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79-428: Mittelpommern in historical usage denotes the central parts of the former Duchy , later Province of Pomerania , located approximately between the rivers Peene and Rega , including the towns Trzebiatów , Resko and Nowogard . Mittelpommerscher Keil (Middle Pomeranian Wedge) is a term used in ethnolinguistics, which carries a narrower meaning; it corresponds to the south-central part of Mittelpommern, roughly between

158-582: A cadet branch of the Polish house of Piasts . Medieval Polish chronicler Jan Długosz connected them with Polish noble family of Świebodzice from the south province of Poland named the Lesser Poland , who also used a griffin as their coat-of-arms and who in turn might also have been a cadet branch of the Piasts. At any rate, chronicler Gallus Anonymus in his Gesta principum Polonorum calls

237-635: A Danish vassal. In 1177, the Danes again raided the Oder Lagoon area, also the burgh of Wolgast in 1178. In 1184 and 1185, three campaigns of the Danes resulted in making Bogislaw I, Duke of Pomerania a Danish vassal. These campaigns were mounted by Valdemar's son and successor for the Danish throne, Canute VI of Denmark . In the Duchy of Pomerania the Danish period lasted until Valdemar II of Denmark lost

316-512: A burgh in close proximity had the duke level this burgh when they grew in power. Stettin, where the burgh was inside the town, had the duke level his burgh already in 1249, other towns were to follow. The fortified new towns had succeeded the burghs as strongholds for the country's defense. In many cases, the former burgh settlement would become a Slavic suburb of the German town ("Wiek", "Wieck"). In Stettin, two "Wiek" suburbs were set up anew outside

395-845: A campaign of 1111/12. Yet, these assumptions all remain speculative. Main burial sites of the Griffins are the Ducal Castle in Szczecin , Saint John Co-Cathedral in Kamień Pomorski and Saint Peter church in Wolgast . Eric of Pomerania , King of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, is buried in the Our Lady of Częstochowa church in Darłowo . Ranunculus gryphum  [ pl ] , a microspecies of Ranunculus auricomus known from Pomerania,

474-765: A congress in Usedom , where they accepted Christianity on 10 June 1128. Otto then was titled apostolus gentis Pomeranorum , made a saint by pope Clement III in 1189, and was worshipped in Pomerania even after the Protestant Reformation . In 1140, one year after Otto of Bamberg's death, a Pomeranian diocese was founded and placed directly under the Holy See . Adalbert of Pomerania , who had participated in Otto's mission as an interpreter and assistant,

553-568: A different law than Slavs. While those were unfree (except for the nobles), did not own the soil they cultivated, and were to serve the nobility, the opposite was true for the Germans. About 1240, the areas of Stavenhagen and Pyritz were subject to German settlement. About 1250, massive settlement took place also in Central Western Pomerania ( County of Gützkow , lands of Meseritz , Ploth , Ziethen and Groswin ), and

632-601: A fief from the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I (Barbarossa) in 1181, and from the Danish king Canute VI in 1185. When he died in 1187, his two sons Casimir II and Bogislaw II were still minors, and Stettin castellan Wartislaw (II) ruled in their place. Danish pressure resulted in Wartislaw's replacement by Rugian prince Jaromar I , a Danish vassal, in 1189. The Principality of Rügen

711-509: A local level since the 16th century imposed discriminatory regulations, such as bans on buying goods from Slavs/Poles or prohibiting them from becoming members of craft guilds. The towns of Pomerania that had joined the Hanseatic League acted independently from the duchy, and sometimes opposed the dukes' interest. The most powerful towns were Stralsund , Greifswald , and Stettin , but also Demmin , Anklam and Kolberg . Before

790-736: A movement presented to the Polish Sejm parliament a petition for the recreation of the Koszalin voivodeship as the Central Pomeranian Voivodeship, signed by 135,000 people. Duchy of Pomerania The Duchy of Pomerania ( German : Herzogtum Pommern ; Polish : Księstwo pomorskie ; Latin : Ducatus Pomeraniae ) was a duchy in Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea , ruled by dukes of

