Wenceslaus I of Zator
Encyclopedia
Wenceslaus I of Zator was a Duke of Oświęcim
during 1434-1445 (with his brothers as co-rulers) and Duke of Zator
from 1445 until his death.
He was the eldest son of Duke Casimir I of Oświęcim
by his first wife Anna, daughter of Duke Henry VIII of Żagań
.
and Jan IV.
For unknown reasons he didn't assisted to the Congress of Będzin
on 15 October 1434, were, among other things, were defined the frontiers between Lesser Poland
and Silesia
; which more surprising that there was present his stepmother Margareta.
However, this doesn't mean that the Dukes of Oświęcim avoid contacts with Poland
, as already on 6 October 1438 in Toszek
they undertook to consider the Polish King Casimir IV as King of Bohemia, despite the fact that at least two other Silesian Dukes were also candidates for the throne. Thanks to their support to King Casimir IV, Wenceslaus I and his brothers received the land of Zator
.
On 9 February 1440 the castellan Dziersław z Rytwian made a military expedition against the Dukes of Oświęcim, which took place probably due for the treaty of Toszek. The surprise of Wenceslaus I and his brothers was so great that the Polish forces managed to take Zator virtually without resistance. The peace was finally signed on 26 October of that year; under the terms of the peace treaty, Zator returned into the hands of the Dukes of Oświęcim, in return for which Dziersław z Rytwian received the polish town and fortress of Barwałd. The next step was doing on 8 January 1441, when Wenceslaus I was compelled to paid homage to the Polish King and a further diminution of his power in the government on behalf of his younger brothers.
The common rule of Casimir I's sons over Oświęcim
lasted until 19 January 1445, when, at the request of Duke Nicholas V of Karniów
, the Duchy was divided into three separate sections: Jan IV took Oświęcim, Przemysław obtain Toszek
and Wenceslaus I received Zator
—it's unknown why Wenceslaus I, as the oldest son, didn't receive the main town of the Duchy and obtained the relative small town of Zator.
As a Duke of Zator, Wenceslaus I tried to lead a policy of approaching to Poland, despite his still existing ties with the Bohemian Kingdom (he was formally a vassal of Bohemia).
In 1448, Wenceslaus I promised to support the Polish efforts to defend the country's frontiers. Five years later, he and his brother Jan IV privately gave their military services to the King.
The informal relationship between the Duke of Zator and the Polish crown was confirmed in 1456 when Wenceslaus I paid homage to King Casimir IV. This step was made public only in 1462 in the Congress of Głogów.
Wenceslaus I's exact date of death is unknown, but is generally ranked between 1465 and before 29 July 1468. His place of burial is also unknown, but presumably was in the Church of Saint Adalbert and Saint George in Zator.
. According to the chronicler Jan Długosz, this non-dynastic marriage was concluded for love, in an extraordinary exception between the Silesian Dukes and the House of Piast in general. They had seven children:
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 :...
during 1434-1445 (with his brothers as co-rulers) and Duke of Zator
Zator
Zator is an old town on the Skawa river within Oświęcim County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship in southern Poland. From 1975 to 1998 it belonged to the Bielsko-Biała Voivodeship. It is the administrative seat of the Gmina Zator...
from 1445 until his death.
He was the eldest son of Duke Casimir I of Oświęcim
Casimir I of Oświęcim
Casimir I of Oświęcim was a Duke of Oświęcim since 1406 , ruler over Toszek and Strzelin .He was the only child of Duke Przemysław of Oświęcim by his unknown wife.-Life:...
by his first wife Anna, daughter of Duke Henry VIII of Żagań
Henry VIII the Sparrow
Henry VIII the Sparrow was a Duke of Żagań–Głogów during 1368–1378 , from 1378 ruler over Zielona Góra, Szprotawa, Kożuchów, Przemków and Sulechów, and since 1395 ruler over half of Głogów, Ścinawa and Bytom Odrzański.He was the second son of Henry V of Iron, Duke of Żagań–Głogów, by...
.
Life
At the time of his father's death in 1434 Wenceslaus I was already grown enough to assumed the government of the Duchy by himself and to take the guardianship of his younger brothers PrzemysławPrzemysław of Toszek
Przemysław of Toszek was a Duke of Oświęcim during 1434–1445 and Duke of Toszek since 1445 until his death....
and Jan IV.
