Casimir II the Just
Encyclopedia
Casimir II the Just (1138 – 5 May 1194) 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 (see Seniorate Province
) in 1177; a position he held until his death, interrupted once by his elder brother and predecessor Mieszko III the Old
. In 1186 Casimir also inherited the Duchy of Masovia
from his nephew Leszek
, becoming the progenitor of the Masovian branch of the royal Piast dynasty
, great-grandfather of the later Polish king Władysław I the Elbow-high. The honorific title "the Just" wasn't contemporary; it only appeared in the 16th century.
, daughter of Count Henry of Berg, was born in 1138, probablyly on the brink of his father's death. It is however also possible that he was born shortly after, and in consequence was posthumous
. Maybe this was the reason that in the Bolesław III's Testament, he was omitted and left without any land.
(born in 1137) lived with their mother Salome in her widow land of Łęczyca. There, the young prince remained far away from the struggles of his brothers Bolesław IV the Curly and Mieszko III the Old
with their older half-brother High Duke Władysław II, who tried to reunite all Poland under his rule and in 1146 was finally expelled.
Salomea of Berg had died in 1144. Casimir and Agnes were cared by their elder brother Bolesław IV, who had assumed the high ducal title. Although under his tutelage the young prince could feel safe, he had any guarantee to receive part of the paternal inheritance in the future. When in 1154 he reached the proper age (according to the standards of that time) to take control over the lands of the family, he remained with nothing. Even worse, three years later (1157) his fate was decided in the successfully Polish campaign of the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, who came to the aid of Władysław II and his sons. As a part of the treaty Bolesław had to conclude with Barbarossa, Casimir was sent to Germany
as a hostage in order to secure the loyalty of his brother to the Emperor.
The fate of Casimir at the Imperial court is unknown. He returned to Poland certainly before 21 May 1161, because that day he is mentioned in a document with two of his brothers, Bolesław IV and Henry of Sandomierz
. So far, Casimir had not received any lands from his elder brothers.
; without issue, in his will he named Casimir the only heir of his Lesser Polish Duchy of Sandomierz
. However, High Duke Bolesław IV decided to divide the duchy into three parts: the largest (who included the capital, Sandomierz) to him; the second (whithout any name) to Mieszko III and only the third part, the small district of Wiślica
, was given to Casimir.
Angry and disappointed with the decision of the High Duke, Casimir rebelled against him, with the support of by his brother Duke Mieszko III the Old, the magnate Jaksa of Miechów and Sviatoslav, son of Piotr Włostowic, as well as Archbishop Jan of Gniezno and Bishop Gedko of Kraków; also, almost all Lesser Poland
was on his side. The quick actions of Bolesław finally stopped the rebellion. At the end, Casimir was only able to retain Wiślica. In 1172, Mieszko III the Old rebelled against the High Duke, and tried to persuade his younger brother to join him. For unknown reasons, Casimir refused to participate.
Bolesław IV died in 1173 and according to the principle of agnatic seniority
he was succeeded by his brother Mieszko III the Old as High Duke. He decided to give the rest of the Sandomierz duchy to Casimir, then his only surviving brother, who finally could assume the ducal title, which the late High Duke had illegally usurpated.
s, counted with the support of Gedko, Bishop of Krakow, Mieszko's eldest son Odon, the son of former High Duke Władysław II, Duke Bolesław I the Tall of Silesia
and Casimir. The reasons about his inclusion in the revolt, after being reconciled with Mieszko, are unknown.
The battle for the supreme power had a quite strange course: Mieszko, completely surprised by the rebels in his Duchy of Greater Poland, withdrew to Poznań
, where he stayed for almost two years going heavy fighting with his son Odon. Finally, he was defeated and was forced to escape. Duke Bolesław the Tall failed to conquer Kraków and the Seniorate Province, as he himself was stuck in a inner-Silesian conflict with his brother Mieszko I Tanglefoot and his own son Jarosław; soon defeated, he asked Casimir for help. After a successfully action in Silesia, he marched to Kraków
, who was quickly conquered. Casimir, now Duke of Kraków, decided to conclude a treaty under which Bolesław the Tall obtain the full authority over Lower Silesia at Wrocław, in return Casimir granted to the then deposed Mieszko Tanglefoot the Lesser Polish districts of Bytom
, Oświęcim
and Pszczyna
as a gift for Casimir's godson and namesake: Casimir I of Opole
, the only son of Mieszko Tanglefoot.
and Łęczyca) obtaining the high ducal title, but also managed to extend his sovereignty as Polish monarch over Silesia (then divided between the three sons of Władysław II, Bolesław the Tall, Mieszko Tanglefoot and Konrad Spindleshanks
as well as Bolesław's son Jarosław of Opole), Greater Poland
(ruled by Odon), Masovia and Kuyavia
(ruled by Duke Leszek
, then a minor and under the tutelage of his mother and the voivode Żyrona, one of Casimir's followers). On the Baltic
coast, Pomerelia
(Gdańsk Pomerania
) was ruled by Duke Sambor I as a Polish vassal.