869-661: The Angerdorf type, where a main street fork encloses a large meadow ("Anger") in the village's center where the life stock was kept at night, sometimes the church or other buildings not used for living were built on the Anger also. This type is the most prominent type in the Peene , lower Oder , Pyritz , Lake Madü and Rega areas, many villages of this type are also found in the Kolberg and Schlawe area. In addition to these types,

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948-641: The Battle of Bornhöved on 22 July 1227. Danish supremacy prevailed until 1325 in the Rugian principality. At that time, the duchy was also referred to as Slavinia ( German : Slawien ), a term also applied to several Wendish areas such as Mecklenburg and the Principality of Rügen. Starting in the 12th century, Pomerania was settled with Germans in a process termed Ostsiedlung , that affected all medieval East Central and Eastern Europe . Except for

1027-530: The Hagenhufendorf type, houses were built on both sides of a main road, each within their own hide ( German : Hagen ). Those villages were usually set up after the clearance of woodlands, most of them were given German names in absence of any Slavic site names. This type of village can be found all along the coast, most of them in the areas between Barth and Wolgast , Kolberg and Köslin , and north and west of Schlawe . Other villages were built in

1106-734: The Haufendorf type used in Slavic times and its Sackdorf variant can still be found in between, predominantly on the islands. The villages' area was divided in hides . The size of a hide differed between the village types: A Hagenhufe , used in the Hagenhufendorf villages, comprised 60 Morgen ( Latin : iugera ), about 40 hectares . A Landhufe , used in the Angerdorf villages, comprised 30 Morgen. One farm would usually have an area of one Hagenhufe or two Landhufen. Slavic farmland

1185-589: The Holy Roman Empire from 1181 to 1185, of Denmark from 1185 to 1227 and finally, from 1227 on, staying with the Holy Roman Empire (including periods of vassalage to the Margraves of Brandenburg ). Most of the time, the duchy was ruled by several Griffin dukes in common, resulting in various internal partitions . After the last Griffin duke had died during the Thirty Years' War in 1637,

1264-759: The House of Pomerania ( Griffins ). The country existed in the Middle Ages between years 1121–1160, 1264–1295, 1478–1531, and 1625–1637. The duchy originated from the realm of Wartislaw I , a Slavic Pomeranian duke, and was extended by the Lands of Schlawe and Stolp in 1317, the Principality of Rügen in 1325, and the Lauenburg and Bütow Land in 1455. During the High Middle Ages , it also comprised

1343-516: The Kolberg (now Kołobrzeg), Köslin (also Cöslin, now Koszalin) and Bublitz (now Bobolice) areas. When in 1276 they became the sovereign of the town of Kolberg also, they moved their residence there, while the administration of the diocese was done from nearby Köslin. The bishops at multiple occasions tried to exclude their secular reign from ducal overlordship by applying for Imperial immediacy ( Reichsunmittelbarkeit ). The Pomeranian dukes successfully forestalled these ambitions, and immediacy

1422-462: The Margraviate of Brandenburg and triggered several military conflicts. Between 1185 and 1227, Pomerania along with most of the southern Baltic coast remained under sovereignty of Denmark. However, Brandenburg again tried to gain sovereignty over Pomerania, and in 1214 for a short time conquered Stettin . After Denmark lost the Battle of Bornhöved in 1227, Denmark lost all her territories on

1501-487: The Peenestrom (the lands of Wusterhusen and Lassan ) local Slavs participated in the German settlement, which started in the 1260s. Settlement of the areas centered on the upper Rega river, previously unsettled, started in the 1250s, and reached a peak in the 1280s. The lower Rega area around Greifenberg and Treptow an der Rega was settled about the same period, but here a native Slavic population participated. In

1580-525: The Persante area, first German settlements occurred about 1260, but a more extensive settlement did not start before 1280. On the islands of Usedom and Wollin , only isolated settlements took place in the 13th century, e.g. in the Garz (Usedom) and Caseburg (Karsibór) area, where Germans settled already in the 1240s, and in proximity of the German town of Wolin . The local Grobe Abbey did, in contrast to

1659-553: The Persante river ( Kolberg area), the lower Peene river, and between Schlawe and the Leba valley. Largely unsettled were the hilly regions and the woods in the South. The 12th century warfare, especially the Danish raids, depopulated many areas of Pomerania and caused severe population drops in others (e.g. Usedom). At the turn to the 13th century, only isolated German settlements existed, e.g. Hohenkrug and other German villages, and

