Silesian Piasts - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Silesian Piasts were the oldest line of the 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...

beginning with Władysław II the Exile, son of Bolesław III Wrymouth, Duke of Poland. According to Bolesław's testament Władysław II the Exile was granted the Silesian province

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...

as his hereditary realm and also 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...

because he was the oldest among the Piasts.

Early history

According to the map of Ptolemaios found in Constantinopole in 2010 Germanic tribes founded the first towns there in the Second Century. Afterward the Germanic tribes moved west and Slavs inhabited the country.

In 1145 Władysław attempted to take control of the whole of Poland, but he was defeated by his younger brothers in 1146 and was driven into exile to 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 Thuringia, an imperial palace

Kaiserpfalz

The term Kaiserpfalz or Königspfalz refers to a number of castles across the Holy Roman Empire which served as temporary, secondary seats of power for the Holy Roman Emperor in the Early and High Middle Ages...

of emperor Konrad III, his brother-in-law. The Seniorate Province as well as Silesia came under the control of Bolesław IV the Curly (duke of Masovia). In the same year Konrad III attempted to regain power for Władysław, but failed. In 1157 Bolesław IV the Curly was defeated by Konrads successor Frederic Barbarossa, but the "Silesian issue" was not mentioned in the treaty concluded by the rulers, and so Władysław remained in exile. He died in 1159 without returning to Poland.

In 1163 Bolesław IV the Curly was pressed by Frederic Barbarossa to return the hereditary Silesian province to Władysław's sons Bolesław, 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...

and Mieszko. Silesia remained in the Polish seniorate, but the sons had to pay a yearly tribute to Frederic Barbarossa. The senior duke retained control of the most important cities in the region such as Wrocław, 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...

, Głogów, Racibórz

Racibórz

Racibórz is a town in southern Poland with 60,218 inhabitants situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , previously in Katowice Voivodeship...

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...

until 1166, when the Silesian dukes took control of these parts. The three sons probably ruled Silesia together until 1172. Afterwards they divided the territory. Bolesław received the area 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...

, 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...

and Legnica

Legnica

, Konrad Żagań

Zagan

Zagan may refer to:*Zagan - a demon in the Ars Goetia*Żagań - a town in west Poland...

, Głogów and Krosno

Krosno

Krosno is a town and county in Subcarpathian Voivodeship, Poland with 47,455 inhabitants, as of 2 June 2009.Notably Krosno is the site of the first oil well in the world....

and Mieszko the smallest part with Racibórz

Racibórz

Racibórz is a town in southern Poland with 60,218 inhabitants situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , previously in Katowice Voivodeship...

and Cieszyn

Cieszyn

Cieszyn is a border-town and the seat of Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It has 36,109 inhabitants . Cieszyn lies on the Olza River, a tributary of the Oder river, opposite Český Těšín....

. As Konrad prepared himself for a clerical career in Fulda

Fulda

Fulda is a city in Hesse, Germany; it is located on the river Fulda and is the administrative seat of the Fulda district .- Early Middle Ages :...

his brother Bolesław administered his possessions until Konrad's early death, when Bolesław incorporated Konrad's part into his own duchy. Mieszko at the same time expanded his duchy with 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...

and Oświęcim

Oswiecim

Oświęcim is a town in the Lesser Poland province of southern Poland, situated west of Kraków, near the confluence of the rivers Vistula and Soła.- History :...

, which were given to him by Casimir II

Casimir 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 Opole, which he received after the death of Bolesław. In 1202 Bolesław's son, Henry I

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:...

, and Mieszko moreover specified to rule out the right of succession among their branches, an arrangement which was largely responsible for the special position of what would become Upper Silesia. In the same year Poland abolished the seniorate and Silesian duchies became independent entities.

Struggle for the Polish Crown

Henry I the Bearded

actively took part in the inner-Polish conflicts and expanded his dominion with determination. Henry, before securing in 1229 the sovereignty in 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...

, had made no less persevering efforts to bring 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...

also under his dominion. From the beginning of the thirteenth century he had not ceased to intervene in the disputes which were carried on between the descendants of Mieszko the Old. At last in 1234 a good half of that province was formally ceded to him. As a guardian of minor dukes Henry moreover ruled over 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...

and 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...

