Leszek the White
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Leszek the White | |
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Helen of Znojmo |
Leszek the White (
Leszek was the third or fourth,
Struggle for the succession
When Casimir II died on 5 May 1194, Leszek was only nine or ten years old. K. Jasiński, writing in 2001, puts his birth year as 1184 or 1185,
However, Leszek's uncle Mieszko III the Old – who had been ruler of Kraków from 1173–1177 and was deposed after a national rebellion against him – refused to accept this, and with the help of powerful Lesser Poland families, decided to reconquer Kraków.
The war began in 1195. On the side of Leszek and his youngest brother
An extremely bloody battle took place on 13 September 1195 at Mozgawa near
The withdrawal of Mieszko III the Old during the Battle of Mozgawą allowed Leszek (or more accurately, his regents) to maintain power for the next three years. However, in 1198, Mieszko III finally regained power over the
Some time earlier (ca. 1200), Leszek and Konrad, who had reached their majority and began to rule personally, decided to divide their domains. Konrad received Masovia and Kuyavia, while Leszek retained only Sandomierz, probably with the hope of eventually reconquering the Seniorate Province and the adjacent land of Sieradz-Łęczyca.
After the death of Mieszko III, the reinstallment of Leszek was proposed. His former ally Mikołaj Gryfita, fearing his loss of political influence, demanded the dismissal of Leszek's closest collaborator, Goworek. The wojewoda of Sandomierz was ready to step down in order to obtain Kraków for his master, but Leszek, unwilling to discard him, strongly refused this request. In view of this impasse, Mikołaj Gryfita invited the youngest and only surviving son of Mieszko III, Władysław III Spindleshanks, to be the new ruler of Kraków.
It is unknown how long Władysław III ruled over Kraków. According to some historians, his reign ended a few months after the death of his father, in autumn 1202; according to others (and this version seems more likely[according to whom?]) it lasted until 1206 or even 1210. In any case, some time after the death of Mikołaj Gryfita (also in 1202), the Kraków nobility invited Leszek to reassume the government without any conditions.
In 1207, Leszek placed his domains under the vassalage of the pope, at that time
Intervention in Kievan Rus'
In the early years of his rule, Leszek's policy focused mainly in Kievan Rus'.[7] In 1199 he helped Prince Roman of Vladimir-in-Volhynia with troops to reconquer the Principality of Halych, probably in gratitude for Roman's assistance against Mieszko III at Mozgawa in 1195. This alliance ended unexpectedly in 1205, however, when Roman decided to support Władysław III Spindleshanks' effort to recover the Seniorate Province (which supports the theory that Władysław III was expelled in 1202). Roman then invaded the domains of Leszek and Konrad for unknown reasons (although historians believe that this was due to the intrigues of Władysław III), venturing deep into their territory. Both forces clashed in the Battle of Zawichost (14 October 1205), where Roman was defeated and killed.
Leszek and Konrad then became involved in the conflict associated with the succession of Roman's domains, which was further complicated by the intervention of King Andrew II of Hungary, who supported the rights of Roman's widow and children. Leszek and his brother initially led a coalition of Rurikid princes who wanted to remove Roman's children from Vladimir-in-Volhynia and Halych. However, after some time, and in order to avoid a war with Hungary, they decided to sign a treaty. In 1206 Leszek met with Andrew II in Volhynia, and afterwards the influence of the Hungarian rulers over Vladimir-in-Volhynia and Halych was exclusive.
Despite the agreement with the Hungarian King, the conflict continued. Shortly after, Roman's widow and her younger son
A further confirmation of an active policy in Kievan Rus' were the marriages of Leszek and Konrad with Rurikid princesses. Leszek first married a daughter (name unknown) of
In 1210 Andrew II decided to replace the reigning prince of Vladimir-in-Volhynia with Roman's eldest son Daniel. However, not wanting to lose his political influence, he decided to send his troops there. The expected Polish-Hungarian confrontation did not occur in the end, because Leszek was forced to have his army return after Mieszko Tanglefoot captured Kraków.
Once the situation in the Seniorate Province was pacified, Leszek returned to Vladimir-in-Volhynia and Halych in 1212. As a result of his military actions, he took several border towns. However, in 1213 he failed to prevent the capture of Halych by the Hungarian boyar Władysław. Although a year later he [).
Unfortunately, this alliance with Hungary did not last, because before the end of the year Leszek decided to support the restoration of Daniel Romanovich in Halych when it was clear that the local nobility did not accept the rule of Prince Coloman. The ambiguous policy of the Duke of Kraków cost him in 1215 when the Hungarians, impatient with the lack of help in securing the rule of Coloman, broke the alliance. Once the situation in Kievan Rus' seemed to be calm, the Hungarians sent an army against Leszek, using his support of Daniel as the rationale. During this campaign, Leszek lost the lands of Przemyśl and Lubaczów.[6]
After this defeat, Leszek wanted to make an alliance with
These successive failures forced Leszek to reconsider his previous alliance with Andrew II of Hungary. This time, the treaty between them was sealed with the formal marriage between their children Coloman and Salomea. In return for his resignation over Halych, Leszek received Volhynia in compensation, after Prince Daniel was expelled.