However, Mieszko the Old worked intensively for his return, at first in Bohemia
, later in Germany and in the Duchy of Pomerania
. To achieve his ambitions to give the hereditary right to the throne at Kraków (and with this the Seniorate) to his descendants, Casimir called an assembly of Polish nobles at Łęczyca in 1180. He granted privileges to both the nobility and the Church, lifting a tax on the profits of the clergy and relinquishing his rights over the lands of deceased bishops. By these acts, he won the acceptance of the principle of hereditary succession to Kraków, though it still would take more than a century to restore the Polish kingship.
In less than a year after the Łęczyca assembly however, in the first half of 1181, Mieszko the Old with the assistance of Duke Sambor's brother Mestwin I of Pomerelia conquered the eastern Greater Polish lands of Gniezno
and Kalisz
and managed to persuade his son Odon to submit (according to some historians, Odon then received from his father the Greater Polish lands south of the Obra River). At the same time, Duke Leszek of Masovia decided to escape from the influence of Casimir. He named Mieszko the Old's son Mieszko the Younger governor of Masovia and Kuyavia, and with this, made a tacit promise of succession over these lands.
The most important issue during the reign of Casimir beside the conflict with his brother Mieszko was the issue of the diplomatic policies towards the neighbouring Russian
principalities in the east. The first task before which he became in High Duke was his attempts to create bonds with the Rurik
Grand Princes at Kiev
, who were strongly associated with the previous High Dukes through marriages with Kievan princesses (Bolesław the Curly with Viacheslava of Novgorod
and Mieszko the Old with Eudoxia of Kiev
). For this purpose, in November 1178 Casimir arranged the marriage of his daughter Maria with Prince Vsevolod IV of Kiev
.
His first major intervention in the Russian affairs occurred in 1180, when in the beginning of the dispute between Prince Vasilko, Prince of Shumsk
and Dorohychyn (son-in-law of late Bolesław the Curly) and Leszek of Masovia for the region of Volhynia
at Volodymyr-Volynsky, the High Duke support of the former. The war ended with the success of Casimir, who conquered Volodymyr and Brest
, while Vasylko held his ground at Drohiczyn
.
The war had not definitively settled about the matter of the property of Brest, which was granted as a fief to Prince Sviatoslav, Vasilko's cousin and also Casimir's nephew (son of his sister Agnes
). In 1182 another revolt broke out against Svyatoslav's rule, but thanks to Casimir's intervention, he was restored in the throne. Nevertless, shortly after Casimir saw that the situation was unstable, hefinally decided to give the power to Sviatoslav's brother, Roman
.
In 1187 Prince Yaroslav Osmomysl
of Halych
died, whereafter a long struggle for his succession began. Initially, the authority over the principality was taken by his younger son, Oleg, but soon he was murdered by the boyards and Halych was taken by the eldest son of Yaroslav, Vladimirko
. Vladimirko's reign was also far from stability, a situation used by Prince Roman of Brest, who, with the help of his uncle Casimir, deposed him and took full control over Halych.
Defeated Vladimirko fled to the Kingdom of Hungary
under the protection of King Béla III
(his relative; Vladimirko's paternal grandmother was an Hungarian princess), who decided to send his army to Halych. Roman escaped to Kraków and Vladimirko, as an act of revenge, invaded Lesser Poland. However, soon Béla III decided to attach Halych to Hungary, and again deposed Vladimirko, who was replaced as Prince of Halych by the King's second son, Andrew
. The war continued until two years later, when Casimir followed the instructions of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, who had decided to help Vladimirko after he had declared himself his subject, and restored his authority over Halych.
River, and Casimir only could take possession over Masovia proper. Nevertheless, thanks to the Masovian inheritance, Casimir directly ruled over the major part of Poland.
The involvement of Casimir in the Russian affairs was used in 1191 by Mieszko the Old, who managed to take control over Wawel
Castle at Kraków, seizing the high ducal title and the control over the Seniorate Province. Immediately, he declared Kraków an hereditary fief to his pwn descendants, implementing his son Mieszko the Younger as a governor. The conflict finally ended peacefully, as Casimir - returned from Russia - regained the capital without fight, after Mieszko the Younger had escaped at the side of his father.
