Polish victory
152-395: [REDACTED] Kingdom of Poland [REDACTED] Grand Duchy of Lithuania [REDACTED] Golden Horde [REDACTED] Teutonic Order Polish–Teutonic Wars refer to a series of conflicts that took place between the Kingdom of Poland and the Teutonic Order , a medieval German military order with roots in the Baltic region . These wars occurred primarily during
304-751: A fief of the Margraviate of Brandenburg , which in 1307 extended its Pomeranian possessions even further east, taking over the Sławno and Słupsk areas. Pomerelia or Gdańsk Pomerania became independent of the Polish dukes from 1227. In mid-13th century, Bolesław II the Bald granted Lubusz Land to the Margraviate, which made possible the creation of the Neumark and had far reaching negative consequences for
456-402: A "policy of hardness" being implemented on the townspeople, who had to evacuate their houses which afterward were burned down. Nieß says that the procurator of the order had himself reported these proceedings to the pope, claiming the burghers evacuated and burned their houses voluntarily (which Nieß strongly denies). Nieß is also pointing out that in the subsequent capture of Tczew (Dirschau) by
608-598: A chance of overcoming the country's mounting difficulties or succeeding as a ruler. But from the beginning, Casimir acted prudently, and in 1335, he purchased the claims of King John of Bohemia to the Polish throne. In 1343, Casimir settled several high-level arbitration disputes with the Teutonic Order by a territorial compromise that culminated in the Treaty of Kalisz of 1343. Dobrzyń Land and Kuyavia were recovered by Casimir. At that time, Poland started to expand to
760-460: A concession would eventually lead to the total expulsion of the knights from their state. These disagreements caused the abdication of Grand Master Charles of Trier in 1318 and the murder of the succeeding Grand Master Werner of Orseln in 1330. The possession of Danzig and Pomerelia by the Teutonic Order was questioned consistently by the Polish kings Władysław I and Casimir the Great in legal suits in
912-469: A conflict with Bishop Stanislaus of Szczepanów and was expelled from the country. Bolesław III , the last duke of the early period, succeeded in defending his country and recovering territories previously lost. Upon his death in 1138, Poland was divided among his sons . The resulting internal fragmentation eroded the initial Piast monarchical structure in the 12th and 13th centuries and caused fundamental and lasting changes. Konrad I of Masovia invited
1064-533: A government, Poland was ravaged by an anti-feudal and pagan rebellion , and in 1039, there was an invasion by the forces of Bretislaus I of Bohemia . The country suffered territorial losses, and the functioning of the Gniezno archdiocese was disrupted. Poland made a recovery under Mieszko's son, Duke Casimir I (r. 1039–1058), known to history as the Restorer. After returning from exile in 1039, Casimir rebuilt
1216-529: A great loss to Poland) was his success in forcing most of the Piast Silesian principalities, often ambivalent about their loyalties, into allegiance between 1327 and 1329. After the death of Władysław I, the old monarch's 23-year-old son became King Casimir III, later known as Casimir the Great (r. 1333–1370). Unlike his father, the new king demonstrated no attraction for the hardships of military life. Casimir's contemporaries did not give him much of
1368-791: A key role in the First Prussian Uprising , which started in 1242. The alliance between the pagan Prussians and the Christian Swietopelk against a religious order supported by the pope was unexpected. Swietopelk was previously known as a supporter of the Roman Catholic Church and Christian causes. Eventually, the uprising did not succeed and a peace treaty, mediated by a papal legate , was signed on 24 November 1248. Swietopelk had to return lands seized from his brothers, allow Teutonic Knights to pass through his domains, stop charging tolls on ships using
1520-496: A later publication from 1993 writes that victims included defenders of the castle and burghers along with members of their families in addition to 100 murdered knights. According to Maksymilian Grzegorz (1997), German historians tend to minimize the number of murdered victims of the Teutonic Knights, while Polish historians estimate the number at between at minimum 60 to several hundred. Historians are divided on whether
1672-444: A massacre in a bull issued by pope Clement V : "Latest news were brought to my attention, that officials and brethren of the aforementioned Teutonic order have hostilely intruded the lands of Our beloved son Wladislaw, duke of Cracow and Sandomierz, and in the town of Gdańsk killed more than ten thousand people with the sword, inflicting death on whining infants in cradles whom even the enemy of faith would have spared." The source of
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#17327724955211824-514: A massacre of its inhabitants and marking the beginning of tensions between Poland and the Teutonic Order. Originally the knights moved into the fortress as an ally of Poland against the Margraviate of Brandenburg . However, after disputes over the control of the city between the Order and the King of Poland arose, the knights murdered a number of citizens within the city and took it as their own. Thus
1976-649: A pilgrim to visit St. Adalbert's grave and lent his support to Bolesław during the Congress of Gniezno ; the Gniezno Archdiocese and several subordinate dioceses were established on this occasion. The Polish ecclesiastical province effectively served as an essential anchor and an institution to fall back on for the Piast state, helping it to survive in the troubled centuries ahead. Bolesław at first chose to continue his father's policy of cooperation with
2128-516: A well-connected Czech bishop in exile and missionary who was killed in 997 while on a mission in Prussia . Bolesław skillfully took advantage of his death: his martyrdom led to his elevation as patron saint of Poland and resulted in the creation of an independent Polish province of the Church with Radim Gaudentius as Archbishop of Gniezno . In the year 1000, the young Emperor Otto III came as
2280-557: Is likely that most of the former inhabitants left Danzig in 1308. When the Poles refused to accept monetary compensation for the Knights' takeover of the city, the Order resorted to conquering further towns like Świecie . The local colony of merchants and artisans was specifically attacked because they competed with the Knights' town of Elbing ( Elbląg ), a nearby city. The Knights also attacked Tczew (Dirschau). The Knights then captured
2432-516: Is the Battle of Grunwald (1410) , where a coalition of Polish and Lithuanian forces decisively defeated the Teutonic Knights. This victory had significant implications for the balance of power in the region and marked the decline of the Teutonic Order's influence. Subsequent treaties, such as the Peace of Thorn (1411) , resulted in territorial adjustments and established a more stable relationship between
2584-605: The Dagome iudex act, the most important written document and source of the period is the Gesta principum Polonorum , a chronicle by Gallus Anonymus , a foreign cleric from the court of Bolesław Wrymouth. Bruno of Querfurt was one of the pioneering Western clergymen spreading Church literacy; some of his prominent writings had been produced in eremitic monasteries in Poland. Among the preeminent early monastic religious orders were
2736-600: The Ascanian margraves instigated the kidnapping and killing of King Przemysł, probably backed by King Wenceslaus II of Bohemia , who aimed for the Polish crown. King Wenceslaus II prevailed against his Piast rival Władysław I the Elbow-high and was crowned King of Poland in 1300. He ruled in Pomerelia with the assistance of the local Swenzones noble family. Upon the assassination of his son Wenceslaus III in 1306,
2888-417: The Battle of Legnica , and Henry IV Probus . In 1295, Przemysł II of Greater Poland became the first Piast duke crowned as King of Poland since Bolesław II, but he ruled over only a part of the territory of Poland (including Gdańsk Pomerania from 1294) and was assassinated soon after his coronation. A more extensive unification of Polish lands was accomplished by a foreign ruler, Václav II of Bohemia of