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1738-682: The Stargard area (where settlement was encouraged already since 1229). In the 1260s, settlement started in the Cammin area, and in the virtually unpopulated lands of Naugard , Massow and Daber . The Ueckermünde and the Oder mouth areas were also settled at about 1260, but the Ueckermünde heath and the woodlands on both sides of the Oder Lagoon remained untouched. In the areas adjacent to

1817-466: The Straßendorf type, characterized by a single and very long main street, was introduced in a later stage of Ostsiedlung, and therefore is found predominantly in areas that were affected last by the German settlement (easternmost parts, Cammin area). Villages of this type were either new foundations, or extensions of Slavic precursors. In other areas, Hagenhufendorf and Angerdorf types dominate, while

1896-727: The Treaty of Stralsund in 1370, and during the reign of Eric of Pomerania , the Hanseatic towns were in a state of war with Denmark for hegemony in the Baltic Sea. Parts of the Pomeranian nobility were engaged in piracy against Hanseatic vessels. Barnim VI of Pomerania-Wolgast did not only engage in piracy himself, he is also known for providing refuge and hideouts for the Likedeeler pirate organisation. The relation between

1975-420: The bishop of Cammin , before 1268). In the 1270s followed Cammin (1274), Massow (by the bishop of Cammin, 1274), Pasewalk (recorded in 1274, founded probably in the 1250s), Plathe (1277), Lassan (between 1264 and 1278), Rügenwalde (by Wizlaw II of Rügen), Regenwalde (1279–80), Labes (about 1280), and Treptow an der Rega (between 1277 and 1281). Neuwarp , Richtenberg , Belgard , and Werben (by

2054-486: The 1160s) culminated in the defeat of the Principality of Rugia in 1168. The Rugian princes became vassals of Valdemar I of Denmark . In the fall of 1170, the Danes raided the Oder estuary. In 1171, the Danes raided Circipania and took Cotimar's burgh in Behren-Lübchin . In 1173, the Danes turned to the Oder Lagoon again, taking the burgh of Stettin . Wartislaw II Swantiboriz , castellan of Stettin, became

2133-528: The 1240s were Demmin , Greifswald (by Eldena Abbey ), Altentreptow . In the 1250s followed Anklam , Altdamm , Pyritz , probably already Stargard and Grimmen , Greifenhagen , Barth (Principality of Rügen, before 1255), and Damgarten (Principality of Rügen, 1258). In the 1260s followed Wollin (1260), Ueckermünde , Wolgast , probably already Gützkow , Pölitz (1260), Greifenberg (1262), Gollnow , probably already Usedom , Penkun , Tribsees (Principality of Rügen, before 1267) and Naugard (by

2212-561: The 1250 Treaty of Landin between Pomeranian dukes and margraves of Brandenburg, Barnim I managed to reassert the rule of his Griffin house over Pomerania, but lost the Uckermark to Brandenburg. Brandenburg since 1250 expanded eastward. In 1250–52, the margraves gained half of Lebus Land , including the terra Küstrin between Warthe and Mietzel (Myśla), and the terra Chinz north of the Mietzel river, both previously held by Barnim. In

2291-581: The 1260s, and was promoted by the Belbuck Abbey . A large influx of settlers to the western parts of Schlawe-Stolp took place after 1270, first settlers were called to the Stolp area in the 1280s. Here, local Slavs participated in the Ostsiedlung, and settlement went on throughout the 14th century. Initially, the Germans who settled the northern regions predominantly came from Lower Saxony , while

2370-704: The 1270s precursor had not done well), Rugendal (Principality of Rügen, before 1313, decayed), Schlawe (by the Swenzones , 1317), Garz (by the princes of Rügen, 1320s), Jacobshagen (by three brothers von Stegelitz , 1336), Freienwalde (by von Wedel , before 1338), Zanow (by the Swenzones, 1343), Lauenburg (by the Teutonic Knights , 1341), Bütow (by the Teutonic Knights, 1346), and Fiddichow (by Barnim III, 1347). Many towns with

