Casimir of Bytom
Encyclopedia
Casimir of Bytom (1253/57 – 10 March 1312) was a Duke of Opole
during 1282–1284 (with his brother as co-ruler) and Duke of Bytom
from 1284 until his death.
He was the second son of Władysław, Duke of Opole
-Racibórz
, by his wife Euphemia
, daughter of Władysław Odonic, Duke of Greater Poland
.
and with this began his politic activities with his father.
After the death of his father in 1282, Casimir inherited the Duchy of Opole
with his brother Bolko I
as co-rulers. The common rule between them lasted until 1284, when they decided to make a formal division of their domains: Casimir took the towns of Bytom
(the main city and now capital of his Duchy), Koźle
, Toszek
, Gliwice
and Siewierz
.
There are few reports of Casimir's independent rule. Certainly at the end of the 1280s he and his brothers Mieszko I and Przemysław
supported the Bishop of Wrocław, Thomas II Zaremba in his conflict with Henry IV Probus, the powerful Duke of Wrocław -their other brother Bolko I unexpectedly supported Henry IV. The cause of the bad relations between Władysław Opolski's sons and the Duke of Wrocław possibly started when Henry IV repudiated his wife Constance (sister of the Opole-Racibórz brothers) and sent her back home. The reasons for this repudiation are disputed among historians, but it probably was because of the Constance's suspected infertility.
The difficult relations with Henry IV Probus brought a much greater enemy into the Silesian affairs. On 10 January 1289 Casimir was the first Silesian Duke to pay homage to the Bohemian King Wenceslaus II in Prague
. The direct arguments which caused Casimir to make this radical step are unclear. In any event, the Dukes of Cieszyn and Racibórz soon followed the example of Casimir and also paid homage to the Kingdom of Bohemia (some historians believed that this could be the cause of the bloody Battle of Siewierz on 26 February of that year).
In subsequent years, Casimir remained a faithful ally of King Wenceslaus II in his Polish politics, although the close cooperation with the Bohemian Kingdom didn't directly benefit him (except for his presence during the King's trips to Sieradz
in 1292 or at the coronation of Wenceslaus II in Prague in 1297).
In 1303, Casimir decided to give his sons separate districts, which further helped to reduce the already small Duchy of Bytom: Bolesław received Toszek
and Władysław obtained Koźle
.
The extinction of the Přemyslid dynasty
after the death of King Wenceslaus III
in 1306 caused the Duke of Bytom to stop his homage to the Bohemian crown. From that moment, Casimir had a significant change in his foreign politics, became more closely associated with the new Duke of Kraków
, Władysław I the Elbow-high. The marriage of Casimir's daughter Maria to the Hungarian King Charles Robert
in 1306 surely increased the prestige of both Casimir and his Duchy.
In internal politics, Casimir was a strong guardian of the Church, especially with the Order of the Holy Sepulchre
installed in Miechów
, which received many privileges from him. He also gave the order to build castles of considerable size in Bytom and surrounding towns, thanks to the revenues obtained from the silver mines in Bytom.
Casimir died on 10 March 1312. It's unknown where he was buried but it is possible that the burial could have occurred in the monastery of Czarnowąsy
in Opole
, which was generously supported by the Duke.
n or Lithuania
n origin; according to the Genealogist Kazimierz Jasiński, she may have been a daughter of Lev I of Galicia by his wife Constance, daughter of King Béla IV of Hungary
. Helena was probably named after Constance's sister Blessed Jolenta Helena of Poland
, wife of Bolesław the Pious, one of the Greater Poland
Dukes. However, this theory isn't counted important by many. They had six children:
The considerable age difference between Casimir's three older and three younger children created the theory that he maybe had more than one wife. However, there is no evidence that supports this and the majority of historians accept that Helena was his only wife and mother of all his known children.
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...
during 1282–1284 (with his brother as co-ruler) and Duke of Bytom
Bytom
Bytom is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The central-western district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Bytom is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Bytomka river .The city belongs to the Silesian Voivodeship since...
from 1284 until his death.
He was the second son of Władysław, Duke of 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...
, by his wife Euphemia
Euphemia of Greater Poland
Euphemia of Greater Poland , was a Polish princess member of the House of Piast from the Greater Poland branch and by marriage was Duchess of Kalisz, Wieluń and Opole-Racibórz....
, daughter of Władysław Odonic, Duke of 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...
.