3040-598: The Benedictines (the abbey in Tyniec founded in 1044) and the Cistercians . The 13th century brought fundamental changes to the structure of Polish society and its political system. Because of constant internal conflicts, the Piast dukes were unable to stabilize Poland's external borders. Western Farther Pomerania broke its political ties with Poland in the second half of the 12th century and from 1231 became
3192-494: The Franciscans were the leading monastic orders at this time, and they interacted closely with the general population. A proliferation of narrative annals characterized the period, as well as other written records, laws and documents. More of the clergy were of local origin; others were expected to know the Polish language. Wincenty Kadłubek , the author of an influential chronicle , was the most recognized representative in
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#17327724955213344-498: The Greater Poland Civil War , the Polish nobility decided that Jadwiga, Louis's youngest daughter, should become the next "King of Poland"; Jadwiga arrived in 1384 and was crowned at the age of eleven. The failure of the union of Poland and Hungary paved the way for the union of Lithuania and Poland . In the 14th century, many large scale brick building projects were undertaken during Casimir's reign, including
3496-518: The Holy Roman Empire but when Emperor Otto III died in 1002, Bolesław's relationship with his successor Henry II turned out to be much more difficult, and it resulted in a series of wars (1002–1005, 1007–1013, 1015–1018). From 1003 to 1004, Bolesław intervened militarily in Czech dynastic conflicts. After his forces were removed from Bohemia in 1018, Bolesław retained Moravia . In 1013,
3648-598: The Hungarian ruling house the Polish throne in the event he dies without male heirs. Casimir, who formally gave up his rights to several Silesian principalities in 1339, unsuccessfully tried to recover the region by conducting military activities against the House of Luxembourg (the rulers of Bohemia) between 1343 and 1348, but then blocked the attempted separation of Silesia from the Gniezno Archdiocese by Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV . Later, until his death, he pursued
3800-581: The Kulmerland of Teutonic Prussia up to the Osa River near Grudziądz . The Teutonic Knights counterattacked, taking many towns in Kuyavia and Dobrzyń. A Polish and Lithuanian counterattack in 1330 resulted in a temporary peace, with the Order returning part of its military gains to Poland, but over the next year, the fighting continued. After the indecisive Battle of Płowce in 1331, the Order gained
3952-553: The Přemyslid dynasty became extinct and Duke Władysław was able to occupy the Pomerelian lands. The Swenzones, fearing for their assets and sinecures, called for Margrave Waldemar of Brandenburg , whose troops occupied the territory up to the city of Gdańsk . Władysław reacted by calling the forces of the Teutonic Order, who under the command of Heinrich von Plötzke in 1308 re-conquered Gdańsk and most of Pomerelia. However, after
4104-477: The Přemyslid dynasty , who married Przemysł's daughter Richeza and became King of Poland in 1300. Václav's heavy-handed policies soon caused him to lose whatever support he had earlier in his reign; he died in 1305. An important factor in the unification process was the Polish Church, which remained a single ecclesiastical province throughout the fragmentation period. Archbishop Jakub Świnka of Gniezno
4256-612: The Roman Curia . However, he was crowned Polish king in 1320 and forged new alliances with the Kingdom of Hungary and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania , when he married his daughter Elisabeth to King Charles I in 1320 and his son Casimir to Aldona of Lithuania , daughter of Grand Duke Gediminas . On the other hand, the Kingdom of Bohemia , since 1310 under the rule of the mighty House of Luxembourg , rose again and King John
4408-580: The Saxon exile Wichmann the Younger . Under Mieszko's rule ( c. 960 to 992), his tribal state accepted Christianity and became the Polish state. The viability of the Mieszko's emerging state was assured by the persistent territorial expansion of the early Piast rulers. Beginning with a very small area around Gniezno (before the town itself existed), the Piast expansion lasted throughout most of
4560-522: The Statutes of Casimir the Great (the Piotrków–Wiślica Statutes) from 1346 to 1362. Accordingly, conflict resolution relied on legal proceedings domestically, while bilateral or multilateral negotiations and treaties were increasingly important in international relations. By this time, the network of cathedral and parish schools had become well developed. In 1364, Casimir the Great established
4712-615: The Teutonic Knights to help him fight the Baltic Prussian pagans, which led to centuries of Poland's warfare with the Knights and the German Prussian state . In 1320, the kingdom was restored under Władysław I the Elbow-high , then strengthened and expanded by his son Casimir III the Great . The western provinces of Silesia and Pomerania were lost after the fragmentation, and Poland began expanding to
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4864-491: The Teutonic Knights to help him fight the pagan, Baltic Old Prussians , who lived in a territory adjacent to his lands; substantial border warfare was taking place and Konrad's province was suffering from Prussian invasions. On the other hand, the Old Prussians themselves were at that time being subjected to increasingly forced, but largely ineffective Christianization efforts, including Northern Crusades sponsored by
5016-455: The Teutonic takeover they denied the handover to Władysław, as the duke refused to pay the requested expense allowance. Instead they concluded the 1309 Treaty of Soldin with Margrave Waldemar, whose resistance from the beginning had been relatively weak and who now was willing to sell off his claims to Pomerelia. Władysław, chafing under his defeat, unsuccessfully sued the Teutonic Order at
5168-733: The University of Kraków , the second oldest university in Central Europe. While many still traveled to Southern and Western Europe for university studies, the Polish language , along with the predominant Latin , became increasingly more common in written documents. The Holy Cross Sermons (ca. early 14th century) constitute possibly the oldest extant Polish prose manuscript. Swietopelk II of Pomerania Swantopolk II ( Polish : Świętopełk II ; Kashubian : Swiãtopôłk II ; 1190/1200 — 11 January 1266) , also known as Swantopolk II
5320-579: The princes of Rügen , who also claimed to be the heirs of Pomerelia, mounted an expedition. Wenceslaus, who with the Polish crown had also acquired the claim to Pomerelia, called the Teutonic Order for help. The Teutonic knights occupied Gdańsk, repelled the princes of Rügen, and left the town in 1302. While the Norwegian king Haakon backed Rügen's claims, his 1302 call to the Hanseatic cities for aid remained without answer. Wenceslaus II died in 1305 and
5472-472: The 10th century , with the Polans settling in the flatlands around the emerging strongholds of Giecz , Poznań , Gniezno and Ostrów Lednicki . Accelerated rebuilding of old tribal fortified settlements, construction of massive new ones and territorial expansion took place during the period c. 920 –950. The Polish state developed from these tribal roots in the second half of the century. According to
5624-560: The 10th century and resulted in a territory approximating that of present-day Poland. The Polanie tribe conquered and merged with other Slavic tribes and first formed a tribal federation, then later a centralized state. After the addition of Lesser Poland , the country of the Vistulans , and of Silesia (both taken by Mieszko from the Czech state during the later part of the 10th century), Mieszko's state reached its mature form, including
5776-405: The 1220s. The German, Polish and other new rural settlements represented a form of feudal tenancy with legal immunity and German town laws were often utilized as its legal bases. German immigrants were also important in the rise of the cities and the establishment of the Polish burgher (city dwelling merchants) class; they brought with them West European laws ( Magdeburg rights ) and customs that