Casimir planned to found an University in Kraków and already started to build the building, but his sudden death balked his plans. The present-day Jagiellonian University
was not established until 1364 by King Casimir III the Great as the second oldest in Central and Eastern Europe (after the Charles University in Prague
).
The last goal of Casimir's reign was at the beginning of 1194, when he organized an expedition against the Baltic Yotvingians
. The expedition ended with a full success, and Casimir had a triumphant return to Kraków. After a banquet was held to celebrate his return, Casimir died unexpectedly, on 5 May 1194. Some historians believed that he was poisoned. He was succeeded as High Duke by his eldest surviving son Leszek I the White
, who like his father had to face the strong opposition by Mieszko the Old.
, Koprzywnicy and Sulejów
; with the Order of the Holy Sepulchre
of Miechów
and Regular Canonry of Czerwińsk nad Wisłą and Trzemeszno
and the Order of the Knights Hospitaller
in Zagość
. He also tried to expand the cult of Saint Floriana, whose remains were brought to Kraków by Bishop Gedko.
(ca. 1140/42 - ca. 1202/06), daughter of Duke Conrad II of Znojmo
, scion of a Moravia
n cadet branch of the Přemyslid dynasty
. They had seven children:
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...
duke at Wiślica
Wislica
Wiślica is a village in Busko County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, in south-central Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Wiślica. It lies on the Nida River, approximately south of Busko-Zdrój and south of the regional capital Kielce...
during 1166–1173, and at Sandomierz
Sandomierz
Sandomierz is a city in south-eastern Poland with 25,714 inhabitants . Situated in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship , previously in Tarnobrzeg Voivodeship . It is the capital of Sandomierz County . Sandomierz is known for its Old Town, a major tourist attraction...
since 1173. He became ruler over the Polish 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...
at Kraków
Kraków
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...
and thereby High Duke of Poland (see 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...
) in 1177; a position he held until his death, interrupted once by his elder brother and predecessor 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....
. In 1186 Casimir also inherited the Duchy of Masovia
Duchy of Masovia
The Duchy of Masovia with its capital at Płock was a medieval duchy formed when the Polish Kingdom of the Piasts fragmented in 1138. It was located in the historic Masovian region of northeastern Poland...
from his nephew Leszek
Leszek, Duke of Masovia
Leszek of Masovia was the second Duke of Masovia and Kuyavia from 1173 until his death.He was the second but only surviving son of Bolesław IV the Curly, High Duke of Poland by his first wife Viacheslava, daughter of St. Vsevolod, Prince of Novgorod and Pskov...
, becoming the progenitor of the Masovian branch of the royal Piast dynasty
Piast dynasty
The 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...
, great-grandfather of the later Polish king Władysław I the Elbow-high. The honorific title "the Just" wasn't contemporary; it only appeared in the 16th century.
Life
Casimir, the sixth but fourth surviving son of Bolesław III Wrymouth, Duke of Poland, by his second wife SalomeaSalomea of Berg
Salomea of Berg was a German noblewoman and by marriage Duchess of Poland.She was the daughter of Swabian Count Henry of Berg Castle by his wife Adelaide of Mochental , probably a sister of Margrave Diepold III of Vohburg...
, daughter of Count Henry of Berg, was born in 1138, probablyly on the brink of his father's death. It is however also possible that he was born shortly after, and in consequence was posthumous
Posthumous birth
A posthumous birth is a birth of a child after the death of a parent. A person born in these circumstances is called a posthumous child or a posthumously born person...
. Maybe this was the reason that in the Bolesław III's Testament, he was omitted and left without any land.
Early years
During his first years, Casimir and his sister AgnesAgnes of Poland
Agnes of Poland , was a Polish princess member of the House of Piast and by marriage Princess of Pereyaslavl and Volynia and Grand Princess of Kiev since 1168....
(born in 1137) lived with their mother Salome in her widow land of Łęczyca. There, the young prince remained far away from the struggles of his brothers Bolesław IV the Curly and 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....
with their older half-brother High Duke Władysław II, who tried to reunite all Poland under his rule and in 1146 was finally expelled.
