Boleslaw IV the Curly
Encyclopedia
Bolesław IV the Curly (ca. 1125 – 3 April 1173) from the Piast dynasty
was Duke of Masovia since 1138 and High Duke of Poland from 1146 until his death.
He was the third son of Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth of Poland
by his second wife Salomea
, daughter of the Swabian
count Henry of Berg. The death of his older brothers, Leszek and Casimir, in August and October 1131, respectively, left him as the eldest son of their parents.
(composed by Masovia and eastern Kuyavia
). Because his main domain was Masovia, the prince was called Bolesław of Masovia.
In the first years of his government, young Bolesław remained under the strong influence of his mother Salomea and the Voivode Wszebor, who feared the ambition of his elder half-brother High Duke Władysław II (the first-born son of the late duke by his first wife Zbyslava of Kiev
). Władysław II tried to restore the unity of the country and deposed the Junior Dukes.
with Mstislav II of Kiev
, a scion of the Rurik Dynasty
— in order to gain allies in a possible conflict — and the division of the Łęczyca lands between Salomea's sons upon her death. However, the Junior Dukes in this first struggle were definitely defeated, because the Kievan Grand Prince Vsevolod II
decided to made an alliance with Władysław II, reinforced by the marriage of Vsevolod's daughter Zvenislava with the High Duke's eldest son Bolesław I the Tall. An additional humiliation for Bolesław IV and his brothers was that they were sent by the High Duke on an expedition to the Kievan Rus'
as ambassadors during 1142-1143.
The "peace" lasted only two years until 1144 when, after Salomea's death and according to the Bolesław III's Testament, the Łęczyca province reverted to the Seniorate Province
of High Duke Władysław II. The idea to reserve the lands for his minor brothers Henry
and Casimir II
was not popular with Wladyslaw, who thought that the land was only temporarily separated from his Dzielnica senioralna and now in its entirety should be returned. Outbreak of civil war was therefore only a matter of time.
The war erupted with full force in 1145, and it seemed that the Junior Dukes were defeated and the High Duke finally achieved the unification of the country. At first the combined forces of Bolesław IV and his brothers prevented the disaster and demanded a hasty reorganization of the forces of Władysław at the Battle on the Pilicą River. The major significance of this battle was to the former voivode Wszebor, whose military experience far exceeded the ability of Władysław's commanders. Soon, however, the situation was totally reversed as a result of the Kievan troops who entered in the country as Władysław's allies. Bolesław then had to agree to step down and renounce any pretension over the lands belonging to his mother.
The concessions of the Junior Dukes ultimately didn't resolve the problem. Moreover, Władysław's confidence in his forces had him embark on a final solution, the removal of his stepbrothers from their lands. Suddenly, the Junior Dukes could rely on the support of the High Duke's all-powerful voivoide Piotr Włostowic, for whom Władysław's plans were too radical and threatened to weaken his position. While Władysław opted for a quick response against him (the voivode was blinded and muted), forcing Włostowic to go to Kiev
, the High Duke's final decision on his confrontation with the voivode considerably weakened his position. What's more, Włostowic convinced the Kievans to break his alliance with Władysław.
in Greater Poland in the spring of 1146. However, thanks to the rebellion in Władysław's own lands, and the excommunication imposed to him by the Archbishop of Gniezno, the High Duke suffered an unexpected defeat. Władysław and his family had to flee across the border with the Holy Roman Empire
, at first to Bohemia
and later to Germany
, accommodated by King Conrad III
.
The Junior Dukes reasigned the Polish provinces between them. The Duchy of Silesia
and the Seniorate Province at Kraków
were taken by Bolesław, who also received the title of High Duke, the western Duchy of Greater Poland was retained by his brother Mieszko III
, and Henry finally received his long-promised Land of Sandomierz
. Casimir II, the youngest brother, again remained without lands.
, a half-sister of King Conrad III, Władysław II succeeded in convincing his brother-in-law to make a military expedition to Poland. The hastily organized expedition however clashed with the reluctance of the former subjects of the deposed High Duke, and was finally defeated already on the Polish border near the Oder
river in August 1146.