2449-647: The Bear a dedicated enemy of Slavs, by Lothair III, Holy Roman Emperor . Thus, the western territories contributed to making Wartislaw significantly independent from the Polish dukes. Wartislaw was not the only one campaigning in these areas. The Polish Duke Boleslaw III, during his Pomeranian campaign launched an expedition into the Müritz area in 1120–21, before he turned back to subdue Wartislaw. The later Holy Roman Emperor Lothair III (then Saxon duke Lothair I of Supplinburg) in 1114 initiated massive campaigns against

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2528-526: The Duchy of Pomerania until 1630; Ratibor would be the ancestor of the Ratiborides branch of the Griffins, that was to rule the lands of Schlawe and Stolp until the line became extinct and the area was incorporated in the Duchy of Pomerania. The first known member of the Swantiborides branch of the Griffins, notable as castellans of Pomeranian cities, was Wartislaw (II) Swantiboriz. Members of

2607-415: The Germans who settled the southern areas ( mittelpommerscher Keil ) predominantly came from Altmark and Westphalia . This caused the emergence of East Pomeranian , Central Pomeranian and Mecklenburgisch-Vorpommersch dialects. German settlers also came from areas earlier affected from Ostsiedlung, such as Mecklenburg , Brandenburg , and later also German settled regions of Pomerania herself. Though

2686-649: The Griffin House of Pomerania ) until the Danish occupation and extinction of the Ratiboride branch in 1227. The areas stretching from Kolberg ( Kołobrzeg ) to Stettin (Szczecin) were ruled by Ratibor's brother Wartislaw I and his descendants ( House of Pomerania , also called Griffins, of which he was the first ascertained ancestor) until the 1630s. The terms of surrender after the Polish conquest were that Wartislaw had to accept Polish sovereignty, convert his people to Christianity, and pay an annual tribute to

2765-426: The Griffins "close cousins" of then-contemporary Bolesław III of Poland , directly implying a close dynastic relationship with the Piasts. In the 17th century, the Griffins derived their roots from legendary beings from Sorb mythology called Gryphus or Baltus . The first known members of the Griffins were the brothers Wartislaw I and Ratibor I . Wartislaw would be the ancestor of the line of dukes that ruled

2844-529: The Polish duke. In several expeditions mounted between 1102 and 1121, most of Pomerania had been conquered by the Polish duke Bolesław III Wrymouth . From 1102 to 1109, Boleslaw campaigned in the Noteć and Parsęta area. The Pomeranian residence in Białogard was taken already in 1102. From 1112 to 1116, Boleslaw subdued all of Pomerelia . From 1119 to 1122, the area towards the Oder were subdued. Szczecin

2923-460: The Pomeranian duchy, and to strengthen the Christian faith of the inhabitants of Stettin and Wollin, who fell back into heathen practices and idolatry . Otto this time visited primarily Western Pomeranian burghs, had the temples of Gützkow and Wolgast torn down and on their sites erected the predecessors of today's St Nikolai and St Petri churches, respectively. The nobility assembled to

3002-926: The Pomeranian dukes or ecclesial bodies like monasteries and orders. Most prominent on this issue was Barnim I of Pomerania-Stettin , who since was entitled "the towns' founder". The towns build on his behalf were granted Magdeburg Law and settled predominantly by people from the western Margraviate of Brandenburg , while the towns founded in the North (most on behalf of the Rugian princes and Wartislaw III of Pomerania-Demmin were granted Lübeck Law and were settled predominantly by people from Lower Saxony . The first towns were Stralsund (Principality of Rügen, 1234), Prenzlau ( Uckermark , then Pomerania-Stettin, 1234), Bahn ( Knights Templar , about 1234), and Stettin (1237–43), Gartz (Oder) (Pomerania-Stettin, 1240), and Loitz (by Detlev of Gadebusch , 1242). Other towns built in

3081-596: The Pomeranian dukes thereafter. In 1181 the dukes took their duchy as a fief from the Holy Roman Emperor Barbarossa . Bogislaw I, Duke of Pomerania had travelled to Barbarossa's camp in Lübeck , where he received the Imperial flag and the title "Duke of Slavinia". From the North, Denmark attacked Pomerania. Several campaigns throughout the 12th century (in 1136, 1150, 1159 and throughout