Salomea of Berg had died in 1144. Casimir and Agnes were cared by their elder brother Bolesław IV, who had assumed the high ducal title. Although under his tutelage the young prince could feel safe, he had any guarantee to receive part of the paternal inheritance in the future. When in 1154 he reached the proper age (according to the standards of that time) to take control over the lands of the family, he remained with nothing. Even worse, three years later (1157) his fate was decided in the successfully Polish campaign of the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, who came to the aid of Władysław II and his sons. As a part of the treaty Bolesław had to conclude with Barbarossa, Casimir was sent to Germany
Kingdom of Germany
The Kingdom of Germany developed out of the eastern half of the former Carolingian Empire....
as a hostage in order to secure the loyalty of his brother to the Emperor.
The fate of Casimir at the Imperial court is unknown. He returned to Poland certainly before 21 May 1161, because that day he is mentioned in a document with two of his brothers, Bolesław IV and Henry of Sandomierz
Henry of Sandomierz
Henry of Sandomierz was a Duke of Sandomierz since 1138 or 1146 until his death....
. So far, Casimir had not received any lands from his elder brothers.
Duke at Wiślica
The situation changed in 1166, when his brother Henry was killed in battle during a Prussian CrusadePrussian Crusade
The Prussian Crusade was a series of 13th-century campaigns of Roman Catholic crusaders, primarily led by the Teutonic Knights, to Christianize the pagan Old Prussians. Invited after earlier unsuccessful expeditions against the Prussians by Polish princes, the Teutonic Knights began campaigning...
; without issue, in his will he named Casimir the only heir of his Lesser Polish Duchy of Sandomierz
Sandomierz
Sandomierz is a city in south-eastern Poland with 25,714 inhabitants . Situated in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship , previously in Tarnobrzeg Voivodeship . It is the capital of Sandomierz County . Sandomierz is known for its Old Town, a major tourist attraction...
. However, High Duke Bolesław IV decided to divide the duchy into three parts: the largest (who included the capital, Sandomierz) to him; the second (whithout any name) to Mieszko III and only the third part, the small district of Wiślica
Wislica
Wiślica is a village in Busko County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, in south-central Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Wiślica. It lies on the Nida River, approximately south of Busko-Zdrój and south of the regional capital Kielce...
, was given to Casimir.
Angry and disappointed with the decision of the High Duke, Casimir rebelled against him, with the support of by his brother Duke Mieszko III the Old, the magnate Jaksa of Miechów and Sviatoslav, son of Piotr Włostowic, as well as Archbishop Jan of Gniezno and Bishop Gedko of Kraków; also, almost all 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...
was on his side. The quick actions of Bolesław finally stopped the rebellion. At the end, Casimir was only able to retain Wiślica. In 1172, Mieszko III the Old rebelled against the High Duke, and tried to persuade his younger brother to join him. For unknown reasons, Casimir refused to participate.
Bolesław IV died in 1173 and according to the principle of agnatic seniority
Agnatic seniority
Agnatic seniority is a patrilineal principle of inheritance where the order of succession to the throne prefers the monarch's younger brother over the monarch's own sons. A monarch's children succeed only after the males of the elder generation have all been exhausted...
he was succeeded by his brother Mieszko III the Old as High Duke. He decided to give the rest of the Sandomierz duchy to Casimir, then his only surviving brother, who finally could assume the ducal title, which the late High Duke had illegally usurpated.
Revolt against Mieszko the Old
The strong and dictatorial rule of the new High Duke caused a deep disaffection among the Lesser Polish nobility. This time the new revolt prepared in 1177 had a real chance of victory. The rebellion, apart of the magnateMagnate
Magnate, from the Late Latin magnas, a great man, itself from Latin magnus 'great', designates a noble or other man in a high social position, by birth, wealth or other qualities...
s, counted with the support of Gedko, Bishop of Krakow, Mieszko's eldest son Odon, the son of former High Duke Władysław II, Duke Bolesław I the Tall of Silesia
Duchy of Silesia
The Duchy of Silesia with its capital at Wrocław was a medieval duchy located in the historic Silesian region of Poland. Soon after it was formed under the Piast dynasty in 1138, it fragmented into various Duchies of Silesia. In 1327 the remaining Duchy of Wrocław as well as most other duchies...
and Casimir. The reasons about his inclusion in the revolt, after being reconciled with Mieszko, are unknown.
The battle for the supreme power had a quite strange course: Mieszko, completely surprised by the rebels in his Duchy of Greater Poland, withdrew to Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
, where he stayed for almost two years going heavy fighting with his son Odon. Finally, he was defeated and was forced to escape. Duke Bolesław the Tall failed to conquer Kraków and the Seniorate Province, as he himself was stuck in a inner-Silesian conflict with his brother Mieszko I Tanglefoot and his own son Jarosław; soon defeated, he asked Casimir for help. After a successfully action in Silesia, he marched to Kraków
Kraków
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...