In subsequent years, Bolesław IV along with his younger brothers bellows sought to maintain good relations with the royal House of Hohenstaufen, Władysław's allies. To this end, in 1148 the Junior Dukes organized a meeting in Kruszwica
, to which they invited the warlike Margrave Albert the Bear of the German Northern March
(the later Margraviate of Brandenburg
), who had reached the Polish border in the course of the Wendish Crusade
. There, Bolesław arranged the marriage of his sister Judith with the margrave's son Otto
. Boleslaw and Mieszko also militarily supported the Germans in the fight against the reluctant West Slavic Lutici
tribes, considerably contributing to the stability of German domination over the middle Spree
region. The second important ally of the Piast prince was the Wettin margrave Konrad of Meissen
.
Initially, Bolesław also had a difficult relationship with another opposing force policy like the Hohenstaufens: the Roman Curia
under of Pope Eugene III
. At first in 1147 the Papal legate Humbold recognized Bolesław as the new High Duke and overlord of Poland. However, one year later, and again instigated by the intrigues of Władysław's wife Agnes, the newly Papal legate Guy arrived to the country in connection with the refusal to restore the former High Duke, and declared the ban over Poland. The penalty, thanks for the cohesive support of the Polish church hierarchy by the Junior Dukes, was virtually without repercussions.
, crowned Emperor
by Pope Adrian IV
in 1155, decided to made a new expedition to Poland, thanks to the ongoing pressures by his aunt Agnes, Władysław's wife. This time the campaign was well organized, and the Emperor was well determined to force Bolesław IV to accept his own conditions. It's unknown why Bolesław opted for a highly security tactics of war, not defending the swampy areas in front of the middle Oder river, which was for centuries the natural defense of Poland, nor the strongholds of Głogów and Bytom
in Silesia. The Imperial army quickly advanced and soon laid siege to Poznan.
Given the difficult situation, Bolesław was forced to accept the humiliating negotiations and in a shameful ceremony on 30 August 1157, was declared a vassal of the Empire at his camp in Krzyszkowo
. Bolesław was in his knees and beg for forgiveness to the Emperor, in return for which he kindly received from Barbarossa the further control over the Polish lands; also, he had to pay an enormous tribute to Emperor. For unknown reasons however, despite Barbarossa's victory, Władysław II to his great disappointment was not restored in the Polish throne. Bolesław formally swore loyalty to the Emperor on Christmas Day in Magdeburg
, and gave his younger brother, Casimir II, as a hostage. Two years later Władysław died in exile, having never returned to his country again.
, backed by the Emperor insisting on the agreement made with Bolesław IV, were restored in their Silesia heritage; but this return didn't affect the power of Bolesław as a High Duke and overlord of Poland. Thanks to its German affinities, the senior branch of the Silesian Piasts
at least managed to retain its Silesian lands (Wrocław, Legnica
, Głogów, Opole
and Racibórz
) without problems.
, settling beyond the northeastern Polish border along the Baltic
coast. This concept of an early Prussian Crusade
was conceived in view of the repeated seizures by more and more Baltic
tribes in the several districts of Bolesław's Masovian province. The High Duke proclaimed a "crusade" against the pagans and pressured the collaboration of both the Pope and the Emperor. The whole efforts and attempts to acquire these province were finally defeated in 1166. Furthermore during one of the battles the younger brother of the High Duke, Henry of Sandomierz, was killed.
Casimir was supported in his rebellion by his elder brother Duke Mieszko III the Old of Greater Poland, the magnate Jaksa of Miechów and Sviatoslav, son of Voivode Piotr Włostowic, as well as the Archbishops of Gniezno and Kraków; also, almost all Leeser Polish
nobility was on his side. In February 1168 the rebels gathered in Jędrzejów
, and there they proclaimed Mieszko III as the new High Duke and Casimir was formally invested with Sandomierz. But at the end Bolesław maintained his rule by largely accepting the demands of rebels; he divided late Henry's duchy in three parts: the lands of Wiślica
were granted to Casimir, Bolesław himself obtained Sandomierz proper and the rest passed to Mieszko III.
