a further diminution of his authority when he was compelled to give Głogów to his youngest brother Konrad.
Retirement from political affairs
After this defeat, Bolesław retired from the Polish political scene and concentrated his efforts on the rule over his Duchy. The death of his brother Konrad in 1190 without issue made possible the return of Głogów to his domains.During the last years of his reign, Bolesław devoted himself to economic and business activity. Colonization, initially from poor German areas, substantially accelerated the economic development of the Duchy, and was continued by his son Henry I the Bearded
Henry I the Bearded
Henry I the Bearded , of the Silesian line of the Piast dynasty, was Duke of Silesia at Wrocław from 1201 and Duke of Kraków and thus High Duke of all Poland - internally divided - from 1232 until his death.-Heir of Wroclaw:...
. He founded the Cistercian Abbatia Lubensis abbey
Abbatia Lubensis abbey
Lubiąż Abbey , also commonly known in English as Leubus Abbey, is a former Cistercian monastery in Lubiąż,, in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship of southwestern Poland, located about northwest of Wrocław...
in Lubiąż
Lubiaz
Lubiąż is a village on the east bank of the Odra River, in the administrative district of Gmina Wołów, within Wołów County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It lies approximately south-west of Wołów, and west of the regional capital Wrocław. The village has a population of...
with the collaboration of monks from Pforta
Pforta
Pforta, or Schulpforta, is a former Cistercian monastery, Pforta Abbey , near Naumburg on the Saale River in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is now a celebrated German public boarding school, called Landesschule Pforta...
across the Saale River in Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
This became the Silesian Ducal burial place.
Papal Bull and death
To safeguard his lands from other Piast princes, in 1198 Bolesław obtained a protective BullPapal bull
A Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
from Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III was Pope from 8 January 1198 until his death. His birth name was Lotario dei Conti di Segni, sometimes anglicised to Lothar of Segni....
. There was a reconciliation between Bolesław and his eldest son, Jarosław, recently elected Bishop of Wrocław. This enabled him, after Jarosław's death on 22 March 1201, to inherit Opole, which was again reunited with his lands.
Bolesław survived his son by only nine months, and died on 7 or 8 December 1201 in his castle of Leśnica
Lesnica
Lesnica may refer to the following places:*Lesnica, Stará Ľubovňa, Slovakia*Lešnica, Serbia*Leśnica, a town in Opole Voivodeship *Leśnica, a district of Wrocław, Poland*Leśnica, Greater Poland Voivodeship...
. He was buried in the Lubiąż
Lubiaz
Lubiąż is a village on the east bank of the Odra River, in the administrative district of Gmina Wołów, within Wołów County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It lies approximately south-west of Wołów, and west of the regional capital Wrocław. The village has a population of...
Cistercian monastery
Abbatia Lubensis abbey
Lubiąż Abbey , also commonly known in English as Leubus Abbey, is a former Cistercian monastery in Lubiąż,, in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship of southwestern Poland, located about northwest of Wrocław...
which he had founded.
Marriage and issue
In 1142 Bolesław married his first wife Zvenislava (d. ca. 1155), daughter of Vsevolod II Olgovich, Grand Prince of KievKiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
. They had two children:
- Jarosław (b. aft. 1143 – d. 22 March 1201)
- Olga (b. ca. 1155 – d. 27 June 1175/1180)
By 1157, Bolesław married his second wife Christina (d. 21 February 1204/1208), a German; according to the historian Kazimierz Jasiński, she was probably a member of the comital house of Everstein, Homburg
Homburg
-In Germany:* Homburg, Saarland, capital of the Saarpfalz district of Saarland* Bad Homburg, town and spa in Hesse* Homburg Forest, a hill range in Lower Saxony* Homburg, a quarter of Triefenstein, Bavaria...
or Pappenheim
Pappenheim
Pappenheim is a town in the Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen district, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the river Altmühl, 11 km south of Weißenburg in Bayern.- Notable people :The architect and professor Eduard Mezger was born in Pappenheim....
. They had seven children:
- Boleslaw (b. 1157/63 – d. 18 July 1175/1181)
- Adelaida Zbyslava (b. aft. 1165 – d. 29 March aft. 1213), married in 1177/82 to Diepold II, Duke of Bohemia
- Konrad (b. 1158/68 – d. 5 July 1175/1190)
- Jan (b. 1161/69 – d. bef. 10 March 1174)
- Berta (b. ca 1167 – d. 7 May aft. 1200?)
- Henry I the BeardedHenry I the BeardedHenry I the Bearded , of the Silesian line of the Piast dynasty, was Duke of Silesia at Wrocław from 1201 and Duke of Kraków and thus High Duke of all Poland - internally divided - from 1232 until his death.-Heir of Wroclaw:...
(b. 1165/70 – d. Krosno Odrzanske, 19 March 1238) - Władysław (b. aft. 1180 – d. 4 June bef. 1199)
Controversies
In Polish and German historiography there exists a controversy about the relations between SilesiaSilesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
and the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
in the early Medieval period. According to some German historians the date of 1163, when Bolesław and his brothers were allowed to return to Silesia, is considered to be the moment when Silesia separated from Poland and became part of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
.
On the other hand Polish historians claim that Exile's sons who were allowed to return by the High Duke of Poland Bolesław IV the Curly were simply typical Piast dukes who ruled in the divided Kingdom of Poland. (see more in Differing views of the Silesian Piasts).
See also
- Piast DynastyPiast dynastyThe Piast dynasty was the first historical ruling dynasty of Poland. It began with the semi-legendary Piast Kołodziej . The first historical ruler was Duke Mieszko I . The Piasts' royal rule in Poland ended in 1370 with the death of king Casimir the Great...
- Silesian PiastsSilesian PiastsThe Silesian Piasts were the oldest line of the Piast dynasty beginning with Władysław II the Exile, son of Bolesław III Wrymouth, Duke of Poland...
- Dukes of SilesiaDukes of SilesiaThe Dukes of Silesia were the sons and descendants of the Polish Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth. In accordance with the last will and testament of Bolesław, upon his death his lands were divided into 4-5 hereditary provinces distributed among his sons, and a royal province of Kraków reserved for the...
- History of SilesiaHistory of SilesiaSilesia has been inhabited from time immemorial by people of multiple ethnic groups. Germanic tribes were first recorded within Silesia in the 1st century. Slavic White Croats arrived in this territory about the 6th century establishing White Croatia. The first known states in Silesia were those of...