3160-471: The Pomeranians were assured that Otto's aim was not the gain of wealth at the expense of the Pomeranian people, as he was wealthy already, but only to convert them to Christianity, which would protect the Pomeranians from further punishment by God, as which the devastating Polish conquest was depicted. This approach turned out to be successful, and was backed by parts of the Pomeranian nobility that in part

3239-583: The Pomerelian Kashubians and the Slovincians , the Wends were assimilated. Most towns and villages date back to this period. Before the Ostsiedlung, Pomerania was rather sparsely settled. Around 1200, a relatively dense population could be found on the islands of Rügen , Usedom and Wollin , around the burghs of Stettin , Köslin , Pyritz ( Pyritzer Weizacker ) and Stargard , around

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3318-508: The Ratiborides (Ratiboriden) branch were most probably descendants of Ratibor I , a brother of Wartislaw I . The Swantiborides (Polish: Świętoborzyce ) were related to the Griffins, but the link remains unclear. Probably they descend from Swantibor, a Pomeranian duke overthrown in a rebellion and expelled to Poland in 1105/06. This Swantibor might have been a cousin of Świętopełk, a Pomeranian duke defeated by Boleslaw III of Poland in

3397-456: The areas near the Oder Lagoon and Peene river. Most notably Demmin , the Principality of Gützkow and Wolgast were conquered in the following years. The major stage of the westward expansion into Lutici territory occurred between Otto of Bamberg's two missions, 1124 and 1128. In 1128, Demmin, the County of Gützkow and Wolgast were already incorporated into Wartislaw I's realm, yet warfare

3476-457: The bishop of Cammin) are first recorded in 1295, 1297, 1299, and 1300, respectively, all were most certainly founded earlier. In the area directly administered by the bishops of Cammin, the towns of Kolberg (1255), Köslin (1266), Körlin (early 14th century), and Bublitz (1340) were set up. The early 14th century saw the foundation of Stolp (by Waldemar of Brandenburg , 1310), Neustettin (by Wartislaw IV, 1310), Rügenwalde (again 1312,

3555-408: The case of Kolberg . Exceptions are Wollin and probably Cammin , which were built on the spot of former, yet decayed settlements, and Stettin , where two German settlements were set up close to the Slavic burgh and settlement, all of which were included in the later town. In many cases, the name of the neighboring Slavic settlement would be used for the new town. The towns were built on behalf of

3634-451: The coastal settlements declined during the 12th century warfare. Yet these settlements were not continued by the German towns, which were founded on previously unsettled soil. Although some towns had a Slavic settlement, sometimes attached to a burgh , as precursor, the name of which would be adopted for the German town, the new town was usually founded on empty space in the settlements neighborhood. The distance could be some kilometers as in

3713-431: The conversion of the non-nobles to Christianity. In addition, the Danes withdrew from most of Pomerania in 1227, leaving the duchy vulnerable to their expansive neighbors, especially Mecklenburg , Brandenburg , and Henry I of Silesia . Germans, at this early stage (before 1240), were often settled in frontier regions, such as the mainland part of the Principality of Rugia (after prince Jaromar I granted Eldena Abbey

3792-592: The course of the 1250s, the margraves further gained the castellanies Zantoch and Driesen except for the burghs itself, of both castellanies actually belonging to Greater Poland , Barnim had held the northern parts. In 1261, Barnim lost the Soldin area, and in the following years the terra Zehden to Brandenburg. House of Griffin The House of Griffin or Griffin dynasty ( German : Greifen ; Polish : Gryfici , Danish : Grif ; Latin : Gryphes )

3871-431: The duchy from their residences Demmin (Casimir) and Stettin (Bogislaw). Except for the terra Kolberg , which was ruled as a co-dominion, they partitioned the duchy with Pomerania-Demmin comprising the upper Peene , Tollense , Dievenow and Rega areas, and Pomerania-Stettin comprising the Oder , Ihna and lower Peene areas. When Casimir I died in 1180, Bogislaw became the sole duke. Bogislaw I took his duchy as