. But he aimed higher. This Silesian prince not only intended to enlarge his possessions; he proposed to make them the nucleus of a restored Kingdom of Poland. He became duke of Kraków

Kraków

(Polonia Minor) in 1232, which gave him the title of the Senior Duke of Poland (see Testament of Bolesław III Krzywousty). Henry expanded his realm also outside Poland ruling over Barnim

Barnim

Barnim is a district in Brandenburg, Germany. It is bounded by Poland, the district of Märkisch-Oderland, the city state of Berlin and the districts of Oberhavel and Uckermark.- History :...

, Teltow

Teltow

Teltow is a town in the Potsdam-Mittelmark district, in Brandenburg, Germany.-Geography:Teltow is part of the agglomeration of Berlin. The distance to the Berlin city centre is , while the distance to Potsdam is ....

(owned temporarily) as well as parts of Lower Lusatia

Lower Lusatia

Lower Lusatia is a historical region stretching from the southeast of the Brandenburg state of Germany to the southwest of the Lubusz Voivodeship in Poland. Important towns beside the historic capital Lübben include Calau, Cottbus, Guben , Luckau, Spremberg, Finsterwalde, Senftenberg and Żary...

. Unfortunately, despite his efforts, he never gained the Polish crown.

The royal crown, almost forgotten since the fall of Bolesław II, was destined by him for his eldest son, whom he associated in his rule towards the end of his life. This Henry II the Pious

Henry II the Pious

Henry II the Pious , of the Silesian line of the Piast dynasty was Duke of Silesia at Wrocław and Duke of Kraków and thus High Duke of all Poland as well as Duke of Southern Greater Poland from 1238 until his death. During 1238–1239 he also served as a regent of two other Piast duchies: Sandomierz...

, who succeeded his father in 1238, was, in fact, entirely worthy of the heritage of the first Piasts. Pursuing the very able policy of Henry the Bearded, his son was moreover able to obtain the support of the clergy, with whom his father had had frequent disagreements. In a close alliance with his brother-in-law, Bohemian king Wenceslaus, he consolidated his position in Greater Poland against Barnim I of Pomerania

Barnim I, Duke of Pomerania

Barnim I the Good from the Griffin dynasty was a Duke of Pomerania from 1220 until his death.-Life:...

and repelled an attack on castle Lubusz by the markgrave of Brandenburg

Brandenburg

Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...

and the archbishop of Magdeburg

Magdeburg

Magdeburg , is the largest city and the capital city of the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Magdeburg is situated on the Elbe River and was one of the most important medieval cities of Europe....

. Following an old tradition of his dynasty

Dynasty

A dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire...

, he placed himself under the protection of the Holy See

Holy See

The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...

, with which he also allied himself against Frederick II

Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor

Frederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous...

. In spite of all his German

German nobility

The German nobility was the elite hereditary ruling class or aristocratic class from ca. 500 B.C. to the Holy Roman Empire and what is now Germany.-Principles of German nobility:...

connections Henry the Pious would, therefore, assuredly have maintained the independence

Independence

Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....

and prestige of the kingdom

Monarchy

A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...

if all his plan had not been annihilated by an unforeseen catastrophe. In 1241 he died as an Christian

Christian

A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...

hero in the Battle of Legnica

Battle of Legnica

The Battle of Legnica , also known as the Battle of Liegnitz or Battle of Wahlstatt , was a battle between the Mongol Empire and the combined defending forces of European fighters that took place at Legnickie Pole near the city of Legnica in Silesia on 9 April 1241.A combined force of Poles,...

, in which he was attempting to arrest the Mongolian

Mongols

Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...

invasion. His death left the Silesian Piast dynasty deeply shaken.

Fragmentation and turn to Bohemia

After Henrys death his brother Bolesław II ruled also for his underage brothers. Since all male members of the family were equally inheritable, a rule vital for the coming years, the hereditary division was put into practice in 1248/51. Bolesław established 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....

, Konrad I

Konrad I, Duke of Silesia-Glogau

Konrad I of Głogów was Duke of Głogów from 1251 until his death.He was the fourth son of Henry II the Pious, Duke of Wroclaw, by his wife Anna, daughter of King Ottokar I of Bohemia.-Life:...

Glogow, Henry III kept Wroclaw together with Ladislaus, who would become archbishop of Salzburg

Salzburg

-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...

