Boleslaus I, Duke of Cieszyn
Encyclopedia
Bolesław I of Cieszyn (ca. 1363 – 6 May 1431) was a Duke of half of Bytom
and Siewierz
from 1405, Duke of Cieszyn
and half of both Głogów and Ścinawa
from 1410, and Duke of Toszek
and Strzelin
during 1410–1414.
He was the second son of Przemysław I Noszak, Duke of Cieszyn
by his wife Elisabeth, daughter of Bolesław
, Duke of Koźle
-Bytom
. In the chronicle of Jan Długosz he is named the eldest son, but this is certainly a mistake, because elsewhere, Przemysław of Oświęcim
was always placed before Bolesław.
and Siewierz
and the government of the Duchy of Cieszyn
. A year later (1406), the murder of his brother Przemysław originated a break in relations between Bolesław and his father. Shortly after, Bolesław married Margareta, sister of Jan II of Iron, Duke of Racibórz
, who was the instigator of Przemysław's death. According to Jan Długosz, Duke Przemysław I Noszak strongly opposed this union, and even threatened to disinherit Bolesław if he maintained contact with the Přemyslid Dukes of Opava
and Racibórz. The early death of Margareta shortly after the wedding contributed to the reconciliation between Bolesław and his father, which was formally signed on 7 September 1407.
After his father's death in 1410, Bolesław inherited Cieszyn
, Toszek
, Strzelin
and half of both Głogów and Ścinawa
. Also, he was named regent of the Duchy of Oświęcim
on behalf of his nephew Casimir
, only son of Bolesław's brother.
Bolesław's second marriage in 1412 to Euphemia (called also Ofka), daughter of Duke Siemowit IV of Masovia, was probably suggested by King Władysław II Jagiełło
of Poland
(Euphemia's maternal uncle), who saw the opportunity to made close bonds between Upper Silesia
and Kraków
. However, Bolesław and Euphemia were related in the third degree of consanguinity, so a Papal dispensation was needed, which was granted on 27 January 1412. The wedding took place some months later, on 20 November.
His alliance with Jagiełło quickly brought him results, as in 1414 Bolesław took an active part in the Polish-Teutonic War at the King's side. However, he didn't appear in the Congress of Wrocław in 1420, where King Sigismund of Bohemia (future Holy Roman Emperor), as a mediator between the Teutonic Order and the King of Poland, had issued an unfavorable ruling to the Polish King.
In 1414 Bolesław decided to transfer to his nephew Casimir full government over Oświęcim
, Gliwice
and Toszek
. However, Casimir's ambitions erupted in a conflict between him and Bolesław, which ended two years later, on 11 November 1416, when (following the mediation of Duke Henry IX of Lubin
), the Duke of Cieszyn give the town of Strzelin
and 300 fines as payment to Casimir. Bolesław retained the rest of his lands.
Although the Duchy of Cieszyn was under the rule of the Kingdom of Bohemia, Bolesław didn't support the House of Luxembourg in its struggle for the Bohemian crown, but maintained good relations with Kraków
and the Bohemian townspeople. In 1422, despite the Bohemian-Polish dispute, Bolesław was a guest at the court of King Władysław II Jagiełło, and took part in the coronation of his wife, Queen Sophia of Halshany
.
During the last years of his reign, Bolesław supported Bohemian side during the Hussite Wars
, but didn't participate in the war itself.
In internal politics, he supported the development of the towns. He ceded several rights to some towns, for example Bytom (where in 1412 he give the right to inheritance to the burgers), Frýdek
and Bielsko
. This was also partly motivated by the lack of money in the duchies' budget.
Bolesław died on 6 May 1431 and was buried in the Dominican
church in Cieszyn
.
. They had no children.
