Otto Bolesławowic
Otto Bolesławowic (1000–1033) was member of the
Family history
Otto was the youngest child of
After the death of his father in 1025, Otto expected to obtain a part of Bolesław's heritage, according to Slavic custom, under which a father should divide his legacy among all his sons. However, because Poland became a kingdom, the country could not be divided, and in consequence Otto received nothing from his father's legacy. The sole heir of Bolesław was Mieszko II Lambert, his eldest son from his marriage to Emnilda. Along with Otto, his older half-brother Bezprym was also disinherited. Bezprym was the older son of Bolesław I by his second wife, Judith of Hungary, who was repudiated shortly after Bezprym was born. Possibly as a result of this he was allegedly disliked by his father, who determined that Mieszko II was to be his sole heir.
Conflict
Soon after Mieszko took over the governing of Poland, he either expelled his brothers or forced them to flee from the country. Otto went to Germany, probably to Meissen to the court of his sister Regelinda. In 1031 a combined attack of Kievan and German forces led to the downfall of Mieszko II, who had to flee to Bohemia. The government was taken by Bezprym alone; this allegedly caused Otto's resentment and his approach to Mieszko II. As a result, in the first half of 1032 Bezprym was murdered probably as a result of a conspiracy organized by his half-brothers.
In
Otto died in 1033 either of natural causes[2] or killed by his own vassals.[3]
References
- ISBN 83-08-03272-9, p. 80).
- ^ K. Jasiński, Rodowód pierwszych Piastów
- ^ G. Labuda, Pierwsze państwo polskie, Krajowa Agencja Wydawnicza, Kraków 1989, p. 54.