3950-526: The duchy was partitioned between Brandenburg-Prussia and Sweden . The Kings of Sweden and the Margraves of Brandenburg, later Kings of Prussia, became members as Dukes of Pomerania in the List of Reichstag participants . In the 12th century, Poland, the Holy Roman Empire's Duchy of Saxony and Denmark variously conquered Pomerania, ending the tribal era . The Stolp ( Słupsk ) and Schlawe ( Sławno ) areas ( lands of (Länder) Schlawe-Stolp ) were ruled by Ratibor I and his descendants ( Ratiboriden branch of

4029-402: The exact proportion of German versus Slavic populations cannot be determined, it is undisputed that the Germans significantly outnumbered the Slavs. Before the end of the 13th century, the Western Pomeranian mainland and most of Farther Pomerania west of the Gollenberg had turned almost completely German, mentions of Slavs in documents became exceptional. The Slavic dialects disappeared, with

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4108-530: The exception that fishermen from the isles and the Oder lagoon area continued to use Wendish for a relatively long period. Villages before the Ostsiedlung were of the Haufendorf type, the houses were built in close proximity to each other without a special ruling. A variant of this type also found in Pomerania is the Sackgassendorf (or Sackdorf ) type, where a dead end road leads to those houses. This type evolved as an extension of Haufendorf type villages. German settlement introduced new types of villages: In

4187-500: The farmers ( German : Vollbauern ). These people were termed "gardeners" ( German : Gärtner ) or Kossäten (literally "who sits in a hut"), and could either be local Slavs or the younger sons of German farmers who did not inherit their father's soil. Nearly all towns in modern Pomerania date back to the Ostsiedlung. In Slavic times, there have been town-like settlements already in Demmin , Wolgast , Usedom , Wollin , Stettin , Kolberg , Pyritz and Stargard , although many of

4266-458: The former Uecker-Randow district, as well as to the Amt Gartz (Oder) in the Uckermark district. Pomorze Środkowe in modern usage are terms coined in Poland for the area of the former Koszalin Voivodeship (1950-1975), spanning roughly from the area east of the river Rega ( Rega ) to the river Łeba , which was split in 1975 with the remains since 1999 merged into the West Pomeranian , Pomeranian and Greater Poland voivodeships. In 2003,

4345-449: The late 12th century: the first verifiable use of the griffin as the dynasty's heraldic emblem occurred in a seal of Casimir II, Duke of Pomerania , which showed the imaginary beast within a shield, and was attached to a document dated 1194. The name Pomerania comes from Slavic po more , which means "[land] along the sea". The origins of the Griffins are not clear. Most theories derive them from either local West Slavic nobility or

4424-418: The local Lutici tribes resulting in their final defeat in 1228. Also, the territories were invaded by Danish forces multiple times, who, coming from the Baltic Sea , used the rivers Peene and Uecker to advance to a line Demmin – Pasewalk . At different times, Pomeranians, Saxons and Danes were either allies or opponents. The Pomeranian dukes consolidated their power in the course of the 12th century, yet

4503-402: The merchant's settlement near the Stettin burgh. In contrast, the monasteries were almost exclusively run by Germans and Danes. Massive German settlement started in the first half of the 13th century. Ostsiedlung was a common process at this time in all Central Europe and was largely run by the nobles and monasteries to increase their income. Also, the settlers were expected to finish and secure

4582-421: The northern Neumark and Uckermark areas as well as Circipania and Mecklenburg-Strelitz . The Duchy of Pomerania was established as a vassal state of Poland in 1121, which it remained until the fragmentation of Poland after the death of Polish ruler Bolesław III Wrymouth in 1138. Afterwards the Dukes of Pomerania were independent, and later were vassals of the Duchy of Saxony from 1164 to 1181, of

4661-460: The other Pomeranian monasteries, not enhance German settlement. Therefore, Slavic culture on the isles persisted and vanished only in the late 14th century. The island of Rügen , in contrast to the meanwhile German mainland parts of the principality, also remained a Slavic character throughout the 13th century – German settlement would only start in the 14th century, with strong participation of local Slavs. In Schlawe-Stolp, German settlement started in

4740-401: The pope accepted the move of the see, the bishopric was referred to as Roman Catholic Diocese of Kammin , while before it was addressed as Pomeranian diocese. In 1248, the Kammin bishops and the Pomeranian dukes had interchanged the terrae Stargard and Kolberg, leaving the bishops in charge of the latter. In the following, the bishops extended their secular reign, which soon comprised

