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60-626: Niepołomice Castle was built by order of King Casimir III the Great on the slope of the Vistula valley, to serve as a retreat during hunting expeditions to the nearby Niepołomice Forest . The castle consisted of three towers, buildings in the southern and eastern wing, and curtain walls surrounding a courtyard. Sigismund I the Old rebuilt the structure, giving it the form of a quadrangle with an internal courtyard. Queen Bona Sforza 's gardens were located on

120-510: A commonly-known ditty that translates as follows: inherited wooden towns and left them fortified with stone and brick (Kazimierz Wielki zastał Polskę drewnianą, a zostawił murowaną). He organized a meeting of kings in Kraków in 1364 at which he exhibited the wealth of the Polish kingdom. Casimir is the only king in Polish history to both receive and retain the title of "Great", as Bolesław I

180-534: A crucial part in the disruption of the Franks. While these Slavic people often sought to benefit from Frankish support, they also rejected Frankish dominance. They craved independence, desiring to break free from the chains of taxation. When looking at the history preceding the Treaty of Trencin, it lines up with the history of the three kingdoms involved in the signing of the treaty. The issues addressed and remedied in

240-516: A favourable Hungarian attitude, needed in disputes with the hostile Teutonic Order and the Kingdom of Bohemia . At the time Casimir was 45 years old, and so producing a son did not seem unreasonable. Casimir left no legal son, however, begetting five daughters instead. He tried to adopt his grandson, Casimir IV, Duke of Pomerania , in his last will. The child had been born to his eldest daughter, Elisabeth, Duchess of Pomerania , in 1351. This part of

300-602: A land tax paid by the lower social class. On 9 October 1334, Casimir confirmed the privileges granted to Jews in 1264 by Bolesław V the Chaste . Under penalty of death , he prohibited the kidnapping of Jewish children for the purpose of enforced Christian baptism , and he inflicted heavy punishment for the desecration of Jewish cemeteries. While Jews had lived in Poland since before his reign, Casimir allowed them to settle in Poland in great numbers and protected them as people of

360-745: A long time. In the late 9th century, these "Pagan Hungarians" were known for their consistent attacks upon different kingdoms. Most notably among these were the Eastern Franks. According to the Annales Bertiniani from 862, the Eastern Frankish kingdom was raided by a group of people known as the Ungri . To the knowledge of many historians, this is the first recorded instance of Hungarian action in Western texts. This conflict with

420-609: A number of Habsburg provinces, Charles would soon find himself lacking allies. North was where he looked for allies, finding them easily. The Piast dynasty in Poland and the Luxembourgs in Bohemia would give him constant support during his time of need. But this support first came from Charles. Starting in 1306, he provided arms to Wladislas Lokietek, future King of Poland. This alliance remained very strong from that point on. Charles would also send troops to support Casimir III when he

480-688: A number of historians that starts with the Bulgaro-Frankish alliance in 892. This was short lived when Khan Simeon took the throne of Bulgaria in 893, ending the alliance. Bulgaria found new allies in the form of the Moravian kingdom the same year. Hungarians are recorded as the attackers of both the Moravians and Bulgarians. This holds great historical significance as the first large-scale attack led by Hungarians in Western Europe. In

540-439: A widower for two years. On 29 September 1341, Casimir married his second wife, Adelaide of Hesse . She was a daughter of Henry II, Landgrave of Hesse , and Elizabeth of Meissen. They had no children. Casimir started living separately from Adelaide soon after the marriage. Their loveless marriage lasted until 1356, when he declared himself divorced. After Casimir "divorced" Adelaide he married his mistress Christina Rokiczana ,

600-818: Is more commonly known as "the Brave". Casimir ensured stability and great prospects for the future of the country. He established the Corona Regni Poloniae – the Crown of the Polish Kingdom, which certified the existence of the Polish lands independently from the monarch. Prior to that, the lands were only the property of the Piast dynasty . At the Sejm in Wiślica , on 11 March 1347, Casimir introduced reforms to