The expedition under the command of Andrew II and Leszek was finally organized at the end of 1219. The combination of the Polish-Hungarian forces was a success, as Coloman and Salomea were formally proclaimed rulers of Halych. In that year, Leszek also organized an unsuccessful expedition to Vladimir-in-Volhynia. Another expedition in 1221, this time with the help of Hungary, also ended in failure. Moreover, these invasions prompted Daniel, recently reconciled with Mstislav of Novgorod, to make a retaliatory expedition that ended with the imprisonment of Coloman and Salomea and the proclamation of Mstislav as Prince of Halych.
However, in 1223 an unexpected alliance developed between Mstislav and Andrew II regarding the succession of Halych. It was agreed that after Mstislav's death Halych would be inherited by Andrew II's youngest son Andrew. This caused a further change in the political situation, as Leszek and Daniel allied against them. Mstislav conducted an expedition against Leszek in 1225 with the help of the Cuman khan Köten. This war, just like the previous ones, ended without a clear outcome despite temporary successes. Moreover, it resulted in another change of alliances in 1227 when Leszek joined with Hungary against Daniel. This was to be Leszek's last intervention in the long-running conflict with Kievan Rus'.
Conflict with Władysław III Spindleshanks
The quiet government of Leszek over Kraków after the deposition of Władysław III Spindleshanks was interrupted in 1210 with his excommunication through a papal bull issued by
Another result of the close cooperation between the Piasts and the Church was the synod of Wolbórz, where Archbishop Kietlicz obtained additional privileges for the Church. The good political relationship between Leszek and Archbishop Ketlicz ended in 1216, when the Archbishop lost the favor of Rome after the death of Pope Innocent III and was forced to end his political influence.
Christianization of Prussia
Another important direction of Leszek's policy was management of Pomerania and the Christianization of Prussia. Already in 1212 Leszek and his brother Konrad had a meeting in Mąkolno with Mestwin I of Pomerelia for the purpose of arranging a Christian mission that began only four years later when a bishop was sent, but without results.
However, the idea of Christianization continued. Henry I the Bearded soon became interested in helping, and with him Władysław III Spindleshanks. In 1217 Leszek and Henry I arranged a meeting at Danków. A year later Leszek met with Henry I and Władysław III at Sądowel, where an alliance between the three was concluded. Moreover, a treaty of mutual inheritance between Leszek and Władysław III was signed, wherein Leszek, as the younger prince, had a better chance to inherit. This treaty also virtually disinherited Władysław Odonic, Władysław III's nephew and closest male relative. The alliance agreement with Henry I and Władysław III enabled Leszek to adopt the title of dux Poloniae or dux totius Poloniae since 1218.
In their common desire to begin the Christianization of Prussia, Leszek, Henry I, and Władysław III were soon joined in their efforts by Leszek's brother
When Pope Innocent III requested of Leszek Polish participation in a Crusade, Leszek answered in a long letter that "neither he nor any self-respecting Polish knight could be induced to go to the Holy Land, where, they had been informed, there was no wine, mead, or even beer to be had".[8]
Initially, an attempt was made to convert the Prussians by peaceful means through special trading centers in which the pagans would become acquainted with the Christians. In the end, however, after not seeing much progress, it was decided that there should be a military expedition, which took place in 1222. However, the whole enterprise soon failed, especially when Swietopelk II withdrew his support mid-crusade. Swietopelk also gave refuge at his court to Władysław Odonic, who began his fight against his uncle Władysław III.
To cope with a challenge from the Prussians, the Piast rulers decided to create a "Knight Guard" (pl: stróże rycerskie) to protect their frontiers, for which knights from all of their domains were required to participate. But the concept of the Knight Guard collapsed by 1224 as a result of the defeat of the Lesser Poland knights, who suffered a surprise attack from the Prussians. The defeat and slaughter contributed significantly to the already cowardly attitude of the command of the Guard, a member of the Gryfici family, who was punished with exile.
In 1225, unhappy with this turn of events, the Gryfici conspired against Leszek and invited Henry I the Bearded to take the throne of Kraków, who for unknown reasons broke his previous alliance and, using Leszek's involvement in Kievan Rus' affairs, appeared near Kraków. The war between Leszek and Henry I was preempted because of an attack on
New complications occurred in 1227. In Greater Poland, Władysław III Spindleshanks was unable to deal with his nephew, Władysław Odonic. Leszek was personally interested in this conflict, as he still hoped to inherit the domains of the childless Władysław III. For unknown reasons, at some point Władysław Odonic lost the support of Swietopelk II, and thus he could not be sure of a victory. Therefore, it was unsurprising that both parties sought to end the conflict. Another problem that Leszek wanted to solve was the issue of the dangerous independent behavior of the Pomerelian Duke.
