Bolesław the Pious
Bolesław the Pious | |
---|---|
Jolenta of Poland | |
Issue | Elisabeth Jadwiga Anna |
Father | Władysław Odonic |
Mother | Jadwiga |
Bolesław the Pious (1224/27 – 14 April 1279) was a Duke of Greater Poland during 1239–1247 (according to some historians during 1239–1241, sole Duke of Ujście), Duke of Kalisz during 1247–1249, Duke of Gniezno during 1249–1250, Duke of Gniezno-Kalisz during 1253–1257, Duke of the whole of Greater Poland and Poznań during 1257–1273, in 1261 ruler over Ląd, regent of the Duchies of Mazovia, Płock and Czersk during 1262–1264, ruler over Bydgoszcz during 1268–1273, Duke of Inowrocław during 1271–1273, and Duke of Gniezno-Kalisz from 1273 until his death.
He was the second son of
Early years
The first years of Bolesław saw him share the fierce dispute of his father against Władysław III Spindleshanks (his own uncle) for his inheritance. However, Władysław Odonic took care properly for the upbringing of his offspring, evidenced by the fact that Bolesław, like his older brother Przemysł I, was able to read and write Latin.
Guardianship of Przemysł I
Because Bolesław was a minor when Władysław Odonic died on 5 June 1239, his elder brother Przemysł I ruled alone at first. Historians agree the territory the brothers inherited started out small, but disagree as to whether it extended beyond
The indivisibility of the Duchy was not to Bolesław's liking, and in 1247 he persuaded his brother Przemysł I to provide territory for his sole leadership: the land between the
In 1249 Bolesław, dissatisfied with the tutelage of his older brother, persuaded him to make a new division of their patrimony. He received the Duchies of
- Przemysł captured his brother Bolesław and took all his lands and castles.
The conflict certainly was not trivial, since Bolesław did not regain his freedom until 20 April 1253, thanks to the pressures of the powerful Greater Poland clergy. The final reconciliation between the brothers occurred in May of that year at a meeting in Pogorzelica near
Sole rulership
Foreign policy
On 4 June 1257 Przemysł I died, aged only 36. With his brother's death, new horizons opened to Bolesław. He became in the undisputed sole ruler over the whole of
Relations with Masovia and Kuyavia
During 1258-1261 Bolesław was involved in a long and destructive war against Casimir I of Kuyavia and his ally Swantopolk II for the castellanie of Ladzka. To this end, the Greater Poland Duke allied with
On 23 June 1262 Siemowit I was killed at the hands of the
) for the next two years, until 1264, when Konrad II obtain his freedom and return to Masovia.In 1268 Bolesław interfered again in the Kuyavian affairs. Casimir I's son, Duke Ziemomysł of Inowrocław, followed a policy of close contacts with the Teutonic Order and Duke Sambor II of Pomerania, who became in his father-in-law. This caused a deep dissatisfaction among the local nobility, who called on Bolesław for help. The Duke of Greater Poland quickly took Radziejów, Kruszwica and the castle in Bydgoszcz; however, rapid action by Ziemomysł regained temporary control of this lands.
Despite this success, Ziemomysł continued with his German-Pomeranian politics, which caused a new revolt by his subjects, who called again Bolesław for help: in 1271 he invaded the Duchy of Inowrocław and forced Ziemomysł to flee. Bolesław retained the Duchy until 1273, when he gave it to Ziemomysł's brother Leszek II the Black, except for Radziejów and Kruszwica, which remained in Greater Poland.
War against Brandenburg
From the beginning of his sole rule, Bolesław established contacts with the Margraviate of Brandenburg, ruled by the House of Ascania; in this, he followed the policy of his brother Przemysł I, who even betrothed his eldest daughter Constance with Conrad, son of Margrave John I. Three years after Przemysł I's death (in 1260), Constance and Conrad were formally married. As a dowry, Brandenburg received the castellany of Santok (but without the important main city) with the consent of a wiec reunited in Greater Poland, which took place on 1 July 1260 in Poznań.
However, the expected peace due to this marriage was short-lived. In early 1265 Brandenburg occupied the main city of Santok and broke the previous agreement. Thanks to an immediate diplomatic intervention, Bolesław soon signed a new treaty with Brandenburg, under which Greater Poland burned the fortress built in
The war with the House of Ascania wasn't limited to the border areas of Greater Poland. By 1272 Bolesław entered in an alliance with Mestwin II, Duke of Pomerania-Gdańsk; one year later (in 1273), he renewed his homage to Brandenburg and promised his help to the Margraviate against all his enemies, except the Duke of Greater Poland. In the same year was launched another expedition against Brandenburg. Although nominal leadership of the troops was given by Bolesław to his young nephew Przemysł II, the expedition was actually headed by experienced commanders such as the voivode of Poznań, Przedpełk Łodzia, and the castellan of Kalisz Janek. They successfully reconquered both Drezdenko and Strzelce. The last campaign against Brandenburg during Bolesław's lifetime took in the summer of 1278, when Greater Poland troops advanced to Myślibórz and eventually recovered Santok.
Internal policy
Bolesław continued the policy of Przemysł I and maintained in their positions the nobles appointed by him. He also developed good relations with the Church while also trying to influence the appointment of the most important religious posts. His generosity to the clergy, allowed the Franciscans to establish a post in 1259 in Gniezno. Also during his rule the monastery of Poor Clares in Gniezno was started, which remained unfinished even at the time of Przemysł II's death.
On 16 August 1264 Bolesław granted the first written privilege to the Jews of Greater Poland (the Statute of Kalisz). It regulated the judicial authority over the Jewish population, and Jewish credit and trading activity. The comparatively liberal statute served as a basis for Jewish privileges in Poland until 1795.
Last years
In 1273, after the victorious expedition against Brandenburg, Przemysł II began to claim his own separated Duchy. Unable to face the powerful pressure, Bolesław agreed to this and given his nephew the district of
Bolesław died on 14 April 1279 in
Marriage and issue
In 1258 Bolesław married
- Elisabeth (b. 1261/63 – d. September 1304), married in 1273 to Henry V, Duke of Legnica.
- .
- Anna (b. 1276/78 – d. bef. 1300), a nun in Gniezno.
After Bolesław died without male heirs, all of the Greater Poland Duchy passed to his only nephew Przemysł II, who was crowned King of Poland in 1295 but murdered the following year. With his death the Greater Poland branch of the Piast dynasty became extinct.
References
- ^ Davies 1982, p. 64.
- ^ Berend, Urbanczyk & Wiszewski 2013, p. 482-483.
- ^ Bolesław Pobożny (Kaliski)
- ^ Lerski 1996, p. 249-250.
Sources
- Berend, Nora; Urbanczyk, Przemyslaw; Wiszewski, Przemyslaw (2013). Central Europe in the High Middle Ages: Bohemia, Hungary and Poland, c.900-c.1300. Cambridge University Press.
- Davies, Norman (1982). God's Playground: A History of Poland. Vol. I: The Origins to 1795. Columbia University Press.
- Lerski, George J. (1996). Historical Dictionary of Poland, 966-1945. Greenwood Press.