5928-512: The 12th and 13th centuries, Christianization of the populace was accomplished on a larger scale. Intellectual and artistic activity was concentrated around the institutions of the Church, the courts of the kings and dukes, and emerged around the households of the rising hereditary elite. Written annals began to be generated in the late 10th century; leaders such as Mieszko II and Casimir the Restorer were considered literate and educated. Along with
6080-558: The 12th-century chronicler Gallus Anonymus , the Polans were ruled at this time by the Piast dynasty . In existing sources from the 10th century, Piast ruler Mieszko I was first mentioned by Widukind of Corvey in his Res gestae saxonicae , a chronicle of events in Germany. Widukind reported that Mieszko's forces were twice defeated in 963 by the Veleti tribes acting in cooperation with
6232-548: The 14th and 15th centuries and were characterized by territorial disputes, political maneuvering, and religious differences. The origins of the conflict can be traced back to the Teutonic Order's presence in the Baltic region, where they had established a state known as the Monastic State of the Teutonic Knights . This state included territories in what is now modern-day Poland , Lithuania , and Latvia . Tensions arose as
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6384-406: The 14th century. King Casimir received Jewish refugees from Germany in 1349. Władysław I the Elbow-high (r. 1305–1333), who began as an obscure Piast duke from Kuyavia , pursued a lifelong, persistently challenging struggle with powerful adversaries with persistence and determination. When he died as the king of a partially reunited Poland, he left the kingdom in a precarious situation. Although
6536-527: The 15th century, era of the Polish-Teutonic Wars , medieval Polish chronicler Jan Długosz in epic prose described the event as a slaughter of Polish nationals, regardless of condition, age or sex. Modern sources are divided as to the actual extent of the massacre though they all agree that mass killings did take place. Historian Matthew Kuefler states: "German and Polish historians in the twentieth century tended to have diverging [views] both on
6688-616: The Blind himself claimed the Polish crown as a heritage from the Přemyslids. The Teutonic Knights supported King John, who joined them in crusades against the pagan Lithuanians, and furthermore were allied with Władysław's enemy in Masovia , Duke Wenceslaus of Płock . In 1326 the forces of King Władysław with Lithuanian support devastated the Neumark region and the next year turned against
6840-477: The Brandenburgers were about to leave. While the dispute was about the co-ordination of further action and unsettled payment, Arnold says that it was at the same time that "the order's policy changed from providing aid towards annexing Pomerelia and buying up existing legal claims," which was opposed by the population of Danzig. This was answered by the order on 13 November "by the uncompromising levelling of
6992-507: The Elbow-high and his son Casimir III, "the Great" were the last two rulers of the Piast dynasty, who ruled over a reunified kingdom of Poland in the 14th century. Their rule was not a return to the Polish state as it existed before the period of fragmentation, because of the loss of internal cohesion and territorial integrity. The regional Piast princes remained strong, and for economic and cultural reasons, some of them gravitated toward Poland's neighbors. The kingdom lost Pomerania and Silesia,
7144-574: The German political structures, settler colonization and gradual Germanization of the Polish ruling circles. The lower Vistula was controlled by the Teutonic Order. Masovia was not to be fully incorporated into the Polish state in the near future. Casimir stabilized the western and northern borders, tried to regain some of the lost territories, and partially compensated the losses by new eastern expansion that placed within his kingdom regions that were East Slavic , thus ethnically non-Polish. Despite
7296-405: The German population only achieved the majority after local Polish population was murdered and a new settlement was built by Teutonic Knights. According to Błażej Śliwiński at the time of events, Gdańsk with surrounding settlements had around 2000 to 3000 inhabitants The forces of the order had arrived in two columns: one re-inforced the Polish garrison in the castle, the other one marched against
7448-565: The Great ( Polish : Świętopełk II Wielki ; Kashubian : Swiãtopôłk II Wiôldżi ), was the ruling Duke of Gdańsk from 1215 until his death. He was the first member of the Samborides to style himself dux from 1227 onwards. The duke is known under many spellings ( Swantepolk, Swantipolk, Svatopluk, Swietopelk, Swatopolk, Sviatopolk, Światopełek, Świętopełk, Swiãtopôłk ), of which Domin(us) Zwantepolc(us) D(ux) Danceke and Svantopelc Ducis Pomeranie were used on seals. Swietopelk
7600-777: The Kingdom of Poland in 1454. The Polish–Teutonic War (1326–1332) was the war between the Kingdom of Poland and the State of the Teutonic Order over Pomerelia , fought from 1326 to 1332. Until the death of Duke Mestwin II in 1294, the Duchy of Pomerelia on the Baltic coast, stretching from the border with the Imperial Duchy of Pomerania in the west to the Prussian territory of
7752-524: The Knights confronted Poland and Lithuania , then the last pagan state in Europe. Teutonic wars with Poland and Lithuania continued for most of the 14th and 15th centuries. The Teutonic state in Prussia, increasingly populated by German settlers beginning in the 13th century, but still retaining a majority Baltic population, had been claimed as a fief and protected by the popes and Holy Roman Emperors. As
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#17327724955217904-709: The Order state at the Vistula river in the east, had been held by the Samborides dynasty, liensmen of the Polish Piast rulers. Przemysł II , King of Poland since 1295, incorporated Pomerelia ( Pomorze Gdańskie ) into the Lands of the Polish Crown , against the protest of the Imperial Margraviate of Brandenburg referring to the Treaty of Arnswalde signed with Duke Mestwin in 1269. The next year,
8056-409: The Piast dynasty Timeline of Polish history The period of rule by the Piast dynasty between the 10th and 14th centuries is the first major stage of the history of the Polish state . The dynasty was founded by a series of dukes listed by the chronicler Gall Anonymous in the early 12th century: Siemowit , Lestek and Siemomysł . It was Mieszko I , the son of Siemomysł, who is now considered
8208-526: The Poles adopted. From that time, the Germans, who created early strong establishments (led by patriciates ) especially in the urban centers of Silesia and other regions of western Poland, were an increasingly influential minority in Poland. In 1228, the Acts of Cienia were passed and signed into law by Władysław III Laskonogi . The titular Duke of Poland promised to provide a "just and noble law according to
8360-640: The Polish access to the Baltic Sea remained a matter of conflict: regained as the Polish fief of Royal Prussia after the Second Peace of Thorn (1466) , annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia in the course of the First Partition of Poland in 1772, and part of the " Polish Corridor " created by the 1919 Treaty of Versailles , the ongoing dispute over the region for centuries put a strain on German–Polish relations . History of Poland during
8512-426: The Polish claim to Silesia legally by petitioning the pope; his successors did not continue his efforts. Allied with Denmark and Western Pomerania (Gdańsk Pomerania was granted to the Order as an "eternal charity"), Casimir was able to impose some corrections on the western border. In 1365, Drezdenko and Santok became Poland's fiefs , while the Wałcz district was taken outright in 1368. The latter action severed
8664-424: The Polish monarchy and the country's territorial integrity through several military campaigns: in 1047, Masovia was taken back from Miecław , a Polish noble who tried to detach the region from the rule of the Polish monarch, and in 1054 Silesia was recovered from the Czechs. Casimir was aided by recent adversaries of Poland, the Holy Roman Empire and Kievan Rus', both of whom disliked the chaos in Poland left after