On 20 November 1412, Bolesław married secondly Euphemia
(Ofka) (b. 1395/98 - d. bef. 17 September 1447), daughter of Duke Siemowit IV of Masovia. They had five children:
Bytom
Bytom is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The central-western district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Bytom is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Bytomka river .The city belongs to the Silesian Voivodeship since...
and Siewierz
Siewierz
Siewierz is a town in the Silesian Voivodeship in Poland.-History:In history, Sewerien was first mentioned in 1125, which was administered by the Castellan of Bytom. In 1177, Casimir II granted Sewerien to Mieszko IV Tanglefoot duke of Silesia and Racibórz, together with the duchy of Bytom. The...
from 1405, Duke of Cieszyn
Cieszyn
Cieszyn is a border-town and the seat of Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It has 36,109 inhabitants . Cieszyn lies on the Olza River, a tributary of the Oder river, opposite Český Těšín....
and half of both Głogów and Ścinawa
Scinawa
Ścinawa is a town and municipality on the Oder river in the Lower Silesian region of Poland. The town features a number of historic monuments including city hall and the town church . The Ścinawa train station is a key gateway for travel throughout the region, connecting major destinations such...
from 1410, and Duke of Toszek
Toszek
Toszek is a town in Poland, in Gliwice County, Silesian Voivodeship, with 4,000 inhabitants.- History :The beginning of the settlement and fortified keep is dated in the 9th and 10th centuries when the area was ruled by the Piasts, Mieszko I of Poland and later Bolesław I the Brave.The fortified...
and Strzelin
Strzelin
Strzelin is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship in south-western Poland. It is located on the Oława river, a tributary of the Oder, about south of the region's capital Wrocław. The town is the seat of Strzelin County and also of the smaller municipality of Strzelin...
during 1410–1414.
He was the second son of Przemysław I Noszak, Duke of Cieszyn
Cieszyn
Cieszyn is a border-town and the seat of Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It has 36,109 inhabitants . Cieszyn lies on the Olza River, a tributary of the Oder river, opposite Český Těšín....
by his wife Elisabeth, daughter of Bolesław
Bolesław of Bytom
Bolesław of Bytom , was a Duke of Koźle from 1347 and Duke of Bytom since 1352 until his death.He was the second son of Duke Władysław of Bytom but the eldest by his second wife Ludgarda, daughter of Henry II the Lion, Prince of Mecklenburg and Lord of Stargard.-Life:After the death of his elder...
, Duke of Koźle
Kozle
Koźle is a district of Kędzierzyn-Koźle and is at the junction of the Kłodnica and Odra rivers, 29 Ifl. southeast of Opole by rail. The district has a Roman Catholic church, a medieval chateau, remains of a 19th century fortress and a high school...
-Bytom
Bytom
Bytom is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The central-western district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Bytom is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Bytomka river .The city belongs to the Silesian Voivodeship since...
. In the chronicle of Jan Długosz he is named the eldest son, but this is certainly a mistake, because elsewhere, Przemysław of Oświęcim
Przemysław of Oświęcim
Przemysław of Oświęcim was a Duke of half of both Głogów and Ścinawa since 1404 and Duke of Oświęcim from 1405 until his death....
was always placed before Bolesław.
Life
In 1405 Bolesław's father entrusted him with direct rule over BytomBytom
Bytom is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The central-western district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Bytom is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Bytomka river .The city belongs to the Silesian Voivodeship since...
and Siewierz
Siewierz
Siewierz is a town in the Silesian Voivodeship in Poland.-History:In history, Sewerien was first mentioned in 1125, which was administered by the Castellan of Bytom. In 1177, Casimir II granted Sewerien to Mieszko IV Tanglefoot duke of Silesia and Racibórz, together with the duchy of Bytom. The...
and the government of the Duchy of Cieszyn
Cieszyn
Cieszyn is a border-town and the seat of Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It has 36,109 inhabitants . Cieszyn lies on the Olza River, a tributary of the Oder river, opposite Český Těšín....
. A year later (1406), the murder of his brother Przemysław originated a break in relations between Bolesław and his father. Shortly after, Bolesław married Margareta, sister of Jan II of Iron, Duke of Racibórz
Racibórz
Racibórz is a town in southern Poland with 60,218 inhabitants situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , previously in Katowice Voivodeship...