For unknown reasons he didn't assisted to the Congress of Będzin
Bedzin
Będzin is a city in Zagłębie Dąbrowskie in southern Poland. Located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Czarna Przemsza river , the city borders the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - a metro area with a population of about 2 million.It has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship since its...
on 15 October 1434, were, among other things, were defined the frontiers between 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...
and Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
; which more surprising that there was present his stepmother Margareta.
However, this doesn't mean that the Dukes of Oświęcim avoid contacts with Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, as already on 6 October 1438 in 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...
they undertook to consider the Polish King Casimir IV as King of Bohemia, despite the fact that at least two other Silesian Dukes were also candidates for the throne. Thanks to their support to King Casimir IV, Wenceslaus I and his brothers received the land of Zator
Zator
Zator is an old town on the Skawa river within Oświęcim County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship in southern Poland. From 1975 to 1998 it belonged to the Bielsko-Biała Voivodeship. It is the administrative seat of the Gmina Zator...
.
On 9 February 1440 the castellan Dziersław z Rytwian made a military expedition against the Dukes of Oświęcim, which took place probably due for the treaty of Toszek. The surprise of Wenceslaus I and his brothers was so great that the Polish forces managed to take Zator virtually without resistance. The peace was finally signed on 26 October of that year; under the terms of the peace treaty, Zator returned into the hands of the Dukes of Oświęcim, in return for which Dziersław z Rytwian received the polish town and fortress of Barwałd. The next step was doing on 8 January 1441, when Wenceslaus I was compelled to paid homage to the Polish King and a further diminution of his power in the government on behalf of his younger brothers.
The common rule of Casimir I's sons over 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 :...
lasted until 19 January 1445, when, at the request of Duke Nicholas V of Karniów
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....
, the Duchy was divided into three separate sections: Jan IV took Oświęcim, Przemysław obtain 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 Wenceslaus I received Zator
Zator
Zator is an old town on the Skawa river within Oświęcim County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship in southern Poland. From 1975 to 1998 it belonged to the Bielsko-Biała Voivodeship. It is the administrative seat of the Gmina Zator...
—it's unknown why Wenceslaus I, as the oldest son, didn't receive the main town of the Duchy and obtained the relative small town of Zator.
As a Duke of Zator, Wenceslaus I tried to lead a policy of approaching to Poland, despite his still existing ties with the Bohemian Kingdom (he was formally a vassal of Bohemia).
In 1448, Wenceslaus I promised to support the Polish efforts to defend the country's frontiers. Five years later, he and his brother Jan IV privately gave their military services to the King.
The informal relationship between the Duke of Zator and the Polish crown was confirmed in 1456 when Wenceslaus I paid homage to King Casimir IV. This step was made public only in 1462 in the Congress of Głogów.
Wenceslaus I's exact date of death is unknown, but is generally ranked between 1465 and before 29 July 1468. His place of burial is also unknown, but presumably was in the Church of Saint Adalbert and Saint George in Zator.
Marriage and issue
Around 1450 Wenceslaus married with Maria [also named Margareta] (d. aft. 1468), daughter of Urban Kopczowski, a noblemen from the Duchy of SiewierzDuchy of Siewierz
The Duchy of Siewierz was a Silesian duchy with its capital in Siewierz. The area was part of the original Duchy of Silesia established after the death of Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth in 1138 during the times of the fragmentation of Poland....
. According to the chronicler Jan Długosz, this non-dynastic marriage was concluded for love, in an extraordinary exception between the Silesian Dukes and the House of Piast in general. They had seven children:
- Casimir IICasimir II of ZatorCasimir II of Zator , was a Duke of Zator during 1468-1474 , and ruler over half of Zator from 1474 until his death ....
(b. ca. 1450 - d. 8 January/7 July 1490). - Wenceslaus IIWenceslaus II of ZatorWenceslaus II of Zator , was a Duke of Zator during 1468-1474 , and ruler over half of Zator from 1474 until his death ....
(b. ca. 1450/55 - d. bef. 5 October 1487). - Jan VJan V of ZatorJan V of Zator , was a Duke of Zator during 1468-1474 , and ruler over half of Zator from 1474 until his death ....
(b. bef. 1455 - d. 17 September 1513). - WładysławWładysław of ZatorWładysław of Zator , was a Duke of Zator during 1468-1474 , ruler over half of Zator during 1474-1482 and Duke of Wadowice since 1482 until his death....
(b. 1455 - d. by 28 May/21 September 1494). - Sophie (d. ca. 1466).
- Katharina (d. ca. 1466).
- Agnes (d. aft. 21 October 1465).