8816-426: The Teutonic Knights to enter and to follow an order to lay down its fortifications. On 13 November, the order's forces with personal involvement of Plotzke forced their way into the town, though no larger battle took place. The order then held a tribunal in the town and ordered large-scale demolishments of its buildings. Soon after the takeover, on 19 June 1310, the Teutonic Knights faced charges that they had committed
8968-475: The Teutonic Order sought to expand its influence and control over these territories, often bringing them into conflict with the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania . The conflicts were influenced by a combination of political, economic, and religious factors. The Teutonic Order was a powerful military force, and their expansionist policies often clashed with the interests of Poland and Lithuania. The most notable conflict within this series of wars
9120-480: The Teutonic Order, while in the south King John the Blind marched against Kraków . Though he was urged by King Charles I of Hungary to retreat, he vassalized many of the Duchies of Silesia . Taking advantage of the weakness of Poland due to the internal fragmentation, the Teutonic knights pillaged and conquered the Polish Kuyavian region and the Dobrzyń Land . King Władysław received help from Lithuania and Hungary – commanded by William Drugeth – and in turn pillaged
9272-423: The Teutonic Order." According to Ulrich Nieß, the destruction of the town was part of the order's policy of securing its lands from potential inner rivals. Nieß says that the destruction of the city walls was in line with the order's contemporary policy of not allowing their own foundations to be substantially fortified either, and that the refusal of the town to obey to the order's demand to level their walls led to
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#17327724955219424-411: The aftermath of Mieszko's victory over a force of the Velunzani in 967, which was led by Wichmann, the first missionary bishop was appointed: Jordan, bishop of Poland . The action counteracted the intended eastern expansion of the Magdeburg Archdiocese , which was established at about the same time. Mieszko's state had a complex political relationship with the German Holy Roman Empire , as Mieszko
9576-407: The allegation is unknown. The respective bull contained other charges against the Teutonic Order, resulting from a dispute between its Livonian branch and the citizens as well as the archbishop of Riga , Friedrich von Pernstein . According to Ulrich Nieß, von Pernstein was the likely the source of the allegation of the ten thousand massacred. The bull called for an investigation of the charges which
9728-432: The area under King Władysław's control was limited and many unresolved issues remained, he may have saved Poland's existence as a state. Supported by his ally Charles I of Hungary , Władysław returned from exile and challenged Václav II and his successor Václav III in the period 1304–1306. Václav III's murder in 1306 terminated the Bohemian Přemyslid dynasty and its involvement in Poland. Afterwards, Władysław completed
9880-499: The area was at the location of present-day Gdańsk's Old Town. The adjacent town developed from a market place of tradesmen and was granted Lübeck city rights by Duke Swietopelk II in 1224. Under Swietopelk II , Gdańsk became an important trading site on the lower Vistula. The Margraviate of Brandenburg entered the scene after Mestwin II , son of Swietopelk, concluded the Treaty of Arnswalde with them, in order to receive aid against his brother, Wartislaw. The margraves took over
10032-413: The area, the Cammin bishop , by burning down his see. Meanwhile, Władysław I the Elbow-high had reestablished his power in Poland, but was occupied in the south of his realm. He appointed Bogusza as his Pomerelian governor in Gdańsk. In the summer of 1308, a rebellion was incited by the local Swienca family allied with Waldemar of Brandenburg , resulting in a Brandenburgian intervention which unseated
10184-469: The beginning of the general sejm , the dominant bicameral parliament of the future. During the reign of Louis I, Poland formed a Polish-Hungarian union . In the pact of 1374 (the Privilege of Koszyce ), the Polish nobility was granted extensive concessions and agreed to extend the Anjou succession to Louis's daughters, as Louis had no sons. Louis's neglect of Polish affairs resulted in the loss of Casimir's territorial gains, including Halych Rus' , which
10336-455: The brothers received their share of inheritance: Sambor received Lubiszewo Tczewskie and Racibor received Białogard . Swietopelk, who had exploited Piast Poland's fragmentation to gain independence, promised Władysław Odonic the throne of Kraków and Silesia in exchange for his support in the ousting of Leszek and Henry I the Bearded of Lower Silesia . On 23 November 1227, on the occasion of an assembly of Piast dukes in Gąsawa , Leszek
10488-415: The capital of the realm for several centuries. Casimir's son Bolesław II the Bold , also known as the Generous (r. 1058–1079), developed Polish military strength and waged several foreign campaigns between 1058 and 1077. As an active supporter of the papacy in its Investiture Controversy with the German emperor, Bolesław crowned himself king in 1076 with the blessing of Pope Gregory VII . In 1079, there
10640-406: The castle around August. While historians agree that the castle as well as the adjacent town were in the hands of the Teutonic Knights by late November 1308, the number of casualties and the extent of destruction is debated. Peter Oliver Loew writes that for a long time German historians accepted the version of events given by Teutonic Knights, and didn't accept a high number of people murdered, with
10792-404: The city's patrician leadership seeking rule by the House of Luxembourg was put down. This event may have had a limiting impact on the emerging political power of towns. In 1313–1314, Władysław conquered Greater Poland . In 1320, he became the first king of Poland crowned in Kraków's Wawel Cathedral instead of Gniezno . The coronation was hesitantly agreed to by Pope John XXII in spite of
10944-490: The conflict escalated into a civil war. Sambor and Racibor were driven out from their lands and sought refuge and alliance first with Piast relatives in Greater Poland , later with the Teutonic Knights , a Christian military order waging a crusade against pagan Prussians . There were also economic tensions between the Knights and Swantopolk. This resulted in an alliance with the heathen Prussians. Swantopolk played
11096-463: The construction of Gothic churches, castles, urban fortifications and homes of wealthy city residents. The most notable examples of architecture from the medieval period in Poland are the many churches representing the Polish Gothic style; medieval sculpture, painting and ornamental smithery are best revealed in the furnishings of churches and liturgical items. Polish law was first codified in
11248-442: The council of bishops and barons." Such legal guarantees and privileges included the lower level land owners and knights, who were evolving into the lower and middle nobility class known later as szlachta . The period of fragmentation weakened the rulers and established a permanent trend in Polish history, whereby the rights and role of the nobility were expanded at the monarch's expense. In 1226, Duke Konrad I of Masovia invited
11400-402: The country found itself under the unstable rule of his younger brother Władysław I Herman (r. 1079–1102). Władysław was strongly dependent on Count Palatine Sieciech , an advisor from the ranks of the Polish nobility who acted much as the power behind the throne. When Władysław's two sons, Zbigniew and Bolesław , finally forced Władysław to remove his hated protégé, Poland was divided among
11552-541: The country into five principalities: Silesia , Greater Poland , Masovia , Sandomierz and Kraków . The first four provinces were given to his four sons, who became independent rulers. The fifth province, the Seniorate Province of Kraków, was to be added to the senior among the princes who, as the Grand Duke of Kraków, was the representative of the whole of Poland. This principle broke down already within