4819-443: The preceding warfare had left these territories completely devastated. A first attempt to convert the Pomeranians was made following the subjugation of Pomerania by Boleslaw III of Poland . In 1122, Spanish monk Bernard (also Bernhard) travelled to Jumne ( Wolin ), accompanied only by his chaplain and an interpreter. The Pomeranians however were not impressed by his missionary efforts and finally threw him out of town. Bernard

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4898-400: The remainder came under Barnim's rule after Wartislaw died in 1264. During the reign of Otto I, Margrave of Brandenburg and son of Albert I of Brandenburg (1100–1170), Brandenburg claimed sovereignty over Pomerania. Yet, in 1181, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I invested Duke Bogislaw I of the Griffin House of Pomerania with the Duchy of Slavia (Pomerania). This was not accepted by

4977-444: The right to call in settlers in 1209), Circipania , the lands of Loitz (administered semi-independently by Detlev of Gadebush), the Uckermark , the lands of Kolbatz Abbey and Bahn (which later was granted to the Knights Templar), and the area north of the Warthe and along the lower Oder river. However, in many of these frontiers, German settlement did not hinder the advance of Pomerania's neighbors. Germans were placed under

5056-415: The rivers Zarow and Ihna (Ina). This area differed from the rest of the duchy or province by the dialect of the inhabitants, who spoke the Mittelpommersch variety closely related to Märkisch-Brandenburgisch , as well as in the town law of the cities, which was Magdeburg Law (vs Lübeck Law in the other parts). Since World War II the Oder-Neisse line divides this area, reducing the German part to

5135-503: The southern Baltic shore, including Pomerania. At this time, the Duchy of Pomerania was co-ruled by duke Wartislaw III of Demmin and duke Barnim I of Stettin. After the Danes retreated, Brandenburg took her chance and invaded Pomerania-Demmin. In 1231, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II gave the duchy, which then was again a part of the empire, as a fief to the Ascanian margraves of Brandenburg. Denmark also attempted to restore her rule and took Wolgast and Demmin in 1235, but

5214-540: The still undefeated Principality of Rügen as a fief. Wartislaw I also accepted the Emperor as his overlord. With Bolesław's death in 1138 and the fragmentation of Poland, Polish overlordship ended, triggering competition of the Holy Roman Empire and Denmark for the area. In the meantime, Wartislaw managed to conquer vast territories west of the Oder river, an area inhabited by Lutici tribes weakened by past warfare, and included these territories into his Duchy of Pomerania . Already in 1120, he had expanded west into

5293-601: The towns and the nobility throughout the Middle Ages ranged from alliances and support ( German : Landfrieden ) to cabalism, banditry and outright warfare. In 1155, the duchy was partitioned in Pomerania-Demmin and Pomerania-Stettin. With short interruptions, this division lasted until 1264. Wartislaw I was murdered between 1134 and 1148 in Stolpe . His brother, Ratibor I of Schlawe-Stolp , founded Stolpe Abbey near this site and ruled Wartislaw's realm in place of his minor nephews, Bogislaw I and Casimir I . Ratibor died in 1155, and Wartislaw's sons agreed to co-rule

5372-404: The walls, to which most Slavs from within the walls were resettled. Such Wiek settlements did initially not belong to the town, but to the duke, although they were likely to come into possession of the town in the course of the 14th century. Also in the 14th century, Slavic Wiek suburbs lost their Slavic character. Indigenous Slavs and Poles faced discrimination from the arriving Germans, who on

5451-399: Was Bogislaw XIV , who died during the Thirty Years' War , which led to the division of Pomerania between Brandenburg-Prussia, Sweden and Poland . Duchess Anna von Croy , daughter of Duke Bogislaw XIII and the last Griffin, died in 1660. The dynasty is known by two names, Pomerania , after their primary fief, and Griffin , after their coat of arms, which had featured a griffin since

5530-408: Was Christian raised already, like duke Wartislaw I , who encouraged and promoted Otto's mission. Many Pomeranians were baptized already in Pyritz and also in the other burghs visited. Otto of Bamberg returned in 1128, this time invited by duke Wartislaw I himself, aided by the emperor Holy Roman Emperor Lothar II , to convert the ( Lutician ) Slavs of Western Pomerania just incorporated into