. Already the next generation divided the territory again. Jawor

Duchy of Jawor

Duchy of Jawor was one of the Duchies of Silesia, with a capital in Jawor. It was created in 1274 as a subdivision of the Duchy of Legnica in Lower Silesia under the rule of Henry V the Fat, the eldest son of Duke Bolesław II the Bald...

and Lwówek Śląski

Lwówek Slaski

Lwówek Śląski is a town in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship in Poland. Situated on the Bóbr River, Lwówek Śląski is about 30 km NNW of Jelenia Góra and has a population of about 10,300 inhabitants...

split off from Legnica, Duchy of Żagań

Duchy of Żagań

The Duchy of Żagań or Duchy of Sagan was one of the duchies of Silesia ruled by the Silesian Piasts. Its capital was Żagań in Lower Silesia, the territory stretched to the town of Nowogród Bobrzański in the north and reached the Lusatian Neisse at Przewóz in the west, including two villages...

and Ścinawa

Scinawa

Ścinawa is a town and municipality on the Oder river in the Lower Silesian region of Poland. The town features a number of historic monuments including city hall and the town church . The Ścinawa train station is a key gateway for travel throughout the region, connecting major destinations such...

from Głogów. In the next generation Brzeg

Duchy of Brzeg

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...

was detached from Wrocław, Świdnica and Duchy of Ziębice

Duchy of Ziebice

The Duchy of Münsterberg was one of the Duchies of Silesia, with a capital in Münsterberg . Existing from 1321/1322 to 1742, it was located in what came to be referred to as Lower Silesia...

from Lwówek Śląski-Jawor and Oleśnica from Głogów. The Duchy of Opole

Duchy of Opole

Duchy of Opole was one of the duchies of Silesia ruled by the Piast dynasty. Its capital was Opole in Upper Silesia.After Bolesław I the Tall and his younger brother Mieszko I Tanglefoot backed by Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa had retained their Silesian heritage in 1163, they divided the...

, which was established by Mieszko I and called after its residence Opole, wasn't spared from the divisions, they only began one generation later. The four sons of Wladislaw I of Opole, a grandson of Mieszko, split the duchy into Opole, 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...

- Bytom

Bytom

, Racibórz

Duchy of Racibórz

Duchy of Racibórz was one of the duchies of Silesia. Its capital was Racibórz in Upper Silesia.-History:After Bolesław I the Tall and his younger brother Mieszko I Tanglefoot backed by Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa had retained their Silesian heritage in 1163, the Duchy of Racibórz was formed in...

and Teschen. These duchies were also split again in the next generation. Opole was divided into Opole, Niemodlin

Niemodlin

Niemodlin is a town in Opole County, Opole Voivodeship, Poland, with 6,911 inhabitants .It was first mentioned as Nemodlin in a 1224 deed and received town privileges in 1283. Originally a part of the Duchy of Opole, after the death of Duke Bolko I Niemodlin became the capital of a duchy in his...

and Strzelce Opolskie

Strzelce Opolskie

Strzelce Opolskie is a town in south-western Poland with 19,628 inhabitants , situated in the Opole Voivodeship. It is the capital of Strzelce County. Strzelce Opolskie is one of the biggest centers of German minority in Poland....

, Koźle-Bytom in Koźle, Bytom and 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...

, Teschen in Teschen and 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....

.

These divisions often were the result of fierce, also militant, conflicts, in which not only the Silesian parties but also their partisans from neighboring Poland and 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...

were involved. Whereas the connections to Poland diminished the political ties with Bohemia became increasingly stronger, a development mirrored by the inner Silesian changes caused by the Ostsiedlung

Ostsiedlung

Ostsiedlung , also called German eastward expansion, was the medieval eastward migration and settlement of Germans from modern day western and central Germany into less-populated regions and countries of eastern Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The affected area roughly stretched from Slovenia...

, which was started by Piasts when they returned from their exile. The reign of duke Henry IV Probus was exemplary for the position of Silesias duchies in the area of tension between Poland and Bohemia. After the death of his father Henry III he was raised 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...

at the court of Bohemias king Ottokar II

Ottokar 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....

, who also became his guardian. After Ottokars death he did not, as expected, became vicegerent of Bohemia for underage Wenceslaus II but was compensated with Kłodzko by Rudolf of Habsburg

Rudolph I of Germany

Rudolph I was King of the Romans from 1273 until his death. He played a vital role in raising the Habsburg dynasty to a leading position among the Imperial feudal dynasties...

