Louis II of Brieg
Encyclopedia
Louis II of Brieg; was a Duke of Brzeg (Brieg)
from 1399 (until 1400 with his older brother as a co-ruler) and Duke of Legnica
from 1413.
He was the second son of Henry VIII with a Scar
, Duke of Brzeg, but the eldest born by his second wife Margareta
, daughter of Siemowit III, Duke of Masovia
.
, Chojnów (Haynau)
and Oława (Ohlau). On 17 July 1402 both brothers appeared in a meeting of Piast Dukes in Wroclaw
, in which they concluded with each other and the other Dukes a defensive alliance and paid homage to King Wenceslaus IV
.
In 1404 Louis II made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land
, during which he was imprisoned by the Saracens. The unfortunate news reached Brzeg only at the end of the year. Henry IX, in order to gather the ransom for his brother, imposed on the inhabitants of Brzeg, as well on his own subjects of Chojnów and Oława an additional tax. The needed sum of 4,000 fines was collected shortly after; however, Louis II wasn't returned to Silesia until the end of 1405. During his captivity, his brother held the regency over his Duchy of Brieg.
Relations between the brothers (which since their childhood had always been close and warm) suffered a total breakdown in connection with the issue of the succession over the Duchy of Legnica. In March 1409 Duke Wenceslaus II of Legnica
, Bishop of Wroclaw, decided to name Louis II as his heir, left him Legnica and a half of Złotoryja (Goldberg). The rights over the other half of Złotoryja and a rent of 6,000 fines were assigned to Henryk IX. Wenceslaus II also decided that both brothers had the option to take control over all Złotoryja if one paid the other in compensation. In the same year Louis II purchased from Henry IX his part of Złotoryja. At this point, the Duke of Lubin (already infuriated by the favoritism of Wenceslaus II over Louis II) and his younger brother broke their friendly relations. Soon the dispute turned into an open war, begun by Henry IX, which occurred during the years 1411-1414. Eventually, on 16 March 1413 Wenceslaus II resigned from the government of Legnica, and gave it to Louis II.
The war continued despite the mediation of Wenceslaus II, who tried to persuade Henry IX to stop. The dispute only ended thanks to the action of King Wenceslaus IV, who forbade his vassals from fighting. The brothers were finally reconciled and issued a document on mutual help. The residents of the Duchy of Legnica-Złotoryja were obliged to pay homage to both Dukes.
In 1419 Ludwik II obtained the town of Krnov
for life, and in 1427 Strzelin
. In 1413 he had already pledged the towns of Kluczbork
, Wołczyn and Byczyna
to Conrad VII the White, Duke of Oleśnica
, who finally bought them in 1420. In 1434 Conrad VII also pledged these lands, this time to the Dukes of Opole
.
In Konstanz
on 9 April 1418, Ludwik II married secondly Elisabeth (b. 1 May/29 September 1403 - d. Legnica, 31 October 1449), daughter of Frederick I, Elector of Brandenburg
. They had four children:
The death of his only son left Louis II without heirs. On his death, one year later, he left the Duchies of Legnica and Brieg to his wife as a widow's land (Oprawa wdowia). Eventually, both Duchies were obtained by his grandson Frederick I of Legnica -Hedwig's son- in 1481.
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...
from 1399 (until 1400 with his older brother as a co-ruler) and Duke of 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...
from 1413.
He was the second son of Henry VIII with a Scar
Henryk VIII with a Scar
Henry VII with a Scar also known as the Courageous or of Brzeg , was a Duke of Brzeg since 1361 and ruler of Niemcza since 1395....
, Duke of Brzeg, but the eldest born by his second wife Margareta
Margaret of Masovia
Margaret of Masovia was Duchess of Pomerania and Brzeg, by her marriages to Casimir IV, Duke of Pomerania and then to Henryk VIII with a Scar. She was a member of the House of Piast....
, daughter of Siemowit III, Duke of Masovia
Siemowit III of Masovia
Siemowit III of Masovia was a prince of Masovia and a co-regent of the lands of Warsaw, Czersk, Rawa, Gostynin and other parts of Masovia.- Life :...
.
Life
Little is known about Louis II's first years. The death of his father in 1399 left him and his older half-brother Henry IX as the co-rulers of the Duchy of Brieg; however, one year later (October 1400) they decided to make a formal division of their domains: Louis II retained Brieg and Henry IX took Lubin (Lüben)Lubin
Lubin is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship in south-western Poland. From 1975–1998 it belonged to the former Legnica Voivodeship. Lubin is the administrative seat of Lubin County, and also of the rural district called Gmina Lubin, although it is not part of the territory of the latter,...
, Chojnów (Haynau)
Chojnów
Chojnów is a small town in Legnica County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It is located on the Skora river, a tributary of the Kaczawa at an average altitude of above sea level. Chojnów is the administrative seat of the rural gmina called Gmina Chojnów, although the town is...
and Oława (Ohlau). On 17 July 1402 both brothers appeared in a meeting of Piast Dukes in 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...
, in which they concluded with each other and the other Dukes a defensive alliance and paid homage to King Wenceslaus IV
Wenceslaus, King of the Romans
Wenceslaus ) was, by election, German King from 1376 and, by inheritance, King of Bohemia from 1378. He was the third Bohemian and second German monarch of the Luxembourg dynasty...
.
In 1404 Louis II made a pilgrimage to 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...