11704-438: The crusaders, the Knights retained control of Danzig. - this time, with the permission of the papal court. Development of the city stagnated after its capture by the Teutonic Knights. Initially the new rulers tried to reduce the economic significance of Danzig by abolishing the local government and the privileges of the merchants. This was exemplified by the fact that the city council, including Arnold Hecht and Conrad Letzkau ,
11856-455: The death of Mieszko II), a task begun by his father Władysław I Herman and completed by Bolesław around 1123. Szczecin was subdued in a bloody takeover and Western Pomerania up to Rügen , except for the directly incorporated southern part, became Bolesław's fief , to be ruled locally by Wartislaw I , the first duke of the Griffin dynasty . At this time, Christianization of the region
12008-617: The disadvantages of political division were becoming increasingly apparent in various segments of the society, some of the Piast dukes began to make serious efforts aimed at the reunification of the Polish state. Important among the earlier attempts were the activities of the Silesian dukes Henry I the Bearded , his son Henry II the Pious , who was killed in 1241 while fighting the Mongols at
12160-451: The dismemberment of the country beginning in the reign of Mieszko II. Casimir introduced a more mature form of feudalism and relieved the burden of financing large army units from the duke's treasury by settling his warriors on feudal estates. Faced with the widespread destruction of Greater Poland after the Czech incursion, Casimir moved his court to Kraków and replaced the old Piast capitals of Poznań and Gniezno; Kraków would function as
12312-472: The duchy after Mestwin's death in 1294. The Margraves of Brandenburg also claimed the region and had Przemysł assassinated in early 1296. Władysław I the Elbow-high (Łokietek), Przemysł's successor, was only in loose control of Pomerelia and Gdańsk with the actual control of the area being in the hands of the local Swienca family who had come into power already under Mestwin II. In 1301, one year after Wenceslaus II of Bohemia had been crowned king of Poland,
12464-461: The east and through a series of military campaigns between 1340 and 1366, Casimir annexed the Halych – Volodymyr area of Rus' . The town of Lviv there attracted newcomers of several nationalities, was granted municipal rights in 1356, and had thus begun its career as Lwów , the main Polish centre in the midst of a Rus' Orthodox population. Supported by Hungary, the Polish king in 1338 promised
12616-519: The east. The period ended with the reigns of two members of the Capetian House of Anjou between 1370 and 1384. The consolidation in the 14th century laid the base for the new powerful kingdom of Poland that was to follow. The tribe of the Polans ( Polanie , lit. "people of the fields") in what is now Greater Poland gave rise to a tribal predecessor of the Polish state in the early part of
12768-429: The event is also known as Gdańsk massacre or Gdańsk slaughter ( rzeź Gdańska ). Though in the past a matter of debate among historians, a consensus has been established that many people were murdered and a considerable part of the town was destroyed in the context of the takeover. In the aftermath of the takeover, the order seized all of Pomerelia (Gdańsk Pomerania) and bought up the supposed Brandenburgian claims to
12920-467: The existence of the new country of Poland. Following the emergence of the Polish state, a series of rulers converted the population to Christianity, created a kingdom of Poland in 1025 and integrated Poland into the prevailing culture of Europe . Mieszko's son Bolesław I the Brave established a Roman Catholic Archdiocese in Gniezno , pursued territorial conquests and was officially crowned in 1025 as
13072-560: The expansionist politics of his father. His actions reinforced old resentment and hostility on the part of Poland's neighbors, and his two dispossessed brothers took advantage of it by arranging for invasions from Germany and Kievan Rus' in 1031. Mieszko was defeated and forced to leave Poland. Mieszko's brother Bezprym was murdered in 1032, whereas his brother Otto died in unclear circumstances in 1033, events that permitted Mieszko to recover his authority partially. The first Piast monarchy then collapsed with Mieszko's death in 1034. Deprived of
13224-455: The first king of Poland . The first Piast monarchy collapsed with the death of Mieszko II Lambert in 1034, followed by its restoration under Casimir I in 1042. In the process, the royal dignity for Polish rulers was forfeited, and the state reverted to the status of a duchy. Duke Casimir's son Bolesław II the Bold revived the military assertiveness of Bolesław I, but became fatally involved in
13376-524: The forces loyal to Łokietek, who later would become King of Poland. Bogusza and his men had retreated to the castle next to the town, and were besieged by the margraves. Bogusza, on the advice of the Dominican prior Wilhelm, appealed to the Teutonic Knights in Prussia for assistance. The Knights, under the leadership of Heinrich von Plotzke , agreed to aid Bogusza, and a force of 100 knights and 200 supporters, led by Günther von Schwarzburg , arrived at
13528-470: The formal act was negotiated in Buda in 1355. After his coronation, Louis returned to Hungary; he left his mother and Casimir 's sister Elizabeth in Poland as regents . With the death of Casimir the Great, the period of hereditary (Piast) monarchy in Poland came to an end. The land owners and nobles did not want a strong monarchy; a constitutional monarchy was established between 1370 and 1493 that included
13680-405: The four portions of Pomerelia. In 1218, Swietopelk took advantage of a revolt of local knights against Danish rule to occupy the Lands of Schlawe and Stolp . After his brother Warcislaw died without heirs, Swietopelk took over his Lubiszewo Tczewskie . Upon their father's death, Swietopelk's brothers Sambor and Racibor were still young, so he acted as their guardian. As they came of age,
13832-439: The fragmentation period. From the time of the conversion of Poland's ruling elite to Christianity in the 10th century, foreign churchmen had been arriving and the culture of early Medieval Poland was developing as a part of European Christendom . However, it would be a few generations from the time of Mieszko's conversion until significant numbers of native clergymen appeared. After the establishment of numerous monasteries in
13984-608: The generation of Bolesław III's sons, when Władysław II the Exile , Bolesław IV the Curly , Mieszko III the Old and Casimir II the Just fought for power and territory in Poland, and in particular over the throne of Kraków. The external borders left by Bolesław III at his death closely resembled the borders left by Mieszko I ; this original early Piast monarchy configuration had not survived
14136-419: The greater part of the town." Ulrich Nieß says that as a consequence of the appearance of Teutonic Order forces in the castle, the Brandenburgers left, and soon left also the initial Pomerelian and Kuyavian garrison of the castle after a dispute with the Teutonic Knights. The town, though still preferring Brandenburg rule, offered asylum to the garrison, and in relying on its Lübeck law charter refused to allow
14288-478: The integrity of the western border. In the south-east, Leszek the White was unable to preserve Poland's supremacy over the Halych area of Rus' , a territory that had changed hands on a number of occasions. The social status was becoming increasingly based on the size of feudal land possessions. Those included the lands controlled by the Piast princes, their rivals the great lay land owners and church entities, and
14440-467: The intellectual sphere. Perspectiva , a treatise on optics by Witelo , a Silesian monk, was one of the finest achievements of medieval science . The construction of churches and castles in the Gothic architecture style predominated in the 13th century; native elements in art forms were increasingly important, with significant advances taking place in agriculture, manufacturing and crafts. Władysław I