660-575: The Holy Roman Emperor . That was the beginning of the gradual alienation of Władysław. The rule of Duke Bolesław I over Silesia was restored under pressure from Emperor Frederick Barbarossa in 1163. Bolesław's son Henry the Bearded became High Duke of Poland in 1232. The marriage of his successor Duke Henry II the Pious with Anne of Bohemia , daughter of King Ottokar I , strengthened

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720-705: The Imperial Diet . According to canon law , the Diocese of Wrocław remained a suffragan of the Polish Archdiocese of Gniezno . While the Silesian lands also comprised the former Moravian Duchy of Opava , the Upper Silesian duchies of Siewierz , Oświęcim and Zator were acquired by Poland in the 15th century. The Lower Silesian duchy of Krosno fell to Brandenburg in 1476. Upon

780-608: The Kingdom of Bohemia , whereafter the Duchies of Silesia were incorporated into the Bohemian Crown. Following the integration of this treaty, the three kingdoms of Bohemia, Hungary, and Poland met at the First Congress of Visegrad later in 1335 to further discuss the division of land. This congress also made the treaty official. Shortly before his death in 992, Mieszko I , the first ruler of Poland, had conquered

840-486: The Roman Curia and settled the rising conflict with King John of Bohemia by the provisory Trentschin treaty on St Bartholomew's Day 1335. The negotiations at Trenčín Castle were attended personally by king of Bohemia John of Luxembourg, his son Charles (the future Holy Roman emperor Charles IV) and king of Hungary Charles Robert. King of Poland Casimir III the Great was represented by his deputies. The representatives of

900-507: The Silesian region that stretched along the common border. At Pentecost 1137, Duke Soběslav I of Bohemia officially renounced the lands in favour of Piast duke Bolesław III Wrymouth . He was urged by Emperor Lothair III . Bolesław died the next year and in his testament bequested the newly established Duchy of Silesia to his eldest son Władysław II . Władysław, however, was expelled by his younger half-brothers and had to seek help from

960-530: The Frankish people continued in 881 when the Hungarians allied with Moravian ruler Svatopluk in a series of two battles against the Franks. However, following a change of heart in 892, Franks and Hungarians would partner to defeat Svatopluk, a former ally of Hungary. After a long period of raids and battles led against a number of kingdoms, Hungarians decided to pursue a greater purpose. Starting in 894,

1020-548: The German Empire. In 1308 he called upon the Teutonic Knights to help retake the castle of Gdansk from Otto and Waldemar, margraves of Germany. Following this event, the knights would help Lokietek gain control of the vast majority of Polish Pomerania by 1311. His alliance with the Teutonic Knights would diminish about a decade before his death on March 2, 1333. It was at this time that Casimir III would take

1080-627: The Germans and Hungarians. However, after this time, the status of their alliance saw a rapid decline. For a few years, Charles participated in petty feuds with the Habsburgs. But in 1328, he was able to push back by acquiring the region known as Medjumurje . This was significant as this was the border lying between the Drava and Mura Rivers occupied by the Austrians. After successfully diminishing

1140-634: The Great Casimir III the Great ( Polish : Kazimierz III Wielki ; 30 April 1310 – 5 November 1370) reigned as the King of Poland from 1333 to 1370. He also later became King of Ruthenia in 1340, and fought to retain the title in the Galicia-Volhynia Wars . He was the last Polish king from the Piast dynasty . Casimir inherited a kingdom weakened by war and under his rule it became relatively prosperous and wealthy. He reformed

1200-557: The Hungarian people would come to occupy the Carpathian basin. This occupation is better known as " The Conquest ". Unfortunately, no existing sources contain reliable accounts of The Conquest. Using pieces of novelistic speculation from a former notary of King Bela III (1172 - 1196), historians have been able to form an educated hypothesis about the events in the Carpathian basin. However, there has been an interpretation compiled by

1260-914: The Polish army and doubled the size of the kingdom. He reformed the judicial system and introduced several undying codified statutes, gaining the title "the Polish Justinian ". Casimir built extensively and founded the Jagiellonian University (back then simply called the University of Krakow), the oldest Polish university and one of the oldest in the world . He also confirmed privileges and protections previously granted to Jews and encouraged them to settle in Poland in great numbers. Casimir left no legitimate sons. When he died in 1370 from an injury received while hunting, his nephew, King Louis I of Hungary , succeeded him as king of Poland in personal union with Hungary . Casimir