Life
Little is known about the first years of Casimir's life. By 1264, he was knighted by King Ottokar II of BohemiaOttokar II of Bohemia
Ottokar II , called The Iron and Golden King, was the King of Bohemia from 1253 until 1278. He was the Duke of Austria , Styria , Carinthia and Carniola also....
and with this began his politic activities with his father.
After the death of his father in 1282, Casimir inherited the Duchy of 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...
with his brother Bolko I
Bolko I of Opole
Bolko I of Opole , was a Duke of Opole from 1282 , Niemodlin and Strzelce Opolskie until his death.He was the third son of Władysław, Duke of Opole-Racibórz, by his wife Euphemia, daughter of Władysław Odonic, Duke of Greater Poland.-Life:Around 1277 Bolko I was named co-ruler of the Duchy of...
as co-rulers. The common rule between them lasted until 1284, when they decided to make a formal division of their domains: Casimir took the towns of Bytom
Bytom
Bytom is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The central-western district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Bytom is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Bytomka river .The city belongs to the Silesian Voivodeship since...
(the main city and now capital of his Duchy), Koźle
Kozle
Koźle is a district of Kędzierzyn-Koźle and is at the junction of the Kłodnica and Odra rivers, 29 Ifl. southeast of Opole by rail. The district has a Roman Catholic church, a medieval chateau, remains of a 19th century fortress and a high school...
, Toszek
Toszek
Toszek is a town in Poland, in Gliwice County, Silesian Voivodeship, with 4,000 inhabitants.- History :The beginning of the settlement and fortified keep is dated in the 9th and 10th centuries when the area was ruled by the Piasts, Mieszko I of Poland and later Bolesław I the Brave.The fortified...
, Gliwice
Gliwice
Gliwice is a city in Upper Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Gliwice is the west district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union – a metropolis with a population of 2 million...
and Siewierz
Siewierz
Siewierz is a town in the Silesian Voivodeship in Poland.-History:In history, Sewerien was first mentioned in 1125, which was administered by the Castellan of Bytom. In 1177, Casimir II granted Sewerien to Mieszko IV Tanglefoot duke of Silesia and Racibórz, together with the duchy of Bytom. The...
.
There are few reports of Casimir's independent rule. Certainly at the end of the 1280s he and his brothers Mieszko I and Przemysław
Przemysław of Racibórz
Przemysław of Racibórz was a Duke of Racibórz since 1282 until his death ....
supported the Bishop of Wrocław, Thomas II Zaremba in his conflict with Henry IV Probus, the powerful Duke of Wrocław -their other brother Bolko I unexpectedly supported Henry IV. The cause of the bad relations between Władysław Opolski's sons and the Duke of Wrocław possibly started when Henry IV repudiated his wife Constance (sister of the Opole-Racibórz brothers) and sent her back home. The reasons for this repudiation are disputed among historians, but it probably was because of the Constance's suspected infertility.
The difficult relations with Henry IV Probus brought a much greater enemy into the Silesian affairs. On 10 January 1289 Casimir was the first Silesian Duke to pay homage to the Bohemian King Wenceslaus 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...
. The direct arguments which caused Casimir to make this radical step are unclear. In any event, the Dukes of Cieszyn and Racibórz soon followed the example of Casimir and also paid homage to the Kingdom of Bohemia (some historians believed that this could be the cause of the bloody Battle of Siewierz on 26 February of that year).
In subsequent years, Casimir remained a faithful ally of King Wenceslaus II in his Polish politics, although the close cooperation with the Bohemian Kingdom didn't directly benefit him (except for his presence during the King's trips to Sieradz
Sieradz
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,...
in 1292 or at the coronation of Wenceslaus II in Prague in 1297).
In 1303, Casimir decided to give his sons separate districts, which further helped to reduce the already small Duchy of Bytom: Bolesław received Toszek
Toszek
Toszek is a town in Poland, in Gliwice County, Silesian Voivodeship, with 4,000 inhabitants.- History :The beginning of the settlement and fortified keep is dated in the 9th and 10th centuries when the area was ruled by the Piasts, Mieszko I of Poland and later Bolesław I the Brave.The fortified...
and Władysław obtained Koźle
Kozle
Koźle is a district of Kędzierzyn-Koźle and is at the junction of the Kłodnica and Odra rivers, 29 Ifl. southeast of Opole by rail. The district has a Roman Catholic church, a medieval chateau, remains of a 19th century fortress and a high school...
.