, who was quickly conquered. Casimir, now Duke of Kraków, decided to conclude a treaty under which Bolesław the Tall obtain the full authority over Lower Silesia at Wrocław, in return Casimir granted to the then deposed Mieszko Tanglefoot the Lesser Polish districts of Bytom
Duchy of Bytom
The Duchy of Bytom or Duchy of Beuthen was one of many Silesian duchies. It was established in Upper Silesia about 1281 during the division of the Duchy of Opole and Racibórz among the sons of Duke Władysław Opolski...
, Oświęcim
Duchy of Oswiecim
The Duchy of Oświęcim , or the Duchy of Auschwitz , was one of many Duchies of Silesia, formed in the aftermath of the fragmentation of Poland....
and Pszczyna
Duchy of Pless
The Duchy of Pless The Duchy of Pless The Duchy of Pless (or the Duchy of Pszczyna ^ Tadeusz Walichnowski, (Przynaleznosc terytorialna archiwaliow Panstwa Polskiego w stosunkach miedzynarodowych), Polish Scientific Publishers, Warsaw, 1977. Polish State Archives. ^Nagel's Encyclopedia Guide,...
as a gift for Casimir's godson and namesake: Casimir I of Opole
Casimir I of Opole
Casimir I of Opole was a Duke of Opole-Racibórz from 1211 until his death.He was the eldest child and only son of Mieszko I Tanglefoot, Duke of Opole-Racibórz and High Duke of Poland, and his wife Ludmilla, probably a Přemyslid princess.-Early life:Little is known about his early years of life,...
, the only son of Mieszko Tanglefoot.
High Duke of Poland
The 1177 rebellion against High Duke Mieszko the Old ended in a full success to Casimir, who not only had conquered Kraków (including the districts of SieradzSieradz
Sieradz is a town on the Warta river in central Poland with 44,326 inhabitants . It is situated in the Łódź Voivodship , but was previously the eponymous capital of the Sieradz Voivodship , and historically one of the minor duchies in Greater Poland.It is one of the oldest towns in Poland,...
and Łęczyca) obtaining the high ducal title, but also managed to extend his sovereignty as Polish monarch over Silesia (then divided between the three sons of Władysław II, Bolesław the Tall, Mieszko Tanglefoot and Konrad Spindleshanks
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...
as well as Bolesław's son Jarosław of Opole), 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...
(ruled by Odon), Masovia and Kuyavia
Kuyavia
Kujawy , is a historical and ethnographic region in the north-central Poland, situated in the basin of the middle Vistula and upper Noteć Rivers, with its capital in Włocławek.-Etymology:The origin of the name Kujawy was seen differently in history...
(ruled by Duke Leszek
Leszek, Duke of Masovia
Leszek of Masovia was the second Duke of Masovia and Kuyavia from 1173 until his death.He was the second but only surviving son of Bolesław IV the Curly, High Duke of Poland by his first wife Viacheslava, daughter of St. Vsevolod, Prince of Novgorod and Pskov...
, then a minor and under the tutelage of his mother and the voivode Żyrona, one of Casimir's followers). On the Baltic
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
coast, Pomerelia
Pomerelia
Pomerelia is a historical region in northern Poland. Pomerelia lay in eastern Pomerania: on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea and west of the Vistula and its delta. The area centered on the city of Gdańsk at the mouth of the Vistula...
(Gdańsk Pomerania
Gdańsk Pomerania
For the medieval duchy, see Pomeranian duchies and dukesGdańsk Pomerania or Eastern Pomerania is a geographical region in northern Poland covering eastern part of Pomeranian Voivodeship...
) was ruled by Duke Sambor I as a Polish vassal.
However, Mieszko the Old worked intensively for his return, at first in Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
, later in Germany and in the Duchy of Pomerania
Duchy of Pomerania
The Duchy of Pomerania was a duchy in Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, ruled by dukes of the House of Pomerania ....
. To achieve his ambitions to give the hereditary right to the throne at Kraków (and with this the Seniorate) to his descendants, Casimir called an assembly of Polish nobles at Łęczyca in 1180. He granted privileges to both the nobility and the Church, lifting a tax on the profits of the clergy and relinquishing his rights over the lands of deceased bishops. By these acts, he won the acceptance of the principle of hereditary succession to Kraków, though it still would take more than a century to restore the Polish kingship.