After the disaster of the Prussian Crusade, the Silesian dukes Bolesław I the Tall and Mieszko IV Tanglefoot attempted to dethrone the High Duke and to recover the Seniorate Province and thereby the Polish overlordship. Bolesław's reprisal expedition in the following year ended with a total disaster, so the High Duke eventually had to reconcile with his Silesian nephews.
In 1172 Duke Mieszko III rebelled again; this time supporting his grandnephew Jarosław of Opole (the eldest son of Bolesław I the Tall), who, forced to become a priest in his early years, was barred from the Silesian succession. Unsatisfied with this, Jarosław tried to gain power and obtain his own lands. The support of this rebellion was so strong, that his father was forced to escape to Erfurt
. This originated another expedition in his aid by Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, who again invaded Poland and defeated the rebels. The High Duke ordered Mieszko III to Magdeburg where peace was made with the Empire after the payment of 8,000 pieces of silver and the Silesian duchy was again granted to Bolesław I the Tall at the Emperor's mercy; despite his victory, the High Duke finally accepted the autonomy of his Silesian nephews.
Shortly afterwards another rebellion took place, this time of the Lesser Polish nobles, who were extremely dissatisfied with the harsh and dictatorial High Duke's government. The rebels invited Casimir II, then Duke of Wiślica, to take the Kraków throne, but Bolesław's resistance against his younger brother was so strong that both parties made concessions, who led finished with any riots until the end of the High Duke's reign. Casimir succeeded Bolesław in Sandomierz upon his death in 1173 and became High Duke four years later.
and the Collegiate church in Tum
near Łęczyca. Around 1151 he founded the Canonical Regular Kolegiata in Czerwińsk.
(b. ca. 1125 - d. 15 March ca. 1162?), daughter of St. Vsevolod, Prince of Novgorod and Pskov
. They had three children:
After the death of his first wife, Bolesław married with a woman called Maria
(d. aft. 1173), whose origins are disputed. This union was childless.
Bolesław's eldest son died in 1172 aged sixteen and reportedly the High Duke was devastated by his death. He was succeeded in the Masovian-Kujavian principality by his second and only surviving son Leszek, at the age of eleven or less. As overlord and holder of Kraków
and Gniezno
, he however was succeeded by his next brother Mieszko III the Old
, Duke of Greater Poland.
Piast dynasty
The Piast dynasty was the first historical ruling dynasty of Poland. It began with the semi-legendary Piast Kołodziej . The first historical ruler was Duke Mieszko I . The Piasts' royal rule in Poland ended in 1370 with the death of king Casimir the Great...
was Duke of Masovia since 1138 and High Duke of Poland from 1146 until his death.
He was the third son of Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth of Poland
Poland during the Piast dynasty
History of Poland during the Piast dynasty is the first major stage in the history of Poland from the 10th to the 14th century when Poland was established as a state and a nation during the medieval period of European history. The history of the Polish state begins with the founding of the Piast...
by his second wife Salomea
Salomea of Berg
Salomea of Berg was a German noblewoman and by marriage Duchess of Poland.She was the daughter of Swabian Count Henry of Berg Castle by his wife Adelaide of Mochental , probably a sister of Margrave Diepold III of Vohburg...
, daughter of the Swabian
Duke of Swabia
The following is a list of Dukes of Swabia in southwest Germany.Swabia was one of the five stem duchies of the medieval German kingdom, and its dukes were thus among the most powerful magnates of Germany. The most notable family to hold Swabia were the Hohenstaufen, who held it, with a brief...
count Henry of Berg. The death of his older brothers, Leszek and Casimir, in August and October 1131, respectively, left him as the eldest son of their parents.
Bolesław III's Testament and inheritance of the Masovian Province
Bolesław was 13 years old at the time of his father's death (1138) and of the legal age to take on the government of the lands he inherited according to his father's testament, the newly created Duchy of MasoviaDuchy of Masovia
The Duchy of Masovia with its capital at Płock was a medieval duchy formed when the Polish Kingdom of the Piasts fragmented in 1138. It was located in the historic Masovian region of northeastern Poland...
