Duchy of Brzeg
Encyclopedia
The Duchy of Brzeg or Duchy of Brieg , was one of the Duchies of Silesia
. Its capital was Brzeg
.
It was created in 1311 during the fragmentation of the Duchy of Legnica
among the sons of Duke Henry V
and ruled by Bolesław III the Generous of the Silesian Piasts
, who declared himself a vassal of King John of Bohemia in 1329. It was reunited with the Duchy of Liegnitz in 1419, then fragmented again, and united once more with Legnica under Duke Christian in 1664. When the Kingdom of Bohemia
was inherited by the Habsburg dynasty of Austria
in 1526, the duchy fell under their overlordship as Bohemian kings, although it was still ruled as a lien by the Silesian Piasts
.
In 1537 Duke Frederick II
concluded a treaty with Elector Joachim II Hector
of Brandenburg
, whereby the Hohenzollern dynasty
would inherit the duchy upon the extinction of the Silesian Piasts. This agreement however was rejected by the Bohemian king Ferdinand I of Habsburg
and did not come into effect.
Together with Legnica, Brzeg was the last autonomous duchy of Silesia. Following the death of the last Piast duke George William
in 1675, it was administered directly by the House of Habsburg in dynasty's capacity as Kings of Bohemia
. However Brandenburg-Prussia
also claimed the duchy, referring to the old inheritance treaty of 1537. Nevertheless the Habsburg Monarchy
again refused to acknowledge the validity of this agreement and annexed the duchies. Several decades later King Frederick II of Prussia
used the dispute as a pretext to justify his campaign during the First Silesian War
in 1740.
Duchies of Silesia
The Duchies of Silesia resulted from divisions of the original Duchy of Silesia after 1138.In accordance with the last will and testament of Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth, the Kingdom of Poland was, upon his death in 1138, divided into five hereditary provinces distributed among his sons, including...
. Its capital was Brzeg
Brzeg
Brzeg is a town in southwestern Poland with 38,496 inhabitants , situated in Silesia in the Opole Voivodeship on the left bank of the Oder...
.
It was created in 1311 during the fragmentation of the Duchy of Legnica
Duchy of Legnica
The Duchy of Legnica or Duchy of Liegnitz was one of the Duchies of Silesia. Its capital was Legnica in Lower Silesia....
among the sons of Duke Henry V
Henry V, Duke of Legnica
Henry V the Fat was a Duke of Jawor from 1273, of Legnica from 1278 and also Duke of Wroclaw from 1290....
and ruled by Bolesław III the Generous of the Silesian Piasts
Silesian Piasts
The Silesian Piasts were the oldest line of the Piast dynasty beginning with Władysław II the Exile, son of Bolesław III Wrymouth, Duke of Poland...
, who declared himself a vassal of King John of Bohemia in 1329. It was reunited with the Duchy of Liegnitz in 1419, then fragmented again, and united once more with Legnica under Duke Christian in 1664. When the Kingdom of Bohemia
Kingdom of Bohemia
The Kingdom of Bohemia was a country located in the region of Bohemia in Central Europe, most of whose territory is currently located in the modern-day Czech Republic. The King was Elector of Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution in 1806, whereupon it became part of the Austrian Empire, and...
was inherited by the Habsburg dynasty of Austria
Archduchy of Austria
The Archduchy of Austria , one of the most important states within the Holy Roman Empire, was the nucleus of the Habsburg Monarchy and the predecessor of the Austrian Empire...
in 1526, the duchy fell under their overlordship as Bohemian kings, although it was still ruled as a lien by the Silesian Piasts
Silesian Piasts
The Silesian Piasts were the oldest line of the Piast dynasty beginning with Władysław II the Exile, son of Bolesław III Wrymouth, Duke of Poland...
.
In 1537 Duke Frederick II
Frederick II of Legnica
Frederick II of Legnica , also known as the Great of Legnica , was a Duke of Legnica from 1488 , of Brzeg from 1521...
concluded a treaty with Elector Joachim II Hector
Joachim II Hector, Elector of Brandenburg
Joachim II Hector was a Prince-elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg . A member of the House of Hohenzollern, Joachim II was the son of Joachim I Nestor, Elector of Brandenburg, and his wife Elizabeth of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden...
of Brandenburg
Margraviate of Brandenburg
The Margraviate of Brandenburg was a major principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806. Also known as the March of Brandenburg , it played a pivotal role in the history of Germany and Central Europe....
, whereby the Hohenzollern dynasty
House of Hohenzollern
The House of Hohenzollern is a noble family and royal dynasty of electors, kings and emperors of Prussia, Germany and Romania. It originated in the area around the town of Hechingen in Swabia during the 11th century. They took their name from their ancestral home, the Burg Hohenzollern castle near...
would inherit the duchy upon the extinction of the Silesian Piasts. This agreement however was rejected by the Bohemian king Ferdinand I of Habsburg
Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand I was Holy Roman Emperor from 1558 and king of Bohemia and Hungary from 1526 until his death. Before his accession, he ruled the Austrian hereditary lands of the Habsburgs in the name of his elder brother, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.The key events during his reign were the contest...
and did not come into effect.
Together with Legnica, Brzeg was the last autonomous duchy of Silesia. Following the death of the last Piast duke George William
George William, Duke of Liegnitz
George William of Legnica was the last Duke of Legnica and Brieg since 1672 until his death.He was the eldest but only surviving son of Christian, Duke of Legnica-Brzeg-Wołów-Oława by his wife Louise, daughter of John Casimir, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau.-Life:Duke Christian, who spent many years in...
in 1675, it was administered directly by the House of Habsburg in dynasty's capacity as Kings of Bohemia
Kingdom of Bohemia
The Kingdom of Bohemia was a country located in the region of Bohemia in Central Europe, most of whose territory is currently located in the modern-day Czech Republic. The King was Elector of Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution in 1806, whereupon it became part of the Austrian Empire, and...
. However Brandenburg-Prussia
Brandenburg-Prussia
Brandenburg-Prussia is the historiographic denomination for the Early Modern realm of the Brandenburgian Hohenzollerns between 1618 and 1701. Based in the Electorate of Brandenburg, the main branch of the Hohenzollern intermarried with the branch ruling the Duchy of Prussia, and secured succession...
also claimed the duchy, referring to the old inheritance treaty of 1537. Nevertheless the Habsburg Monarchy
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
again refused to acknowledge the validity of this agreement and annexed the duchies. Several decades later King Frederick II of Prussia
Frederick II of Prussia
Frederick II was a King in Prussia and a King of Prussia from the Hohenzollern dynasty. In his role as a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire, he was also Elector of Brandenburg. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel...
used the dispute as a pretext to justify his campaign during the First Silesian War
Silesian Wars
The Silesian Wars were a series of wars between Prussia and Austria for control of Silesia. They formed parts of the larger War of the Austrian Succession and Seven Years' War. They eventually ended with Silesia being incorporated into Prussia, and Austrian recognition of this...
in 1740.