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1320-818: The Polish judicial system and sanctioned civil and criminal codes for Great and Lesser Poland, earning the title "the Polish Justinian". In 1364, having received permission from Pope Urban V, Casimir established the University of Kraków , now the oldest university in Poland. It was regarded as a rare distinction, since it was only the second university founded in Central Europe, after the Charles University in Prague. Casimir demonstrated competence in foreign diplomacy and managed to double

1380-620: The Polish king, in perpetuity, renounced all claims to Silesia in favour of Bohemia while King John and his son Charles in turn finally waived their claims to the Polish throne derived from the Přemyslids. The agreement was to be confirmed, when the rulers met at the Congress of Visegrád later in November 1335. King John now had a free hand to continue vassalizing the Silesian duchies of Ziębice/Münsterberg (1336) and Nysa/Neisse (1342). It

1440-504: The Polish sovereignty was weakening, the occasion arose for the Přemyslids to, once again, expand their sphere of influence into Silesia. In 1289 King Wenceslaus II of Bohemia made Duke Casimir of Bytom his vassal. In the renewed struggle over the Polish Seniorate Province upon the sudden death of Duke Henry IV in 1290, King Wenceslaus II of Bohemia forged an alliance with Casimir's brother Bolko I of Opole against

1500-618: The Silesian Duchy of Głogów in 1331. He began to interfere in the Polish-Teutonic War that broke out in Kuyavia and Dobrzyń Land in the aftermath of the 1308 takeover of Gdańsk . In order to understand the events leading to the Treaty of Trencin, it is crucial to understand the history of the relationship between the Franks and Slavs in Central Europe. Throughout the 9th century, Frankish rulers sought to control

1560-703: The accepted nomenclature. In 965, Mieszko I or the prince of the Polanie , had severed an alliance between the Christian Czechs and the Slavs to the west. He did so by marrying the daughter of Boleslav I of Bohemia. The next year, Poland would convert to Latin Christianity , allowing Mieszko to take advantage of the many military and political resources of the German Empire, an action that would have been inconceivable prior to conversion. But this alliance

1620-475: The appointment of Wenceslas , the son of Wenceslas II of Bohemia , although he would change his name to Ladislaus. For most of the Middle Ages, the Polish kingdom would fall under the rule of what modern historians call “ Piasts ”. However, a phrase more commonly found in medieval Polish sources is “duces et principes Poloniae” or “the dukes and princes of Poland”. Regardless, Piast Poland would come to be

1680-403: The case until the end of the Middle Ages when Polish would again become the dominant language amongst commoners. Just before the Treaty of Trencin, many small events of importance occurred. In 1305, Lokietek , former Silesian duke, was able to acquire Hungarian territories thanks to Hungary’s support of Charles I of Anjou in his desire for the throne. This led to conflicts between Lokietek and

1740-457: The central Danubian basin . By installing client dukes in certain areas of their Empire, the Franks quickly became a commanding force in the region. But the Frankish kingdom did not stand unopposed. According to historians, a certain variety of Slavic people were gaining notoriety in the Carpathian basin amidst Frankish dominance. Speculated to be of Bulgar-Turkic origin, these Slavs played

1800-707: The death of his widow Agnes of Austria , 1392, the Duchy of Jawor would finally fall to Bohemia. With the Treaty of Trentschin, the split of Silesia from the Polish Crown was made. In 1348 King Charles IV attached it to the Bohemian crown lands together with Moravia and the Lusatias . The Silesian dukes became indirect vassals of the Holy Roman Empire with no immediate status and no representation at

1860-465: The death of the Bohemian king Louis II during the 1526 Battle of Mohács , his crown lands were inherited by the Habsburg king Ferdinand I and became a constituent of the Habsburg monarchy . Archduchess Maria Theresa , Bohemian queen from 1740 on, lost most of the Silesian crown land in the 1742 Treaty of Breslau . It was conquered by King Frederick II of Prussia . The bulk of Silesia returned to