(composed by Masovia and eastern Kuyavia
Kuyavia
Kujawy , is a historical and ethnographic region in the north-central Poland, situated in the basin of the middle Vistula and upper Noteć Rivers, with its capital in Włocławek.-Etymology:The origin of the name Kujawy was seen differently in history...
). Because his main domain was Masovia, the prince was called Bolesław of Masovia.
In the first years of his government, young Bolesław remained under the strong influence of his mother Salomea and the Voivode Wszebor, who feared the ambition of his elder half-brother High Duke Władysław II (the first-born son of the late duke by his first wife Zbyslava of Kiev
Zbyslava of Kiev
Zbyslava of Kiev , was a Kievan Rus' princess member of the Rurikid dynasty and by marriage Duchess of Poland.She was the daughter of Sviatopolk II, Grand Prince of Kiev by his first wife, who is believed was a Premyslid princess.-Life:...
). Władysław II tried to restore the unity of the country and deposed the Junior Dukes.
First Part of the conflict with High Duke Władysław II
The disputes with the High-Duke began openly in 1141, when the Dowager Duchess Salomea -without the consent of High Duke Władysław II-, organized a meeting with her sons at her residence in Łęczyca. Here was decided the betrothal of her youngest daughter AgnesAgnes of Poland
Agnes of Poland , was a Polish princess member of the House of Piast and by marriage Princess of Pereyaslavl and Volynia and Grand Princess of Kiev since 1168....
with Mstislav II of Kiev
Mstislav II of Kiev
Mstislav II Izyaslavich , Kniaz' of Pereyaslav, Volodymyr-Volynsky and Velikiy Kniaz of Kiev . Son of Izyaslav Mstislavich, Velikiy Kniaz' of Kiev....
, a scion of the Rurik Dynasty
Rurik Dynasty
The Rurik dynasty or Rurikids was a dynasty founded by the Varangian prince Rurik, who established himself in Novgorod around the year 862 AD...
— in order to gain allies in a possible conflict — and the division of the Łęczyca lands between Salomea's sons upon her death. However, the Junior Dukes in this first struggle were definitely defeated, because the Kievan Grand Prince Vsevolod II
Vsevolod II of Kiev
Vsevolod II Olgovich was the Prince of Chernigov and Grand Prince of Kiev , son of Oleg Svyatoslavich, Prince of Chernigov....
decided to made an alliance with Władysław II, reinforced by the marriage of Vsevolod's daughter Zvenislava with the High Duke's eldest son Bolesław I the Tall. An additional humiliation for Bolesław IV and his brothers was that they were sent by the High Duke on an expedition to the Kievan Rus'
Kievan Rus'
Kievan Rus was a medieval polity in Eastern Europe, from the late 9th to the mid 13th century, when it disintegrated under the pressure of the Mongol invasion of 1237–1240....
as ambassadors during 1142-1143.
The "peace" lasted only two years until 1144 when, after Salomea's death and according to the Bolesław III's Testament, the Łęczyca province reverted to the Seniorate Province
Seniorate Province
Seniorate Province, also known as the Senioral Province , Duchy of Kraków , Duchy of Cracow, Principality of Cracow, Principality of Kraków, was the superior among the five provinces established in 1138 according to the Testament of Bolesław III Krzywousty...
of High Duke Władysław II. The idea to reserve the lands for his minor brothers Henry
Henry of Sandomierz
Henry of Sandomierz was a Duke of Sandomierz since 1138 or 1146 until his death....
and Casimir II
Casimir II the Just
Casimir II the Just was a Lesser Polish duke at Wiślica during 1166–1173, and at Sandomierz since 1173. He became ruler over the Polish Seniorate Province at Kraków and thereby High Duke of Poland in 1177; a position he held until his death, interrupted once by his elder brother and predecessor...
was not popular with Wladyslaw, who thought that the land was only temporarily separated from his Dzielnica senioralna and now in its entirety should be returned. Outbreak of civil war was therefore only a matter of time.