14592-471: The knightly class. The work force ranged from hired "free" people to serfs attached to the land, to slaves (either purchased, forced into slavery after capture in war or forced into slavery as prisoners). The upper layer of the feudal lords, first the Church and then others, was able to acquire economic and legal immunity , which it exempt to a significant degree from court jurisdiction and economic obligations such as taxation that had previously been imposed by
14744-633: The land connection between Brandenburg and the Teutonic state and connected Poland with Farther Pomerania . Casimir the Great considerably solidified the country's position in both foreign and domestic affairs. Domestically, he integrated and centralized the reunited Polish state and helped develop what was considered the " Crown of the Polish Kingdom ": the state within its actual boundaries, as well as past or potential boundaries. Casimir established or strengthened kingdom-wide institutions (such as
14896-442: The main regions regarded as ethnically Polish. The Piast lands totaled about 250,000 km (96,526 sq mi) in area, with an approximate population of under one million. Initially a pagan, Mieszko I was the first ruler of the Polans tribal union known from contemporary written sources. A detailed account of aspects of Mieszko's early reign was given by Ibrâhîm ibn Ya`qûb , a Jewish traveler, according to whom Mieszko
15048-444: The marriage between Bolesław's son Mieszko and Richeza of Lotharingia , the niece of Emperor Otto III and future mother of Casimir I the Restorer , took place. The conflicts with Germany ended in 1018 with the Peace of Bautzen on favorable terms for Bolesław. In the context of the 1018 Kiev expedition , Bolesław took over the western part of Red Ruthenia . In 1025, shortly before his death, Bolesław I finally succeeded in obtaining
15200-643: The merchant association, the Hanseatic League by 1361, but its merchants remained resentful at the barriers to trade up the Vistula river with Poland, along with the lack of political rights in a state ruled in the interest of the Order's religiously motivated knight-monks. As a result, the city became a co-founder of the Prussian Confederation which formally petitioned Casimir IV Jagiellon , to incorporate Prussia, including Danzig, into
15352-482: The most highly developed and economically important regions of the original ethnically Polish lands, which left half of the Polish population outside the kingdom's borders. The western losses had to do with the failure of the unification efforts undertaken by the Silesian Piast dukes and the German expansion processes. These included the Piast principalities developing (or falling into) dependencies in respect to
15504-402: The number given between 60 and 100 victims Błażej Śliwiński, based on several sources argues that the number of murdered was very high, even if not 10,000. According to Peter Oliver Loew the exact numbers can never be established, however he agrees that all available data confirms that the city was destroyed during the conquest. According to Raphael Lemkin the population in the city at the time
15656-493: The number of 10,000 dead, says that the knights "drove Waldemar from the city, and calmly slaughtered its inhabitants" , similar descriptions are presented also in some other English books with sections on Polish history. Jerzy Lukowski in "A concise history of Poland" says that the knights massacred "Lokietek's men". Błażej Śliwiński says that there was a bloodbath which cost an abundance of lives, though not 10,000, and that such massacres were common in medieval Europe., and that
15808-511: The number of dead between 50 and 60 knights, including 16 from notable houses, and over 1000 commoners among the city's population, which he gives as between 2,000 and 3,000 people (including surrounding settlements). Gerard Labuda and Marian Biskup (1993) write that the number of murdered inhabitants is not established, but that the victims of the massacre include at least several dozen notable knights and members of nobility as well as significant number of commoners and simple soldiers. Biskup in
15960-450: The number of those killed was "not less than sixty, and not more than several hundred", that the victims were killed after the takeover rather than during it, and hence the massacre was carried out on defenseless individuals, both knights and burghers, who had laid down their arms. According to Jasiński says the 16 deaths admitted by the order were actually only the most famous Polish knights among those killed. Błażej Śliwiński (2008) estimates
16112-441: The opposition of King John of Bohemia , who had also claimed the Polish crown. John undertook an expedition aimed at Kraków in 1327, which he was compelled to abort; in 1328, he waged a crusade against Lithuania, during which he formalized an alliance with the Teutonic Order. The Order was in a state of war with Poland from 1327 to 1332 (see Battle of Płowce ). As a result, the Knights captured Dobrzyń Land and Kujawy . Władysław
16264-468: The order at the curia, both aiming at the return of Pomerelia. The sites of investigation were Inowrocław and Brześć Kujawski in 1320/21 and Warsaw in 1339. The judges were Domarat, bishop of Poznań, Janisław, archbishop of Gniezno and, Nikolaus (Mikolaj), abbot of Mogilno in the first case and Galhard of Chartres and Peter (Pierre) of Gervais in the second case. Witness and eyewitness reports collected during these cases include mentions of killings during
16416-521: The order, the townspeople similarly had to sign an agreement to evacuate their homes, though this was not put into effect. According to Loew, the archaeological evidence suggests that it took a couple of years before new streets and buildings were built on top of the flattened debris of the former buildings, though there probably were areas of the town which had remained unharmed. Referring to records of Danzig burghers taking residence in Lübeck , Loew says it
16568-594: The pagan Prussians, the Pomesanians , at the battle of the River Sorge . There, they defeated the pagans, and were able to seize greater control of south Prussia. In 1238 Swietopelk conquered the Duchy of Pomerania-Schlawe , whose territories connected Pomerania to Gdańsk, Nakło , and Bydgoszcz . This guaranteed war with Kujavia . The brothers, over whom Swantopolk was supposed to govern for twenty years, refused to support their overlord after twelve years, and
16720-580: The papacy. The Teutonic Order soon overstepped their authority and moved beyond the area granted them by Konrad ( Chełmno Land or Kulmerland ). In the following decades, they conquered large areas along the Baltic Sea coast and established their own monastic state . As virtually all of the Western Baltic pagans became converted or exterminated (the Prussian conquests were completed by 1283),
16872-459: The papal court in 1320 and 1333. Both times, as well as in 1339, the Teutonic Knights were ordered by the Pope to return Pomerelia and other lands back to Poland, but did not comply. As a result, in the late 1330s, a war ensued. Peace was established in the Treaty of Kalisz in 1343 ; although the Polish kings were able to retain the title "Duke of Pomerania" and were recognized as titular overlords of
17024-491: The papal permission to crown himself, and he became the first king of Poland . Bolesław's expansionist policies were costly to the Polish state and were not always successful. He lost, for example, the economically crucial Farther Pomerania in 1005 together with its new bishopric in Kołobrzeg ; the region had previously been conquered with great effort by Mieszko. King Mieszko II Lambert (r. 1025–1034) tried to continue
17176-446: The parties involved. Over time, the Teutonic Order's influence waned, and the territories it once controlled in the Baltic region gradually came under the sway of Poland and Lithuania. The Polish–Teutonic Wars played a crucial role in shaping the geopolitical landscape of East-Central Europe during the late medieval period . The city of Danzig (Gdańsk) was captured by the State of the Teutonic Order on 13 November 1308, resulting in