The extinction 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:...
after the death of King Wenceslaus III
Wenceslaus III of Bohemia
Wenceslaus III Premyslid was the King of Hungary , King of Bohemia and the king of Poland ....
in 1306 caused the Duke of Bytom to stop his homage to the Bohemian crown. From that moment, Casimir had a significant change in his foreign politics, became more closely associated with the new Duke of 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...
, Władysław I the Elbow-high. The marriage of Casimir's daughter Maria to the Hungarian King Charles Robert
Charles I of Hungary
Charles I , also known as Charles Robert , was the first King of Hungary and Croatia of the House of Anjou. He was also descended from the old Hungarian Árpád dynasty. His claim to the throne of Hungary was contested by several pretenders...
in 1306 surely increased the prestige of both Casimir and his Duchy.
In internal politics, Casimir was a strong guardian of the Church, especially 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...
installed in 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 ....
, which received many privileges from him. He also gave the order to build castles of considerable size in Bytom and surrounding towns, thanks to the revenues obtained from the silver mines in Bytom.
Casimir died on 10 March 1312. It's unknown where he was buried but it is possible that the burial could have occurred in the monastery of Czarnowąsy
Czarnowasy
Czarnowąsy is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Dobrzeń Wielki, within Opole County, Opole Voivodeship, in south-western Poland...
in 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...
, which was generously supported by the Duke.
Marriage and issue
Between 1275-1278, Casimir married Helena (d. by 1323), whose origins are unknown. Given by her name and the choice of her children's names, historians believed that she had a RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n or Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
n origin; according to the Genealogist Kazimierz Jasiński, she may have been a daughter of Lev I of Galicia by his wife Constance, daughter of King Béla IV of Hungary
Béla IV of Hungary
Béla IV , King of Hungary and of Croatia , duke of Styria 1254–58. One of the most famous kings of Hungary, he distinguished himself through his policy of strengthening of the royal power following the example of his grandfather Bela III, and by the rebuilding Hungary after the catastrophe of the...
. Helena was probably named after Constance's sister Blessed Jolenta Helena of Poland
Jolenta of Poland
Jolenta of Poland was the daughter of Béla IV of Hungary and Maria Laskarina. She was the sister of Saint Margaret of Hungary and Saint Kinga...
, wife of Bolesław the Pious, one of 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...
Dukes. However, this theory isn't counted important by many. They had six children:
- BolesławBolesław of ToszekBolesław of Toszek , was a Duke of Toszek since 1303 until his death and Archbishop of Esztergom from 1321.He was the oldest son of Duke Casimir of Bytom by his wife Helena.- Life :...
(b. 1276/78 - d. 17 January 1329). - WładysławWładysław of BytomWładysław of Bytom , was a Duke of Koźle during 1303-1334, Duke of Bytom from 1316, Duke of Toszek since 1329 and Duke of Siewierz during 1328-1337.He was the second son of Duke Casimir of Bytom by his wife Helena.-Life:...
(b. 1277/83 - d. by 8 September 1352). - MariaMaria of BytomMaria of Bytom also known as Queen Maria of Hungary , Rumania, 15 December 1315), was a Polish princess member of the House of Piast in the Bytom branch and by marriage Queen of Hungary....
(b. 1282/84 - d. Temesvár, 15 December 1315), married in 1306 to King Charles I Robert of HungaryCharles I of HungaryCharles I , also known as Charles Robert , was the first King of Hungary and Croatia of the House of Anjou. He was also descended from the old Hungarian Árpád dynasty. His claim to the throne of Hungary was contested by several pretenders...
. - SiemowitSiemowit of BytomSiemowit of Bytom , was a Duke of Bytom during 1312–1316 and Duke of Gliwice from 1340 until his death.He was the third son of Duke Casimir of Bytom by his wife Helena.-Life:...
(b. 1292 - d. aft. 1 July 1342). - GeorgeGeorge of BytomGeorge of Bytom , was a Duke of Bytom since 1316 until his death .He was the fourth son of Duke Casimir of Bytom by his wife Helena.-Life:...
(b. 1300 - d. by 1327). - MieszkoMieszko of BytomMieszko of Bytom , was a Duke of Siewierz during 1312-1328 , Bishop of Nitra during 1328-1334 and Bishop of Veszprém since 1334 until his death....
(b. ca. 1305 - d. bef. 9 August 1344).
The considerable age difference between Casimir's three older and three younger children created the theory that he maybe had more than one wife. However, there is no evidence that supports this and the majority of historians accept that Helena was his only wife and mother of all his known children.