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1920-462: The east and north wings. Reconstruction works were conducted in 1551-1568 under the supervision of Tomasz Grzymała and a sculptor Santi Gucci . At the end of the 16th century the castle passed into the hands of the Curylo, Branicki and Lubomirski families. At that time, only small changes were made to the castle interiors ( fireplaces , ceilings). Construction of an arcade courtyard began in 1635 and

1980-579: The economy was ruined. In 1335, in the Treaty of Trentschin , Casimir was forced to relinquish his claims to Silesia "in perpetuity". Casimir began to rebuild the country and strengthen its defenses. During his reign, nearly 30 towns were supplied with fortification walls and some 50 castles were constructed, including castles along the Trail of the Eagle's Nests . These achievements are still celebrated today, in

2040-481: The elbow-high, began to unite the kingdom under his rule. Wenceslaus' successors in Bohemia, Henry of Carinthia and Rudolph of Austria also claimed the title of a Polish king but could not prevail. While Władysław was crowned king in 1320, the Bohemian aspirations to power rose again in 1310. Count John of Luxembourg , the eldest son of King Henry VII of Germany , married the Přemyslid princess Elizabeth , taking over

2100-541: The exile of Wladyslaw from both Poland and the duchy of Silesia (inherited from his father) in 1146. The consequences of these actions would create instability in the relations between the elder and younger generations of the Piast dynasty. About 60 years later, Silesia looked very different than in the time of Boleslaw III . Many towns had been established, most of which were governed by Germans. A majority of these towns spoke German and practiced German mannerisms. This would be

2160-566: The foreign policy of Hungary and the internal affairs of Central Europe. The occurrence of Christianization in Hungary is crucial to understanding the events preceding the Treaty of Trencin. At end of the 13th century, Hungary would experience one of the greatest power struggles in the kingdom's history. After the death of Andrew III , the royal bloodline of Saint Stephen would come to an end. Adverse effects also took place as recognition of Central power would lose nearly all significance. This sent

2220-465: The king . About 70 percent of the world's European Jews, or Ashkenazi , can trace their ancestry to Poland due to Casimir's reforms. Casimir's legendary Jewish mistress Esterka remains unconfirmed by direct historical evidence. Casimir III was married four times: On 30 April or 16 October 1325, Casimir married Aldona of Lithuania , daughter of Grand Duke Gediminas of Lithuania and Jewna . They had: Aldona died on 26 May 1339. Casimir remained

2280-429: The many years following the occupation of the Carpathian basin, the kingdom of Hungary underwent several societal changes. Keeping it brief, an evolution from barbarianism to Christianity was one of the most significant changes. This transition even led to a close relationship between Hungary and Pope Innocent III (1198-1216) . The formation of this alliance provided some of the most detailed pieces of information regarding

2340-545: The power in Prague and also the claims to the Polish throne. Though he failed to succeed his father as King of the Romans , he had more Silesian dukes swore an oath of allegiance to him against the resistance of King Władysław. In 1327 he vassalized the dukes of Wrocław and Opole , followed by the dukes of Legnica , Żagań , Oleśnica , Ścinawa and Brzeg in 1329. The tensions intensified when King John campaigned and annexed

2400-522: The rivaling Polish Piasts Władysław I the Elbow-high and Przemysł II , who finally had to cede Cracow to the Bohemian king one year later. King Wenceslaus failed at first to gain Polish regality as Przemysł II became High Duke and was crowned in 1295 by Archbishop Jakub Świnka of Gniezno . That made Przemysł II the first Polish king after the deposition of Bolesław II the Bold in 1079. When Przemysł II

2460-743: The size of his kingdom. He neutralized relations with potential enemies to the west and north, and began to expand his territory eastward. He conquered the Ruthenian kingdom of Halych and Volodymyr (a territory in the modern-day Ukraine ), known in Polish history as Red Ruthenia and Volhynia. By extending the borders far south-east, the Polish kingdom gained access to the lucrative Black Sea trade. In 1355, in Buda , Casimir designated his nephew Louis I of Hungary as his successor should he produce no male heir, just as his father had with Charles I of Hungary to gain help against Bohemia. In exchange Casimir gained