, who was the instigator of Przemysław's death. According to Jan Długosz, Duke Przemysław I Noszak strongly opposed this union, and even threatened to disinherit Bolesław if he maintained contact with the Přemyslid Dukes of Opava
Opava
Opava is a city in the northern Czech Republic on the river Opava, located to the north-west of Ostrava. The historical capital of Czech Silesia, Opava is now in the Moravian-Silesian Region and has a population of 59,843 as of January 1, 2005....
and Racibórz. The early death of Margareta shortly after the wedding contributed to the reconciliation between Bolesław and his father, which was formally signed on 7 September 1407.
After his father's death in 1410, Bolesław inherited Cieszyn
Cieszyn
Cieszyn is a border-town and the seat of Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It has 36,109 inhabitants . Cieszyn lies on the Olza River, a tributary of the Oder river, opposite Český Těšín....
, Toszek
Toszek
Toszek is a town in Poland, in Gliwice County, Silesian Voivodeship, with 4,000 inhabitants.- History :The beginning of the settlement and fortified keep is dated in the 9th and 10th centuries when the area was ruled by the Piasts, Mieszko I of Poland and later Bolesław I the Brave.The fortified...
, Strzelin
Strzelin
Strzelin is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship in south-western Poland. It is located on the Oława river, a tributary of the Oder, about south of the region's capital Wrocław. The town is the seat of Strzelin County and also of the smaller municipality of Strzelin...
and half of both Głogów and Ścinawa
Scinawa
Ścinawa is a town and municipality on the Oder river in the Lower Silesian region of Poland. The town features a number of historic monuments including city hall and the town church . The Ścinawa train station is a key gateway for travel throughout the region, connecting major destinations such...
. Also, he was named regent of the Duchy of Oświęcim
Oswiecim
Oświęcim is a town in the Lesser Poland province of southern Poland, situated west of Kraków, near the confluence of the rivers Vistula and Soła.- History :...
on behalf of his nephew Casimir
Casimir I of Oświęcim
Casimir I of Oświęcim was a Duke of Oświęcim since 1406 , ruler over Toszek and Strzelin .He was the only child of Duke Przemysław of Oświęcim by his unknown wife.-Life:...
, only son of Bolesław's brother.
Bolesław's second marriage in 1412 to Euphemia (called also Ofka), daughter of Duke Siemowit IV of Masovia, was probably suggested by King Władysław II Jagiełło
Jogaila
Jogaila, later 'He is known under a number of names: ; ; . See also: Jogaila : names and titles. was Grand Duke of Lithuania , king consort of Kingdom of Poland , and sole King of Poland . He ruled in Lithuania from 1377, at first with his uncle Kęstutis...
of Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
(Euphemia's maternal uncle), who saw the opportunity to made close bonds between Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia. Since the 9th century, Upper Silesia has been part of Greater Moravia, the Duchy of Bohemia, the Piast Kingdom of Poland, again of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as of...
and Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
. However, Bolesław and Euphemia were related in the third degree of consanguinity, so a Papal dispensation was needed, which was granted on 27 January 1412. The wedding took place some months later, on 20 November.
His alliance with Jagiełło quickly brought him results, as in 1414 Bolesław took an active part in the Polish-Teutonic War at the King's side. However, he didn't appear in the Congress of Wrocław in 1420, where King Sigismund of Bohemia (future Holy Roman Emperor), as a mediator between the Teutonic Order and the King of Poland, had issued an unfavorable ruling to the Polish King.
In 1414 Bolesław decided to transfer to his nephew Casimir full government over Oświęcim
Oswiecim
Oświęcim is a town in the Lesser Poland province of southern Poland, situated west of Kraków, near the confluence of the rivers Vistula and Soła.- History :...
, Gliwice
Gliwice
Gliwice is a city in Upper Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Gliwice is the west district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union – a metropolis with a population of 2 million...
and Toszek
Toszek
Toszek is a town in Poland, in Gliwice County, Silesian Voivodeship, with 4,000 inhabitants.- History :The beginning of the settlement and fortified keep is dated in the 9th and 10th centuries when the area was ruled by the Piasts, Mieszko I of Poland and later Bolesław I the Brave.The fortified...