17328-565: The plan failed and a long period of fragmentation was ushered in. For nearly two centuries, the Piasts would spar with each other, the clergy, and the nobility for the control over the divided kingdom. The stability of the system was supposedly assured by the institution of the senior or high duke of Poland, based in Kraków and assigned to the special Seniorate Province that was not to be subdivided. Following his concept of seniorate, Bolesław divided
17480-401: The powerful state treasury) independent of the regional, class, or royal court-related interests. Internationally, the Polish king was very active diplomatically; he cultivated close contacts with other European rulers and was a staunch defender of the interests of the Polish state. In 1364, he sponsored the Congress of Kraków , in which a number of monarchs participated, which was concerned with
17632-625: The promotion of peaceful cooperation and political balance in Central Europe. Immediately after Casimir's death in 1370, the heirless king's nephew Louis of Hungary of the Capetian House of Anjou assumed the Polish throne. As Casimir's actual commitment to the Anjou succession seemed problematic from the beginning (in 1368 the Polish king adopted his grandson, Casimir of Słupsk ), Louis engaged in succession negotiations with Polish knights and nobility starting in 1351. They supported him, exacting in return further guarantees and privileges for themselves;
17784-590: The proper founder of the Polish state at about 960 AD. The ruling house then remained in power in the Polish lands until 1370. Mieszko converted to Christianity of the Western Latin Church in an event known as the Baptism of Poland in 966, which established a major cultural boundary in Europe based on religion. He also completed a unification of the Lechitic tribal lands that was fundamental to
17936-515: The question of whether Pomerelia really "belonged" to Poland and also on the degree of ferocity of the order's conquest". The city of Gdańsk states that " The Teutonic Knights, having captured the castle in 1308 butchered the population. Since then the event is known as the Gdańsk slaughter ". In many Polish works, the takeover is referred to as "Gdańsk slaughter" ( rzeź Gdańska ). Norman Davies in his extensive history of Poland , while not insisting on
18088-493: The region in the Treaty of Soldin (1309) . The conflict with Poland was temporarily settled in the Treaty of Kalisz (1343) . The town was returned to Poland in the Second Peace of Thorn in 1466. In the 13th century, the Pomerelian duchy was ruled by members of the Samborides , originally stewards for the Polish Piast kings and dukes. The stewards asserted their power from fortified strongholds. The major stronghold of
18240-489: The rest of Pomerelia from Brandenburg 's troops. In September 1309, Margrave Waldemar of Brandenburg- Stendal sold his claim to the territory to the Teutonic Order for 10,000 marks in the Treaty of Soldin (now Myślibórz ), thereby connecting the State of the Teutonic Order with that of the Holy Roman Empire . While for the order, this landbridge with the empire was a major strategic improvement by connecting its Baltic territories to its German bailiwicks ( ballei ), it
18392-504: The ruling dukes. Civil strife and foreign invasions, such as the Mongol invasions in 1240/1241 , 1259/1260 and 1287/1288 , weakened and depopulated many of the small Polish principalities, as the country was becoming progressively more subdivided. Depopulation and increasing demand for labor caused a massive immigration of West European peasants into Poland, mostly German settlers ; the early waves from Germany and Flanders occurred in
18544-469: The takeover of Lesser Poland , entering Kraków, and took the lands north of there, through Kuyavia all the way to Gdańsk Pomerania . In 1308, Pomerania was conquered by the Brandenburg state. In a recovery effort, Władysław agreed to ask for help from the Teutonic Knights; the Knights brutally took over Gdańsk Pomerania and kept it for themselves. In 1311–1312, a rebellion in Kraków instigated by
18696-406: The takeover of Danzig, referred to e.g. as strage magna or maxima (great (est) murder/bloodbath), while the Teutonic Order admitted the killing of 15 to 16 Pomerelian knights. The testimonies from the lawsuits and the order's responses are the primary sources used by historians to reconstruct the events. The lawsuits did not have any practical effect on the order, who won both cases by appeal. In
18848-537: The term "slaughter" in Medieval Ages usually meant murder of around 1000 people. According to Peter Oliver Loew , older German historiography was more inclined to trust the Knights' claims and argued that a number of 10,000 is virtually impossible for a medieval town. A number of 60 to 100 was regarded as reasonable. This view was shared by many Polish historians after World War II, however, Błażej Śliwiński's presented numerous pieces of evidence that what occurred
19000-403: The territorial truncation, 14th-century Poland experienced a period of accelerated economic development and increasing prosperity. This included further expansion and modernization of agricultural settlements, the development of towns and their greater role in briskly growing trade, mining and metallurgy. A great monetary reform was implemented during the reign of Casimir III. Jewish settlement
19152-403: The three of them from 1098, and after the father's death, from 1102 to 1106, it was divided between the two brothers. After a power struggle, Bolesław III Wrymouth (r. 1102–1138) became the duke of Poland by defeating his half-brother Zbigniew in 1106–1107. Zbigniew had to leave the country, but received support from Holy Roman Emperor Henry V , who attacked Bolesław's Poland in 1109. Bolesław
19304-427: The town from the south and raised a siege. In the castle, conflict arose between the Teutonic and Polish knights, with the latter opposing a takeover by the former. After several encounters, the outnumbered Polish forces left the castle, with some of them defecting to the rebellious inhabitants of the town and the Brandenburgers. In the evening of 12 November 1308, the Teutonic Knights succeeded in forcing their way inside
19456-507: The town in 1270/1 from Wartislaw, but did not hand it over to Mestwin until the latter was able to force them out by concluding an alliance with Bolesław the Pious , duke of Greater Poland . Under the rule of Brandenburg, conflicts erupted between the Slavic and German populations, which cost many lives. In the 1282 Treaty of Kępno Mestwin II promised his Pomerelian duchy to his ally Przemysł II , duke and later king of Poland, who succeeded to
19608-412: The town was promised to the Teutonic Order in return for aiding Bogusza's men. The Teutonic Knights then moved in, defeated the Brandenburgers and had the townspeople accept Łokietek as their suzerain . However, on 13 November they "took over the whole town, thereby killing everyone who defied their will." Udo Arnold says that a dispute between the castle's garrison and the Teutonic knights arose when
19760-416: The town. During the ensuing close combat in the streets, the Teutonic Knights gained the upper hand over the defending Brandenburgian forces, burghers and Pomerelian knights. The victorious knights killed many citizens and opposing knights. By the morning of 13 November, the defendants were utterly defeated, bodies were lying in the streets and executions were going on. According to Halina Wątróbska , half of
19912-403: The townspeople after the takeover had to demolish only the city walls or, in addition, at least part of the town's buildings. Based on recent archaeological findings, Loew says that this conflict is about to be decided in favor of the destruction thesis: "burn marks and clear evidence for planation of the terrain in the early 14th century prove its [the town's] destruction in the years of 1308/09 by
20064-475: The upper hand and retook Kuyavia and Dobrzyń Land. Both sides agreed on an armistice, while King Władysław died in 1333. In 1343, the territorial claims of the parties were settled in the Peace of Kalisz signed by Władysław's son King Casimir III, formally ending the war. He thereby regained Kuyavia and Dobrzyń, but finally lost Pomerelia. Nevertheless, he retained the title of a Pomeraniæ dominus et heres ("Lord and Heir of Pomerania"). The Pomerelian lands and