The war erupted with full force in 1145, and it seemed that the Junior Dukes were defeated and the High Duke finally achieved the unification of the country. At first the combined forces of Bolesław IV and his brothers prevented the disaster and demanded a hasty reorganization of the forces of Władysław at the Battle on the Pilicą River. The major significance of this battle was to the former voivode Wszebor, whose military experience far exceeded the ability of Władysław's commanders. Soon, however, the situation was totally reversed as a result of the Kievan troops who entered in the country as Władysław's allies. Bolesław then had to agree to step down and renounce any pretension over the lands belonging to his mother.
The concessions of the Junior Dukes ultimately didn't resolve the problem. Moreover, Władysław's confidence in his forces had him embark on a final solution, the removal of his stepbrothers from their lands. Suddenly, the Junior Dukes could rely on the support of the High Duke's all-powerful voivoide Piotr Włostowic, for whom Władysław's plans were too radical and threatened to weaken his position. While Władysław opted for a quick response against him (the voivode was blinded and muted), forcing Włostowic to go to Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, the High Duke's final decision on his confrontation with the voivode considerably weakened his position. What's more, Włostowic convinced the Kievans to break his alliance with Władysław.
Władysław II is expelled from the country. Bolesław IV, High Duke of Poland
At the beginning of 1146 the rebellions against Władysław's government rose mighty, sparked by the fate of Piotr Włostowic. Nevertheless, the final victory of Władysław seemed likely, especially after the conquest of Masovia (forcing Bolesław to escape) and the siege of PoznanPoznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
in Greater Poland in the spring of 1146. However, thanks to the rebellion in Władysław's own lands, and the excommunication imposed to him by the Archbishop of Gniezno, the High Duke suffered an unexpected defeat. Władysław and his family had to flee across the border with the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
, at first to Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
and later to Germany
Kingdom of Germany
The Kingdom of Germany developed out of the eastern half of the former Carolingian Empire....
, accommodated by King Conrad III
Conrad III of Germany
Conrad III was the first King of Germany of the Hohenstaufen dynasty. He was the son of Frederick I, Duke of Swabia, and Agnes, a daughter of the Salian Emperor Henry IV.-Life and reign:...
.
The Junior Dukes reasigned the Polish provinces between them. The Duchy of Silesia
Duchy of Silesia
The Duchy of Silesia with its capital at Wrocław was a medieval duchy located in the historic Silesian region of Poland. Soon after it was formed under the Piast dynasty in 1138, it fragmented into various Duchies of Silesia. In 1327 the remaining Duchy of Wrocław as well as most other duchies...
and the Seniorate Province at 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...
were taken by Bolesław, who also received the title of High Duke, the western Duchy of Greater Poland was retained by his brother Mieszko III
Mieszko III the Old
Mieszko III the Old , of the royal Piast dynasty, was Duke of Greater Poland from 1138 and High Duke of Poland, with interruptions, from 1173 until his death....
, and Henry finally received his long-promised Land of Sandomierz
Sandomierz
Sandomierz is a city in south-eastern Poland with 25,714 inhabitants . Situated in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship , previously in Tarnobrzeg Voivodeship . It is the capital of Sandomierz County . Sandomierz is known for its Old Town, a major tourist attraction...
. Casimir II, the youngest brother, again remained without lands.
Expedition of King Conrad III of Germany and recognition of the authority of the Junior Dukes
Thanks to the intrigues of his wife Agnes of BabenbergAgnes of Babenberg
Agnes of Babenberg , was a German noblewoman, a scion of the Franconian House of Babenberg and by marriage High Duchess of Poland and Duchess of Silesia....
, a half-sister of King Conrad III, Władysław II succeeded in convincing his brother-in-law to make a military expedition to Poland. The hastily organized expedition however clashed with the reluctance of the former subjects of the deposed High Duke, and was finally defeated already on the Polish border near the Oder
Oder
The Oder is a river in Central Europe. It rises in the Czech Republic and flows through western Poland, later forming of the border between Poland and Germany, part of the Oder-Neisse line...
river in August 1146.