, during which he was imprisoned by the Saracens. The unfortunate news reached Brzeg only at the end of the year. Henry IX, in order to gather the ransom for his brother, imposed on the inhabitants of Brzeg, as well on his own subjects of Chojnów and Oława an additional tax. The needed sum of 4,000 fines was collected shortly after; however, Louis II wasn't returned to Silesia until the end of 1405. During his captivity, his brother held the regency over his Duchy of Brieg.
Relations between the brothers (which since their childhood had always been close and warm) suffered a total breakdown in connection with the issue of the succession over the Duchy of Legnica. In March 1409 Duke Wenceslaus II of Legnica
Wenceslaus II of Legnica
Wenceslaus II of Liegnitz was a Duke of Legnica since 1364 until 1413, Bishop of Lebus and Breslau Wenceslaus II of Liegnitz (1348 – 30 December 1419) was a Duke of Legnica since 1364 (only nominal; from 1409 he reigned alone and personally) until 1413, Bishop of Lebus (1375–82) and Breslau...
, Bishop of Wroclaw, decided to name Louis II as his heir, left him Legnica and a half of Złotoryja (Goldberg). The rights over the other half of Złotoryja and a rent of 6,000 fines were assigned to Henryk IX. Wenceslaus II also decided that both brothers had the option to take control over all Złotoryja if one paid the other in compensation. In the same year Louis II purchased from Henry IX his part of Złotoryja. At this point, the Duke of Lubin (already infuriated by the favoritism of Wenceslaus II over Louis II) and his younger brother broke their friendly relations. Soon the dispute turned into an open war, begun by Henry IX, which occurred during the years 1411-1414. Eventually, on 16 March 1413 Wenceslaus II resigned from the government of Legnica, and gave it to Louis II.
The war continued despite the mediation of Wenceslaus II, who tried to persuade Henry IX to stop. The dispute only ended thanks to the action of King Wenceslaus IV, who forbade his vassals from fighting. The brothers were finally reconciled and issued a document on mutual help. The residents of the Duchy of Legnica-Złotoryja were obliged to pay homage to both Dukes.
In 1419 Ludwik II obtained the town of Krnov
Krnov
Krnov is an Upper Silesian city in the northeastern Czech Republic, in the Moravian-Silesian Region, the District of Bruntál, on the Opava River, near the Polish border....
for life, and in 1427 Strzelin
Strzelin
Strzelin is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship in south-western Poland. It is located on the Oława river, a tributary of the Oder, about south of the region's capital Wrocław. The town is the seat of Strzelin County and also of the smaller municipality of Strzelin...
. In 1413 he had already pledged the towns of Kluczbork
Kluczbork
Kluczbork is a town in southwestern Poland with 26,670 inhabitants , situated in the Opole Voivodeship. It is the capital of Kluczbork County and an important railroad junction. In Kluczbork the major rail line from Katowice splits into two directions - westwards to Wroclaw and northwards to Poznań...
, Wołczyn and Byczyna
Byczyna
Byczyna is a town in Kluczbork County, Opole Voivodeship, Poland, with 3,708 inhabitants .The town of Byczyna was first mention in 1054 when it temporarily served as the capital of the Bishopric of Wrocław...
to Conrad VII the White, Duke of Oleśnica
Olesnica
Oleśnica is a town in the Trzebnickie Hills in southwestern Poland with 36,951 inhabitants . It is situated in Lower Silesian Voivodeship...
, who finally bought them in 1420. In 1434 Conrad VII also pledged these lands, this time to the Dukes 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...
.
Marriages and Issue
Before 14 August 1409, Ludwik II married firstly Hedwig Zápolya (d. 1414), daughter of a Hungarian baron. They had no children.In Konstanz
Konstanz
Konstanz is a university city with approximately 80,000 inhabitants located at the western end of Lake Constance in the south-west corner of Germany, bordering Switzerland. The city houses the University of Konstanz.-Location:...
on 9 April 1418, Ludwik II married secondly Elisabeth (b. 1 May/29 September 1403 - d. Legnica, 31 October 1449), daughter of Frederick I, Elector of Brandenburg
Frederick I, Elector of Brandenburg
Frederick was Burgrave of Nuremberg as Frederick VI and Elector of Brandenburg as Frederick I. He was a son of Burgrave Frederick V of Nuremberg and Elisabeth of Meissen, and was the first member of the House of Hohenzollern to rule the Margraviate of Brandenburg.- Biography :Frederick entered...
. They had four children:
- Louis (b. 1419/20 - d. bef. 7 January 1435).
- Elisabeth (b. 5 January 1426 - d. bef. 7 January 1435).
- Magdalena (b. ca. 1430 - d. 10 September 1497), married by February 1442 to Duke Nicholas I of OpoleNicholas I of OpoleNicholas I of Opole was a Duke of Opole since 1437 , Duke of Brzeg from 1450, ruler over Kluczbork since 1451 and Duke of Strzelce, Niemodlin and Olesno from 1460....
. - Hedwig (b. ca. 1433 - d. 21 October 1471), married in February 1445 to Duke Jan I of Lubin.
The death of his only son left Louis II without heirs. On his death, one year later, he left the Duchies of Legnica and Brieg to his wife as a widow's land (Oprawa wdowia). Eventually, both Duchies were obtained by his grandson Frederick I of Legnica -Hedwig's son- in 1481.