20216-637: The vicinity of the Oder River and its mouth. After the death of Otto I, and then again after the death of Holy Roman Emperor Otto II , Mieszko supported Henry the Quarrelsome , a pretender to the imperial crown . After the death of Doubravka in 977, Mieszko married Oda von Haldensleben , daughter of Dietrich , Margrave of the Northern March , ca. 980. When fighting the Czechs in 990, Mieszko
20368-410: Was Polish. According to Kazimierz Jaśinski , the Knights captured the town with the help from some of the German burghers, who constituted a very small minority within the town at the time. James Minahan wrote that the city inhabitants, for the most part, were Kashubians . According to Peter Oliver Loew , there were German as well as Slavic inhabitants of the town. According to Stefan Maria Kuczyński ,
20520-626: Was a "friend", ally and vassal of Holy Roman Emperor Otto I and paid him tribute from the western part of his lands. Mieszko fought wars with the Polabian Slavs , the Czechs, Margrave Gero of the Saxon Eastern March in 963–964 and Margrave Odo I of the Saxon Eastern March in 972 in the Battle of Cedynia . The victories over Wichmann and Odo allowed Mieszko to extend his Pomeranian possessions west to
20672-440: Was able to defend his realm due to his military abilities, determination and alliances, and also because of a societal mobilisation across the social spectrum (see Battle of Głogów ). Zbigniew, who later returned, died in mysterious circumstances, perhaps in the summer of 1113. Bolesław's other major achievement was the conquest of all of Mieszko I's Pomerania (of which the remaining eastern part had been lost by Poland from after
20824-611: Was an anti-Bolesław conspiracy or conflict that involved the Bishop of Kraków. Bolesław had Bishop Stanisław of Szczepanów executed; subsequently Bolesław was forced to abdicate the Polish throne due to pressure from the Catholic Church and the pro-imperial faction of the nobility. Stanisław would become the second martyr and patron saint of Poland (known in English as St. Stanislav), canonized in 1253. After Bolesław's exile,
20976-413: Was an ardent proponent of Poland's reunification; he performed the crowning ceremonies for both Przemysł II and Wenceslaus II . Świnka supported Władysław I Łokietek at various stages of the duke's career. Culturally , the social impact of the Church was considerably broader in the 13th century, as networks of parishes were established and cathedral-type schools became more common. The Dominicans and
21128-422: Was at the same time a major loss for Poland which had become a landlocked country . Thus, the takeover triggered a series of conflicts between Poland and the Teutonic Order, and these conflicts in turn triggered a conflict within the order itself. Some prominent brethren favoured a concession of Pomerelia in exchange for good relations with Poland, but were opposed by a majority of the knights who thought that such
21280-525: Was helped by his alliances with Hungary (his daughter Elizabeth was married to King Charles I in 1320) and Lithuania (in a pact of 1325 against the Teutonic State and the marriage of Władysław's son Casimir to Aldona , daughter of the Lithuanian ruler Gediminas ). After 1329, a peace agreement with Brandenburg also assisted his efforts. A lasting achievement of King John of Bohemia (and
21432-593: Was helped by the Holy Roman Empire. By about the year 990, when Mieszko I officially submitted his country to the authority of the Holy See ( Dagome iudex ), he had transformed Poland into one of the strongest powers in central-eastern Europe . One of the most important concerns of Bolesław's early reign was building up the Polish church. Bolesław cultivated Adalbert of Prague of the Slavník family ,
21584-399: Was indeed a "bloodbath" with a very high number of victims, although not as high as 10,000, and more likely around 1000. Loew adds that from the source material available to historians, the definite number of casualties is impossible to establish. William Urban says that the number of 10,000 dead has been considered greater than the city's population at the time. Kazimierz Jasiński states that
21736-483: Was initiated in earnest, an effort crowned by the establishment of the Pomeranian Wolin Diocese after Bolesław's death in 1140. Before he died, Bolesław III Wrymouth divided the country, in a limited sense, among four of his sons . He made complex arrangements intended to prevent fratricidal warfare and preserve the Polish state's formal unity, but after Bolesław's death, the implementation of
21888-470: Was killed in an ambush set by Swietopelk II and perhaps Władysław, while Henry was severely wounded. In 1233-34, Swietopelk II, with his brother Sambor, joined a crusading army along with Hermann Balk , Konrad I of Masovia , Henry the Bearded , and Władysław Odonic . They proceeded to Kwidzyn (Marienwerder) and refortified it for the Teutonic Order . After this task was over, the crusaders met
22040-475: Was one of four Slavic "kings" established in central and southern Europe in the 960s. In 965, Mieszko, who was allied with Boleslaus I, Duke of Bohemia at the time, married the duke's daughter Doubravka , a Christian princess. Mieszko's conversion to Latin Christianity followed on 14 April 966, an event known as the Baptism of Poland that is considered to be the founding event of the Polish state. In
22192-417: Was recovered by Queen Jadwiga in 1387. In 1396, Jadwiga and her husband Jagiełło (Jogaila) forcefully annexed the central Polish lands separating Lesser Poland from Greater Poland , previously granted by King Louis to his Silesian Piast ally Duke Władysław of Opole . The Hungarian-Polish union lasted for twelve years and ended in war. After Louis's death in 1382 and a power struggle that resulted in
22344-461: Was removed and beheaded in 1411. Later the Knights were forced to accept the fact that city defended its independence and was the largest and most important seaport of the region after overtaking Elbing. Subsequently, it flourished, benefiting from major investment and economic prosperity in the Monastic state and Poland, which stimulated trade along the Vistula . The city had become a full member of
22496-453: Was started by Francis of Moliano in 1312. During the inquisition, Moliano excommunicated the Teutonic Knights, but this was reversed in 1313. The Riga lawsuit was finally decided in the Teutonic Order's favor by Clement's successor John XXII after a hearing in Avignon in 1319. Under Władysław Łokietek and his successor Casimir III the Great an additional two lawsuits were filed against
22648-496: Was succeeded by Wenceslaus III , murdered in 1306. In a treaty of 8 August 1305, the margraves of Brandenburg promised to Wenceslaus III the Meissen (Miśnia) territory in exchange for Pomerelia, but that treaty was never finalized. The Teutonic Order had inherited Gniew (Mewe) from Sambor II , thus gaining a foothold on the left bank of the Vistula. Brandenburg occupied the west of the duchy after neutralizing another claimant to
22800-526: Was taking place in Poland since very early times. In 1264, Duke Bolesław the Pious of Greater Poland granted the privileges of the Statute of Kalisz , which specified a broad range of freedoms of religious practices, movement, and trading for the Jews. It also created a legal precedent for the official protection of Jews from local harassment and exclusion. The act exempted the Jews from enslavement or serfdom and
22952-480: Was the foundation of future Jewish prosperity in the Polish kingdom; it was later followed by many other comparable legal pronouncements. Following a series of expulsions of Jews from Western Europe, Jewish communities were established in Kraków , Kalisz and elsewhere in western and southern Poland in the 13th century. Another series of communities were established at Lviv , Brest-Litovsk and Grodno further east in
23104-459: Was the son of the Pomeranian duke Mestwin I and his wife Swinisława. His father had ruled over Eastern Pomerania (or Pomerelia ) since about 1205 by appointment of the Polish high duke Władysław III Spindleshanks . In 1216 or 1217 his son Swietopelk was made a steward over Pomerelia by High Duke Leszek I the White of Kraków . He was responsible for the Gdańsk territory, the largest of
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