5609-501: Was a dynasty ruling the Duchy of Pomerania from the 12th century until 1637. The name "Griffins" was used by the dynasty after the 15th century and had been taken from the ducal coat of arms . Duke Wartislaw I (died 1135) was the first historical ruler of the Duchy of Pomerania and the founder of the Griffin dynasty. The most prominent Griffin was Eric of Pomerania , who became king of the Kalmar Union in 1397, thus ruling Denmark, Sweden and Norway. The last Griffin duke of Pomerania

5688-489: Was driven out the same year. Wartislaw had to accept Brandenburg's overlordship in the 1236 Treaty of Kremmen , furthermore he had to hand over most of his duchy to Brandenburg immediately, that was the Burg Stargard Land and adjacent areas (all soon to become a part of Mecklenburg , forming the bulk of the later Mecklenburg-Strelitz area). Circipania was already lost to Mecklenburg in the years before. In

5767-607: Was extended southward on the expense of Pomerania-Demmin. When Casimir II and Bogislaw II died in 1219 and 1220, respectively, their respective sons Wartislaw III (Pomerania-Demmin) and Barnim I (Pomerania-Stettin) were still minors. Wartislaw's mother Ingardis of Denmark thus ruled until Wartislaw was able to rule Pomerania-Demmin on his own in 1225, and Barnim, in theory duke since 1220, practically started his reign in Pomerania-Stettin only in 1233. Pomerania-Demmin lost her southern and western areas to Brandenburg, and

5846-525: Was granted only temporarily in 1345. In the West, bishops and dukes of the Holy Roman Empire mounted expeditions to Pomerania. Most notable for the further fate of Pomerania are the 1147 Wendish Crusade and the 1164 Battle of Verchen , the Pomeranian dukes became vassals of Henry the Lion , of Saxony . Despite this vassalage, Henry again sieged Demmin in 1177 when he allied with the Danes, but reconciled with

5925-666: Was later made the first bishop of Lubusz in Poland. After Bernard's misfortune, Boleslaw III asked Otto of Bamberg to convert Pomerania to Christianity , which he accomplished in his first visit in 1124–25. Otto's strategy severely differed from the one Bernard used: While Bernard travelled alone and as a poor and unknown priest, Otto, a wealthy and famous man, was accompanied by 20 clergy of his own diocese, numerous servants, 60 warriors supplied to him by Boleslaw, and carried with him numerous supplies and gifts. After arriving in Pyritz ,

6004-450: Was made the first bishop. The direct subordination under the pope thwarted the claims of the archbishops of Magdeburg and Gniezno , who both had asserted pressure on Otto of Bamberg to incorporate the new diocese into their realms. The initial see of the Pomeranian diocese was Wollin , and was moved to Grobe Abbey on the island of Usedom and to Kammin (Cammin, now Kamien Pomorski) after 1150 and 1175, respectively. Since 1188, when

6083-555: Was measured in Haken ( Latin : uncus ), with one Haken equals 15 Morgen (half a Landhufe). Haken were used only in villages remaining under old Slavic law (predominantly on the islands), whereas Hufen were used for new villages placed under German law (in Pomerania sometimes referred to as Schwerin Law ). Not all families of German villages owned a Hufe. Those dwelling on considerably smaller property ("gardens") were usually hired as workers by

6162-611: Was still going on. Captured Lutici and other war loot, including livestock, money, and clothes were apportioned among the victorious. After Wartislaw's Lutician conquests, his duchy lay between the Bay of Greifswald to the north, Circipania , including Güstrow (Ostrów), to the west, Kolobrzeg in the east, and possibly as far as the Havel and Spree rivers in the south. These gains were not subject to Polish over lordship, but were placed under over lordship of Nordmark margrave Albrecht

6241-404: Was taken in the winter of 1121–1122. The conquest resulted in a high death toll and devastation of vast areas of Pomerania, and the Pomeranian dukes were forced to become vassals of Boleslaw III, King of Poland. Poland's influence vanished in the next decade. In 1135, Bolesław had accepted overlordship of Holy Roman Emperor Lothair III and in turn received his Pomeranian gains as well as

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