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2520-420: The southern flank. Bona Sforca was pregnant and expected to give birth to a legitimate brother of Sigismund II Augustus , however in 1527, being pregnant for five-months, she fall from a horse during hunting of a bear and gave a preterm birth to her second son who was born alive and baptized as Albert, but died a few hours after his birth and was buried in the castle's chapel. In 1550 a great fire destroyed

2580-564: The struggle over the territory, even in the earlier times of the Middle Ages. By 1202, the Piast dynasty would begin establishing duchies , another term for territories in possession of royalty. This trend continued through 1288 in which seventeen duchies were established. Ten of these territories were in Silesia, further stressing its importance in Polish history. Following his death, Boleslaw III Wrymouth ’s sons from his second wife joined forces against his successor Wladyslaw II . This led to

2640-443: The territories of Hungary into a frenzy. However, in 1301, Charles of Anjou would be crowned. His inheritance of the throne would be the first in Hungarian history to be conducted by election over actual inheritance. Backed by Pope Boniface VIII , Charles would soon become the illegitimate ruler of Hungary. Many barons believed this appointment was blasphemy. In August of the same year, the barons would succeed in removing Charles with

2700-492: The testament was invalidated by Louis I of Hungary, however, who had traveled to Kraków quickly after Casimir died (in 1370) and bribed the nobles with future privileges. Casimir III also had a son-in-law, Louis VI of Bavaria, Margrave and Prince-elector of Brandenburg , who was considered a possible successor, but he was deemed ineligible as his wife, Casimir's daughter Cunigunde, had died in 1357 without issue. Thus King Louis I of Hungary became successor in Poland. Louis

2760-400: The throne. In an attempt to establish stability within Poland, Casimir renewed the truce with the knights, setting up his rule only two year prior to the signing of the Treaty of Trencin. Up until 1322, Charles I of Anjou had held a strong alliance with the Habsburg people, a small kingdom that held territory at the time in Central Europe. This had helped Charles maintain his defense against

2820-694: The ties between the Silesian Piasts and the Bohemian Přemyslid dynasty . After Henry's death during the 1241 Battle of Legnica , Silesia split up into numerous petty states under his descendants. In 1280 Duke Henry IV of Wrocław , induced by his ambition to gain the Polish Seniorate Province of Cracow, paid homage to King Rudolf I of Germany and was able to succeed Leszek II the Black as Polish high duke in 1288. Because

2880-407: The treaty all directly relate to the kingdoms themselves. In order to have a better understanding of what each kingdom was experiencing, it is vital to look back at their individual histories. It is well known that the vast majority of Europe in the Middle Ages identified with some denomination of either Christianity or a religious belief. In the case of the Hungarians, they remained Pagan for quite

2940-793: The widow of Miklusz Rokiczani, a wealthy merchant. Her own origins are unknown. Following the death of her first husband she had entered the court of Bohemia in Prague as a lady-in-waiting . Casimir brought her with him from Prague and convinced the abbot of the Benedictine abbey of Tyniec to marry them. The marriage was held in a secret ceremony but soon became known. Queen Adelaide renounced it as bigamous and returned to Hesse. Casimir continued living with Christine despite complaints by Pope Innocent VI on behalf of Queen Adelaide. This marriage lasted until 1363–64 when Casimir again declared himself divorced. They had no children. In about 1365, Casimir married his fourth wife Hedwig of Żagań . She

3000-404: Was a daughter of Henry V of Iron , Duke of Żagań and Anna of Mazovia. They had three children: As Adelheid was still alive (and possibly Christina as well), the marriage to Hedwig was also considered bigamous. Because of this, the legitimacy of his three young daughters was disputed. Casimir managed to have Anna and Kunigunde legitimated by Pope Urban V on 5 December 1369. Jadwiga the younger

3060-421: Was born on 30 April 1310 in Kowal , Kuyavia , the third son of Ladislaus the Short and Jadwiga of Kalisz . He had two brothers who died in infancy and three sisters: Kunegunda, Elżbieta, and Jadwiga. When Casimir attained the throne in 1333, his position was in danger, as his neighbours did not recognise his title and instead called him "king of Kraków ". The kingdom was depopulated and exhausted by war, and