In less than a year after the Łęczyca assembly however, in the first half of 1181, Mieszko the Old with the assistance of Duke Sambor's brother Mestwin I of Pomerelia conquered the eastern Greater Polish lands of Gniezno
Gniezno
Gniezno is a city in central-western Poland, some 50 km east of Poznań, inhabited by about 70,000 people. One of the Piasts' chief cities, it was mentioned by 10th century A.D. sources as the capital of Piast Poland however the first capital of Piast realm was most likely Giecz built around...
and Kalisz
Kalisz
Kalisz is a city in central Poland with 106,857 inhabitants , the capital city of the Kalisz Region. Situated on the Prosna river in the southeastern part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship, the city forms a conurbation with the nearby towns of Ostrów Wielkopolski and Nowe Skalmierzyce...
and managed to persuade his son Odon to submit (according to some historians, Odon then received from his father the Greater Polish lands south of the Obra River). At the same time, Duke Leszek of Masovia decided to escape from the influence of Casimir. He named Mieszko the Old's son Mieszko the Younger governor of Masovia and Kuyavia, and with this, made a tacit promise of succession over these lands.
Foreign affairs
For unknown reasons, Casimir didn't react to these events and only decided to secure his authority over Lesser Poland. A diplomatic meeting occurred in 1184 at the court of the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa where Casimir, in order to reject the actions of Mieszko the Old and to retain the power over all Poland, swore allegiance to Barbarossa and paid him a large tribute.The most important issue during the reign of Casimir beside the conflict with his brother Mieszko was the issue of the diplomatic policies towards the neighbouring Russian
Kievan Rus'
Kievan Rus was a medieval polity in Eastern Europe, from the late 9th to the mid 13th century, when it disintegrated under the pressure of the Mongol invasion of 1237–1240....
principalities in the east. The first task before which he became in High Duke was his attempts to create bonds with the Rurik
Rurik Dynasty
The Rurik dynasty or Rurikids was a dynasty founded by the Varangian prince Rurik, who established himself in Novgorod around the year 862 AD...
Grand Princes at 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....
, who were strongly associated with the previous High Dukes through marriages with Kievan princesses (Bolesław the Curly with Viacheslava of Novgorod
Viacheslava of Novgorod
Viacheslava of Novgorod , was a Kievan Rus' princess member of the House of Rurik and by marriage Duchess of Masovia and Kuyavia and High Duchess of Poland since 1146.She was the daughter of St...
and Mieszko the Old with Eudoxia of Kiev
Eudoxia of Kiev
Eudoxia Iziaslavna of Kiev , was a Kievan Rus' princess member of the Rurikid dynasty and by marriage Duchess of Greater Poland and since 1173 High Duchess of Poland....
). For this purpose, in November 1178 Casimir arranged the marriage of his daughter Maria with Prince Vsevolod IV of Kiev
Vsevolod IV of Kiev
Vsevolod IV Svyatoslavich the Red was a Rus' prince . His baptismal name was Daniil...
.
His first major intervention in the Russian affairs occurred in 1180, when in the beginning of the dispute between Prince Vasilko, Prince of Shumsk
Shumsk
Shumsk is a city in Ternopil Oblast, Ukraine. It is administrative center of the Shumsk Raion. Population is 5,161 ....
and Dorohychyn (son-in-law of late Bolesław the Curly) and Leszek of Masovia for the region of Volhynia
Volhynia
Volhynia, Volynia, or Volyn is a historic region in western Ukraine located between the rivers Prypiat and Southern Bug River, to the north of Galicia and Podolia; the region is named for the former city of Volyn or Velyn, said to have been located on the Southern Bug River, whose name may come...
at Volodymyr-Volynsky, the High Duke support of the former. The war ended with the success of Casimir, who conquered Volodymyr and Brest
Brest, Belarus
Brest , formerly also Brest-on-the-Bug and Brest-Litovsk , is a city in Belarus at the border with Poland opposite the city of Terespol, where the Bug River and Mukhavets rivers meet...
, while Vasylko held his ground at Drohiczyn
Drohiczyn
Drohiczyn is a small historic town in Siemiatycze County, Podlaskie Voivodeship, Poland. The town with population 2,110 is situated on a bank of the Bug River.- History :...
.
The war had not definitively settled about the matter of the property of Brest, which was granted as a fief to Prince Sviatoslav, Vasilko's cousin and also Casimir's nephew (son of his sister Agnes
Agnes of Poland
Agnes of Poland , was a Polish princess member of the House of Piast and by marriage Princess of Pereyaslavl and Volynia and Grand Princess of Kiev since 1168....