Assassination
A meeting of Polish Dukes was organized in the district of
The death of Leszek the White fundamentally changed the political situation in Poland. Despite his turbulent government, Leszek was the Duke of Kraków universally recognized by all the Polish princes. Świętopełk II declared himself independent from Polish vassalship upon Leszek's death. Leszek's son Bolesław V was only one year old upon his father's death, and so the rule over Kraków and Lesser Poland was contested between Leszek's brother Konrad I and Władysław III Spindleshanks, who was his heir according to the treaty of mutual inheritance made in 1217. Eventually Duke
Marriage and issue
Older historiography noted that Leszek married only once, to
- Prince Coloman,[citation needed] son of King Andrew II of Hungary. They were the intended rulers of Galicia–Volhynia, but as noted above these plans failed and they never really established rule in that area. After her husband's death (1241) she became a Poor Clarenun at Zawichost and Skała.
- Bolesław V the Chaste (21 June 1226 – 7 December 1279), who assumed the throne of Poland at Kraków in 1243.
Church foundations
In 1216 Leszek founded the Church of Saint Wenceslaus (pl: Kościół św. Wacława) in the city of Radom, which was further provided for by his son Bolesław V the Chaste, and in 1440 was extended and partially rebuilt in the Gothic style.
Legacy
He is rarely numbered (Leszek I), and his name is infrequently spelled Leszko or Lesco.
An opera about him, Leszek Biały, was written by Józef Elsner and performed in 1809.[14]
References
- ^ Malcolm Barber, The Two Cities, p. 368
- ^ The existence of a third son of Casimir II named Odon is controversial; however, recent historiography believes that he might have been a real person. K. Jasiński: Rodowód Piastów małopolskich i kujawskich, Poznań–Wrocław 2001, p. 247.
- ^ K. Jasiński: Rodowód Piastów małopolskich i kujawskich, Poznań–Wrocław 2001, pp. 23–25.
- ^ O. Balzer: Genealogia Piastów, Kraków 2005, pp. 459–460 (1st ed. 1895)
- ISBN 9780710086471.
- ^ a b Halecki and Polonsky. Poland. p. 29
- ^ "Leszek the White". artyzm.com.
- ISBN 9781877864308. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
- ^ Halecki and Polonsky. Poland. p. 29.
- ^ Gerard Labuda: Historia Kaszubów w dziejach Pomorza (The history of Kashubians within history of Pomerania) t.1 Czasy średniowieczne (vol.1 Middle ages), Gdańsk 2006, p. 517.
- ^ K. Jasiński: Rodowód Piastów małopolskich i kujawskich, Poznań–Wrocław 2001, pp. 26–27, footnote 74.
- ^ D. Dąbrowski: Dwa ruskie małżeństwa Leszka Białego. Karta z dziejów Rusi halicko-włodzimierskiej i stosunków polsko-ruskich w początkach XIII wieku, [in:] "Roczniki Historyczne", t. 72, 2006, pp. 67–93.
- ^ Historiography also notes 10 November 1268 as a death date, but seems unlikely. K. Jasiński: Rodowód Piastów małopolskich i kujawskich, Poznań–Wrocław 2001, pp. 23–25.
- ^ Jakub Chachulski. "Józef Elsner". Dziedzictwo Muzyki Polskiej. The Fryderyk Chopin Institute.
Sources
- Leszek Biały i jego czasy. Wydaw. Dolnośląskie. 2002. ISBN 978-83-7023-935-0.
- Nora Berend; Przemysław Urbańczyk; Przemysław Wiszewski (19 December 2013). Central Europe in the High Middle Ages: Bohemia, Hungary and Poland, c.900–c.1300. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-78156-5.
Further reading
- Włodarski, Bronisław (1925). "Polityka ruska Leszka Białego". Nakł. Tow. Naukowego. 3.
- Włodarski, Bronisław (1966). "Polska i Ruś: 1194–1340". Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe.
- Umiński, Józef (1947). "Śmierć Leszka Białego". Nasza Przeszłość: Studia z dziejów Kościoła i kultury katolickiej w Polsce (2): 3–36.
- Mitkowski, Józef (1938). "Nieznane dokumenty Leszka Białego z lat 1217–1222". Kwartalnik Historyczny. 52 (4): 645–658.
- Labuda, Gerard (1995). "Śmierć Leszka Białego (1227)". Roczniki Historyczne (61): 7–36.