. However, Casimir's ambitions erupted in a conflict between him and Bolesław, which ended two years later, on 11 November 1416, when (following the mediation of Duke Henry IX of Lubin
Henryk IX of Lubin
Henry IX of Lubin , was a Duke of Brzeg during 1399–1400 with his brother and since 1400, Duke of Lubin , Chojnów and Oława ....
), the Duke of Cieszyn give the town of Strzelin
Strzelin
Strzelin is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship in south-western Poland. It is located on the Oława river, a tributary of the Oder, about south of the region's capital Wrocław. The town is the seat of Strzelin County and also of the smaller municipality of Strzelin...
and 300 fines as payment to Casimir. Bolesław retained the rest of his lands.
Although the Duchy of Cieszyn was under the rule of the Kingdom of Bohemia, Bolesław didn't support the House of Luxembourg in its struggle for the Bohemian crown, but maintained good relations with Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
and the Bohemian townspeople. In 1422, despite the Bohemian-Polish dispute, Bolesław was a guest at the court of King Władysław II Jagiełło, and took part in the coronation of his wife, Queen Sophia of Halshany
Sophia of Halshany
Sophia of Halshany , was a Lithuanian princess of Halshany, Queen of Poland from , and the last wife of Jogaila.-Biography:...
.
During the last years of his reign, Bolesław supported Bohemian side during the Hussite Wars
Hussite Wars
The Hussite Wars, also called the Bohemian Wars involved the military actions against and amongst the followers of Jan Hus in Bohemia in the period 1419 to circa 1434. The Hussite Wars were notable for the extensive use of early hand-held gunpowder weapons such as hand cannons...
, but didn't participate in the war itself.
In internal politics, he supported the development of the towns. He ceded several rights to some towns, for example Bytom (where in 1412 he give the right to inheritance to the burgers), Frýdek
Frýdek
Frýdek:* Frýdek , now the eastern part of Frýdek-Místek...
and Bielsko
Bielsko
Bielsko was until 1950 an independent town situated in Cieszyn Silesia, Poland. In 1951 it was joined with Biała Krakowska to form the new town of Bielsko-Biała. Bielsko constitutes the western part of that town....
. This was also partly motivated by the lack of money in the duchies' budget.
Bolesław died on 6 May 1431 and was buried in the Dominican
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
church in Cieszyn
Cieszyn
Cieszyn is a border-town and the seat of Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It has 36,109 inhabitants . Cieszyn lies on the Olza River, a tributary of the Oder river, opposite Český Těšín....
.
Marriages and Issue
On 1 January 1406, Bolesław married firstly Margareta (b. 1380 - d. bef. 7 September 1407), daughter of Duke John I of Opava-RatiborJohn I, Duke of Opava-Ratibor
John I of Opava-Ratibor was the founder the Troppau branch of the Bohemian Přemyslid dynasty, which lasted until 1521. In 1365, he became the sole heir of the Duchy of Racibórz. From 1367 to 1377 he ruled the Duchy of Opava...
. They had no children.
On 20 November 1412, Bolesław married secondly Euphemia
Euphemia of Masovia
Euphemia of Masovia , was a Polish princess member of the House of Piast in the Masovia branch and by marriage Duchess of Cieszyn.She was the fifth child and third daughter of Siemowit IV, Duke of Masovia, by his wife Alexandra, daughter of Algirdas, Grand Duke of Lithuania and sister of King...
(Ofka) (b. 1395/98 - d. bef. 17 September 1447), daughter of Duke Siemowit IV of Masovia. They had five children:
- Alexandra (b. ca. 1412 - d. aft. 6 October 1463), married to László II Garay, PalatinePalatineA palatine or palatinus is a high-level official attached to imperial or royal courts in Europe since Roman times...
and Ban of Macsó. - Wenceslaus I (b. 1413/18 - d. 1474).
- Władysław (b. ca. 1420 - d. 14 February 1460).
- Przemysław II (b. 1422/25 - d. 18 March 1477).
- Bolesław II (b. ca. 1425/28 - d. 4 October 1452).