). In 1182 another revolt broke out against Svyatoslav's rule, but thanks to Casimir's intervention, he was restored in the throne. Nevertless, shortly after Casimir saw that the situation was unstable, hefinally decided to give the power to Sviatoslav's brother, Roman
Roman the Great
Roman Mstislavich , also Roman Mstyslavych or Roman the Great, was a Rus’ prince, Grand Prince of Kiev ....
.
In 1187 Prince Yaroslav Osmomysl
Yaroslav Osmomysl
Yaroslav Osmomysl was the most famous Prince of Halych from the first dynasty of its rulers, which descended from Yaroslav I's eldest son. His sobriquet, meaning "Eight-Minded" in Old East Slavic, was granted to him in recognition of his wisdom...
of Halych
Principality of Halych
Principality of Halych was a Kievan Rus' principality established in around 1124 established by the grandson of Rostislav Ihor Vasylkovych . According to Mykhailo Hrushevsky the realm of Halych was passed to Rostislav upon the death of his father Vladimir Yaroslavich, but he was banished out of it...
died, whereafter a long struggle for his succession began. Initially, the authority over the principality was taken by his younger son, Oleg, but soon he was murdered by the boyards and Halych was taken by the eldest son of Yaroslav, Vladimirko
Vladimir II Yaroslavich
Vladimir II Yaroslavich was a Rus’ prince . He was prince of Halych .He was profligate by nature. He lived a debauched life and was politically ineffectual...
. Vladimirko's reign was also far from stability, a situation used by Prince Roman of Brest, who, with the help of his uncle Casimir, deposed him and took full control over Halych.
Defeated Vladimirko fled to the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
under the protection of King Béla III
Béla III of Hungary
Béla III was King of Hungary and Croatia . He was educated in the court of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I who was planning to ensure his succession in the Byzantine Empire till the birth of his own son...
(his relative; Vladimirko's paternal grandmother was an Hungarian princess), who decided to send his army to Halych. Roman escaped to Kraków and Vladimirko, as an act of revenge, invaded Lesser Poland. However, soon Béla III decided to attach Halych to Hungary, and again deposed Vladimirko, who was replaced as Prince of Halych by the King's second son, Andrew
Andrew II of Hungary
Andrew II the Jerosolimitan was King of Hungary and Croatia . He was the younger son of King Béla III of Hungary, who invested him with the government of the Principality of Halych...
. The war continued until two years later, when Casimir followed the instructions of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, who had decided to help Vladimirko after he had declared himself his subject, and restored his authority over Halych.
Internal Politics
In 1186 Duke Leszek of Masovia died. Before his death the sickly duke decided to give all his lands to High Duke Casimir. Though previously, Leszek had promised the inheritance to his elder uncle Mieszko the Old, his dictatorial proceedings had changed his mind and decided in Casimir's favor. Shortly after Leszek's death however, Mieszko occupied the lands of Kuyavia up to the VistulaVistula
The Vistula is the longest and the most important river in Poland, at 1,047 km in length. The watershed area of the Vistula is , of which lies within Poland ....
River, and Casimir only could take possession over Masovia proper. Nevertheless, thanks to the Masovian inheritance, Casimir directly ruled over the major part of Poland.
The involvement of Casimir in the Russian affairs was used in 1191 by Mieszko the Old, who managed to take control over Wawel
Wawel
Wawel is an architectural complex erected over many centuries atop a limestone outcrop on the left bank of the Vistula River in Kraków, Poland, at an altitude of 228 metres above the sea level. It is a place of great significance to the Polish people. The Royal Castle with an armoury and the...
Castle at Kraków, seizing the high ducal title and the control over the Seniorate Province. Immediately, he declared Kraków an hereditary fief to his pwn descendants, implementing his son Mieszko the Younger as a governor. The conflict finally ended peacefully, as Casimir - returned from Russia - regained the capital without fight, after Mieszko the Younger had escaped at the side of his father.
Casimir planned to found an University in Kraków and already started to build the building, but his sudden death balked his plans. The present-day Jagiellonian University
Jagiellonian University
The Jagiellonian University was established in 1364 by Casimir III the Great in Kazimierz . It is the oldest university in Poland, the second oldest university in Central Europe and one of the oldest universities in the world....
was not established until 1364 by King Casimir III the Great as the second oldest in Central and Eastern Europe (after the Charles University in Prague
Charles University in Prague
Charles University in Prague is the oldest and largest university in the Czech Republic. Founded in 1348, it was the first university in Central Europe and is also considered the earliest German university...
).
The last goal of Casimir's reign was at the beginning of 1194, when he organized an expedition against the Baltic Yotvingians
Yotvingians
Yotvingians or Sudovians were a Baltic people with close cultural ties to the Lithuanians and Prussians...