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3120-537: Was completed in 1637. The Swedish- Brandenburgian invasion in 1655 brought an end to the magnificence of the building. The castle was transformed into a food store during the occupation. In the 18th century it was acquired by King Augustus II the Strong and Augustus III . The reconstruction of the former royal residence began in 1991, when it became the property of Niepołomice Municipality . 50°47′50″N 20°27′37″E  /  50.79722°N 20.46028°E  / 50.79722; 20.46028 Casimir III

3180-421: Was concluded on 24 August 1335 between King Casimir III of Poland and King John of Bohemia together with his son Margrave Charles IV . The agreement was reached by the agency of Casimir's brother-in-law King Charles I of Hungary and signed at Trencin Castle in the Kingdom of Hungary (present-day Trenčín, Slovakia ). It initiated the transfer of suzerainty over the former Polish province of Silesia to

3240-401: Was fighting back against the Teutonic Order. This alliance eventually led to the events in 1335. In August of that year, with the support of King John of Bohemia, Charles was able to maintain Silesia with the signing of the Treaty of Trencin. In 1333 the Polish king Władysław was succeeded by his son Casimir III. He was prepared to compromise. Casimir III resorted to sue the Teutonic Order at

3300-412: Was killed in 1296, Wenceslaus II again took the chance to assume the title of a High Duke. He married Przemysł's daughter Elisabeth Richeza and was finally crowned Polish king by Archbishop Jakub Świnka in 1300. In 1305 King Wenceslaus II died and his son Wenceslaus III , the last Přemyslid ruler, was murdered the following year. The Polish sovereignty turned to the Piast dynasty again when Władysław I,

3360-412: Was known for siding with the weak when the law did not protect them from nobles and clergymen. He reportedly even supported a peasant whose house had been demolished by his own mistress, after she had ordered it to be pulled down because it disturbed her enjoyment of the beautiful landscape. His popularity with the peasants helped to rebuild the country, as part of the reconstruction program was funded by

3420-535: Was legitimated by Pope Gregory XI on 11 October 1371 (after Casimir's death). Casimir's full title was: Casimir by the grace of God king of Poland and Rus' (Ruthenia), lord and heir of the land of Kraków , Sandomierz , Sieradz , Łęczyca , Kuyavia , Pomerania (Pomerelia) . The title in Latin was: Kazimirus, Dei gratia rex Polonie et Russie, nec non Cracovie, Sandomirie, Siradie, Lancicie, Cuiavie, et Pomeranieque Terrarum et Ducatuum Dominus et Heres. Treaty of Trentschin The Treaty of Trencin

3480-585: Was not until February 9, 1339, that Casimir ratified the treaty in Kraków . The agreement was again reaffirmed in 1346 for the Holy Roman Empire by John's son Charles IV , elected King of the Romans. It was reaffirmed in the 1348 Treaty of Namslau with King Casimir III and again in 1372 by Casimir's successor King Louis I . Bolko II the Small remained the only Silesian duke, who was not content to accept Bohemian overlordship. However, he had no male heirs and his niece Anna von Schweidnitz married Emperor Charles IV in 1353. He signed an inheritance treaty whereupon

3540-515: Was proclaimed king upon Casimir's death in 1370, though Casimir's sister Elisabeth (Louis's mother) held much of the real power until her death in 1380. Casimir was facetiously named "the Peasants' King". He introduced the codes of law of Greater and Lesser Poland as an attempt to end the overwhelming superiority of the nobility. During his reign all three major classes — the nobility, priesthood, and bourgeoisie — were more or less counterbalanced, allowing Casimir to strengthen his monarchic position. He

3600-439: Was short-lived due to the many conflicting interests of the two empires. After many years of testing his abilities, Mieszko learned his place when he married the German princess Oda in 980, solidifying his alliance with the German Empire. This would lead to the earliest mention of Polish intervention in Silesia when Mieszko used his roughly 3,000 soldiers to annex Silesia, reclaiming the land from Bohemia. This gives some insight into

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