, who also ennobled Henry to a count of the Holy Roman Empire and granted him his duchy as a fief

Fiefdom

A fee was the central element of feudalism and consisted of heritable lands granted under one of several varieties of feudal tenure by an overlord to a vassal who held it in fealty in return for a form of feudal allegiance and service, usually given by the...

. Henry not only obtained the preeminence in Silesia but, with the help of the German party in Polonia Minor, also the duchy of Kraków and became duke of Poland. He initially wanted Wenceslaus to become his successor, but changed his plan on the deathbed and granted Wrocław to Henry III

Henry III, Duke of Silesia-Glogau

Henry III of Głogów was a Duke of Głogów from 1274 to his death and also Duke of parts of Greater Poland during 1306–1309....

and Krakow to Przemysł II, whereas Kłodzko returned to Bohemia.

Vassals of Bohemia and decline

As Przemysł II united Poland the weak and divided Silesian dukes needed a strong partner who could provide cover. They now separated from the Polish state and subjected to the Bohemian crown.

After the death of Wenceslaus III

Wenceslaus III of Bohemia

Wenceslaus III Premyslid was the King of Hungary , King of Bohemia and the king of Poland ....

, king of 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...

and Poland, the right to the Polish crown was disputed, being claimed by various Piast dukes as well as the successors of Wenceslaus III on the Bohemian throne. In 1327 John of Bohemia invaded Poland in order to gain the Polish crown. After the intervention of King Charles I of Hungary

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...

he left Polonia Minor, but on his way back he enforced his supremacy over the Upper Silesia

Upper Silesia

Upper Silesia is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia. Since the 9th century, Upper Silesia has been part of Greater Moravia, the Duchy of Bohemia, the Piast Kingdom of Poland, again of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as of...

n Piasts. In February 1327 five principalities were carved out of Polish Upper Silesia

Upper Silesia

and placed under Bohemian suzerenity: Duchy of Niemodlin, Duchy of Cieszyn

Duchy of Cieszyn

The Duchy of Cieszyn or Duchy of Teschen or Duchy of Těšín was an autonomous Silesian duchy centered on Teschen in Upper Silesia. After the feudal division of Poland it was split off in 1281 and ruled by Silesian dukes from the Piast dynasty since 1290...

, Duchy of Racibórz

Duchy of Racibórz

, Duchy of Koźle and 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...

and the Duchy of 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 Zator

Duchy of Zator

The Duchy of Zator was one of many Duchies of Silesia.It was split off the Duchy of Oświęcim, when after eleven years of joint rule the sons of Duke Casimir I in 1445 finally divided the lands among themselves, whereby his eldest son Wenceslaus received the territory around the town of Zator...

. In April the dukes of Opole

Duchy of Opole

and Wrocław also became the tributaries of king John.

In 1329 Władysław I the Elbow-high engaged himself in a war with the Teutonic Order. The Order was supported by John of Bohemia who managed to enforce his supremacy over the dukes of Masovia and Lower Silesia

Lower Silesia

Lower Silesia ; is the northwestern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia; Upper Silesia is to the southeast.Throughout its history Lower Silesia has been under the control of the medieval Kingdom of Poland, the Kingdom of Bohemia and the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy from 1526...

. In April–May 1329 following Lower Silesian duchies became subjects of the Bohemian crown: Ścinawa, Oleśnica, Żagań

Duchy of Żagań

, 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....

-Brzeg

Duchy of Brzeg

and Jawor

Duchy of Jawor

. In 1331 the Duchy of Głogów separated from Poland as well.

The last independent Silesian Piast – Bolko II of Świdnica – died in 1368. His wife Agnes ruled the Świdnica

Swidnica

Świdnica is a city in south-western Poland in the region of Silesia. It has a population of 60,317 according to 2006 figures. It lies in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, being the seventh largest town in that voivodeship. From 1975–98 it was in the former Wałbrzych Voivodeship...

duchy until her death in 1392. From that time on all remaining Silesian Piasts were vassals of the Bohemian crown, although they maintained their sovereign rights.