. The expedition ended with a full success, and Casimir had a triumphant return to Kraków. After a banquet was held to celebrate his return, Casimir died unexpectedly, on 5 May 1194. Some historians believed that he was poisoned. He was succeeded as High Duke by his eldest surviving son Leszek I the White
Leszek I the White
Leszek I the White , also listed by some sources as Leszek II the White, was Prince of Sandomierz and High Duke of Poland from 1194 until his death, except for the short periods following when he was deposed as Polish ruler...
, who like his father had to face the strong opposition by Mieszko the Old.
Relations with the Church
During his reign, Casimir was very generous to the Church, especially with the Cistercians monasteries of Wąchocku, JędrzejowJedrzejów
Jędrzejów is a town in Poland, located in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, about 35 km southwest of Kielce. It is the capital of Jędrzejów County. It has 18,069 inhabitants ....
, Koprzywnicy and Sulejów
Sulejów
Sulejów is a town in central Poland with 6,375 inhabitants . It is situated in Łódź Voivodeship , having previously been in Piotrków Voivodeship . Sulejów gives its name to the protected area known as Sulejów Landscape Park....
; with the Order of the Holy Sepulchre
Order of the Holy Sepulchre
The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem is a Roman Catholic order of knighthood under the protection of the pope. It traces its roots to Duke Godfrey of Bouillon, principal leader of the First Crusade...
of Miechów
Miechów
Miechów is a town in Poland, in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, about 40 km north of Kraków. It is the capital of Miechów County. Population is 11,852 ....
and Regular Canonry of Czerwińsk nad Wisłą and Trzemeszno
Trzemeszno
Trzemeszno is a town in central Poland belonging to the group of the oldest settlements in the region. The town’s name derives from an Old Polish word “Trzemcha” meaning the flower of the "Bird’s Cherry" plant, which once grew in the vicinity...
and the Order of the Knights Hospitaller
Knights Hospitaller
The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...
in Zagość
Stara Zagosc
Stara Zagość is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Pińczów, within Pińczów County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, in south-central Poland. It lies approximately south of Pińczów and south of the regional capital Kielce.-References:...
. He also tried to expand the cult of Saint Floriana, whose remains were brought to Kraków by Bishop Gedko.
Marriage and issue
Around 1163, Casimir married with HelenHelen of Znojmo
Helena of Znojmo was a Bohemian princess, a member of the Přemyslid dynasty. She was the daughter of Duke Conrad II of Znojmo and his Serbian wife Maria of Rascia...
(ca. 1140/42 - ca. 1202/06), daughter of Duke Conrad II of Znojmo
Znojmo
Znojmo is a city in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic, near the border with Lower Austria, connected to Vienna by railway and road . The royal city of Znojmo was founded shortly before 1226 by King Ottokar I on the plains in front of Znojmo Castle...
, scion of a Moravia
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
n cadet branch of the Přemyslid dynasty
Premyslid dynasty
The Přemyslids , were a Czech royal dynasty which reigned in Bohemia and Moravia , and partly also in Hungary, Silesia, Austria and Poland.-Legendary rulers:...
. They had seven children:
- Maria (1164–1194), married in November 1178 to Prince Vsevolod IV of KievVsevolod IV of KievVsevolod IV Svyatoslavich the Red was a Rus' prince . His baptismal name was Daniil...
. - Casimir (ca. 1165? - 1 March 1167).
- Bolesław (ca. 1168/71 - 16 April 1182). He died accidentally, after falling from a tree.
- Odon, died in infancy.
- Adelaide (ca. 1177/84 - 8 December 1211), foundress of the convent of St. Jakob in SandomierzSandomierzSandomierz is a city in south-eastern Poland with 25,714 inhabitants . Situated in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship , previously in Tarnobrzeg Voivodeship . It is the capital of Sandomierz County . Sandomierz is known for its Old Town, a major tourist attraction...
. - Leszek I the WhiteLeszek I the WhiteLeszek I the White , also listed by some sources as Leszek II the White, was Prince of Sandomierz and High Duke of Poland from 1194 until his death, except for the short periods following when he was deposed as Polish ruler...
(ca. 1186/87 - Marcinkow, 23 November 1227). - KonradKonrad I of MasoviaKonrad I of Masovia , from the Polish Piast dynasty, was the sixth Duke of Masovia from 1194 until his death and High Duke of Poland from 1229 to 1232.-Life:...
(ca. 1187/88 - 31 August 1247).