Duchy of Masovia

Polish Vassal

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Duchy of Masovia Księstwo Mazowieckie (Polish) Ducatus Mazouie (Latin)
1138–1275 1294–1310 1370–1381 1495–1526
Banner Coat of arms
Kingdom of Poland (1385–1569)
Capital	Płock Czersk (from 1262) Warsaw (from 1413)
Religion	Roman Catholic
Government	District principality
Dukes
• 1138–1173	Bolesław the Curly
• 1194–1247	Konrad I
• 1248–1262	Siemowit I
• 1503–1526	Janusz III (last)
Historical era	Poland	1526
Preceded by Succeeded by Kingdom of Poland Duchy of Płock Duchy of Warsaw Duchy of Czersk Duchy of Rawa Kingdom of Poland Duchy of Kuyavia Duchy of Dobrzyń Duchy of Płock Duchy of Warsaw Duchy of Wizna Duchy of Czersk Duchy of Belz Duchy of Rawa

Duchy of Masovia

Kingdom of Poland^[3].^[4]

History

The lands of the

Mieszko I of Poland (960–992) and formed a constituent part of his Civitas Schinesghe. The Masovian Diocese of Płock

was established in 1075.

Bolesław IV

composed of Masovia and Eastern Kuyavia

Among the Piast Dukes of Masovia, Bolesław's IV nephew Konrad I was Polish high duke from 1229 to 1232 and again from 1241 to 1243; he was the ruler who in 1226 called the Teutonic Order for help against the pagan Old Prussians threatening the northern borders of his territory. In turn he ceded the Prussian Chełmno Land (Kulmerland) to the knights in 1230; according to the Golden Bull of Rimini (dated 1226), issued by the Hohenstaufen emperor Frederick II, these lands became the nucleus of the Order State. In 1233 Konrad gave Kujawy to his second son Casimir I, while Masovia passed to the first-born Bolesław I upon his death in 1247, succeeded by the youngest brother Siemowit I the next year.

While Siemowit's son Duke Konrad II (1264–1294) moved his residence to Czersk he and his brother Bolesław II entered into a long-term conflict over the Polish seniorate with their Kujawy relatives and the Silesian Piasts, which estranged them from the Piast monarchy. When the kingdom was finally restored in 1295 by the coronation of Duke Przemysł II of Greater Poland, the Duchy of Masovia remained independent.

Upon the death of Duke Boleslaus II in 1313, Masovia was divided among his sons:

• Siemowit II became Duke at Rawa (until 1345)
• Trojden I became Duke at Czersk (until 1341)
• Wenceslaus became Duke at Płock (until 1336), followed by his son Bolesław III (until 1351)

As neither Siemowit II nor Bolesław III of Płock left any heirs, Trojden's son Duke

• Janusz I, ruled as duke at Czersk until 1413, when he moved his residence to Warsaw, followed by his grandson Duke Boleslaus IV
  (1429–1454)
• Siemowit IV, Duke at Rawa and Płock (until 1426), also Duke of Belz from 1388

Since the

After the establishment of the Rawa and Płock Voivodeships, in 1495 the last surviving son of Boleslaus IV, Duke Konrad III Rudy, once again united the remaining Masovian lands under his rule. However, the male line of the Masovian Piasts became extinct upon the death of his son Duke Janusz III in 1526, whereafter the duchy as a reverted fief became the Masovian Voivodeship of the Polish Crown.

Parts of the southern region of neighboring

• Duke of Masovia

Notes

References

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