In 1335 John of Bohemia renounced his claim to the title of king of Poland in favour of Casimir the Great, who in return renounced his claims to Silesia. This was formalized in the treaties of Trenčín

Trencín

Trenčín is a city in western Slovakia of the central Váh River valley near the Czech border, around from Bratislava. It has a population of more than 56,000, which makes it the ninth largest municipality of the country and is the seat of the Trenčín Region and the Trenčín District...

and Visegrád

Visegrád

Visegrád is a small castle town in Pest County, Hungary.Situated north of Budapest on the right bank of the Danube in the Danube Bend, Visegrád has a population 1,654 as of 2001...

, ratified in 1339.

The division into small and smallest territories led to a decline of prestige and power. Many Silesian piasts now merely had the status of squire

Squire

The English word squire is a shortened version of the word Esquire, from the Old French , itself derived from the Late Latin , in medieval or Old English a scutifer. The Classical Latin equivalent was , "arms bearer"...

s with greater rights. Some Piasts entered foreign services as mercenary leaders, like Johann II von Glogau and Sagan, Henry IX. traveled through Europe as a goliard

Goliard

The Goliards were a group of clergy who wrote bibulous, satirical Latin poetry in the 12th and 13th centuries. They were mainly clerical students at the universities of France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and England who protested the growing contradictions within the Church, such as the failure of the...

. The descent of the dynasty was also illustrated by the marriages of the dukes. The Silesian Piasts of the 13th and 14th century married into princely families especially from German families, but also other European royal lines, whereas later Piasts also married non-princely and even bourgeois women.

With the adoption of the Protestant faith

Protestantism

Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...

in Silesia the Piasts again gained importance. Against the Catholic

Catholic

The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...

Habsburg dynasty, which ruled Silesia since 1526, the dukes sought political support by entering matrimonies with Protestant, imperial rulers like the Hohenzollern dynasty. Their last attempts of independent policies were the candidatures of Frederick II of Liegnitz for the Bohemian crown (1526) and of Henry XI (1573), Frederick IV (1576) and Christian (1668) for the Polish crown.

During the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries various branches of the Silesian Piasts became extinct. In 1532 the last Duke of Opole, John II the Good, died, leaving most of Upper Silesia under direct Bohemian rule. In 1675 the last legitimate Silesian Piast – George William, Duke of Liegnitz

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...

– died. The last male Silesian Piast was baron Ferdinand II Hohenstein

Ferdinand II Hohenstein

Ferdinand II von und zu Hohenstein was the last of the Silesian Piasts. The last ruling Duke of Silesia of the later referred to as Silesian Piasts, was George William, Duke of Liegnitz-Brieg and Wehlau....

, who died in 1706, the last female Piast, Charlotte, died in 1707.

Silesian Piasts and Poland

The Silesian Piasts formed the oldest branch of the first Polish royal dynasty. This was the reason that even after the fragmentation of Poland their interest in the Polish matters was still strong. Norman Davis

Norman Davis

Norman H. Davis , was a U.S. diplomat. He was born in Bedford, Tennessee. He served as President Wilson's Assistant Secretary of Treasury and later as Undersecretary of State....

stated that the dynastic loyalty of all Piast dukes as well as a single ecclesiastic organisation still secured the unity of the divided Kingdom of Poland. In his opinion the alleged "will" to separate from Poland is contradicted by the continuous involvement of the Silesian Piasts in Polish affairs. He remarks that the dukes of Silesia did not break their connections with their relatives in the rest of Poland. The most visible evidence of this is said to be the fact that in the 13th century three Silesian Dukes – Henry I, Henry II and Henry IV – took control of Kraków

Kraków

and therefore of the senior throne of the whole of Poland.

In Davies' opinion the Germanisation

Germanisation

Germanisation is both the spread of the German language, people and culture either by force or assimilation, and the adaptation of a foreign word to the German language in linguistics, much like the Romanisation of many languages which do not use the Latin alphabet...

of Silesia did not necessarily mean a desire to move apart from Poland. He suggests that it was more likely a way to satisfy the Silesian Piasts' ambitions inside Poland. The planned introduction of German settlers would strengthen Silesia, and also the Silesian Piast claims to the senioral throne in Kraków. Only when the Silesian Piasts' ambitions to rule in Kraków were thwarted did they decide to set their province on a different course.

Early history

Struggle for the Polish Crown

Fragmentation and turn to Bohemia

Vassals of Bohemia and decline

Silesian Piasts and Poland

See also