In subsequent years, Bolesław IV along with his younger brothers bellows sought to maintain good relations with the royal House of Hohenstaufen, Władysław's allies. To this end, in 1148 the Junior Dukes organized a meeting in Kruszwica
Kruszwica
Kruszwica is a town in central Poland and is situated in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship , previously in Bydgoszcz Voivodeship .It has a population of 9,412 people .-History:...
, to which they invited the warlike Margrave Albert the Bear of the German Northern March
Northern March
The Northern March or North March was created out of the division of the vast Marca Geronis in 965. It initially comprised the northern third of the Marca and was part of the territorial organisation of areas conquered from the Wends...
(the later Margraviate of Brandenburg
Margraviate of Brandenburg
The Margraviate of Brandenburg was a major principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806. Also known as the March of Brandenburg , it played a pivotal role in the history of Germany and Central Europe....
), who had reached the Polish border in the course of the Wendish Crusade
Wendish Crusade
The Wendish Crusade was an 1147 campaign, one of the Northern Crusades and also a part of the Second Crusade, led primarily by the Kingdom of Germany inside the Holy Roman Empire and directed against the Polabian Slavs ....
. There, Bolesław arranged the marriage of his sister Judith with the margrave's son Otto
Otto I, Margrave of Brandenburg
Otto I was the second Margrave of Brandenburg, from 1170 until his death.-Life:Otto I was born into the House of Ascania as the eldest son of Albert I , who founded the Margraviate of Brandenburg in 1157, and his wife Sophie von Winzenburg...
. Boleslaw and Mieszko also militarily supported the Germans in the fight against the reluctant West Slavic Lutici
Lutici
The Lutici were a federation of West Slavic Polabian tribes, who between the 10th and 12th centuries lived in what is now northeastern Germany. Four tribes made up the core of the federation: the Redarians , Circipanians , Kessinians and Tollensians...
tribes, considerably contributing to the stability of German domination over the middle Spree
Spree
The Spree is a river that flows through the Saxony, Brandenburg and Berlin states of Germany, and in the Ústí nad Labem region of the Czech Republic...
region. The second important ally of the Piast prince was the Wettin margrave Konrad of Meissen
Conrad, Margrave of Meissen
Conrad the Great was the Margrave of Meissen from 1123 until his retirement in 1156. He was the son of Thimo, Count of Brehna, of the House of Wettin and Ida, daughter of Otto of Nordheim. He was also Count of Wettin, Brehna, and Camburg from before 1116.In 1123, he became Count of Eilenburg...
.
Initially, Bolesław also had a difficult relationship with another opposing force policy like the Hohenstaufens: the Roman Curia
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
under of Pope Eugene III
Pope Eugene III
Pope Blessed Eugene III , born Bernardo da Pisa, was Pope from 1145 to 1153. He was the first Cistercian to become Pope.-Early life:...
. At first in 1147 the Papal legate Humbold recognized Bolesław as the new High Duke and overlord of Poland. However, one year later, and again instigated by the intrigues of Władysław's wife Agnes, the newly Papal legate Guy arrived to the country in connection with the refusal to restore the former High Duke, and declared the ban over Poland. The penalty, thanks for the cohesive support of the Polish church hierarchy by the Junior Dukes, was virtually without repercussions.
Expedition of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa to Poland. The final recognition of the authority of Bolesław IV
Things worsened for Bolesław in 1157, when King Conrad's nephew Frederick BarbarossaFrederick I, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick I Barbarossa was a German Holy Roman Emperor. He was elected King of Germany at Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March, crowned King of Italy in Pavia in 1155, and finally crowned Roman Emperor by Pope Adrian IV, on 18 June 1155, and two years later in 1157 the term...
, crowned Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
by Pope Adrian IV
Pope Adrian IV
Pope Adrian IV , born Nicholas Breakspear or Breakspeare, was Pope from 1154 to 1159.Adrian IV is the only Englishman who has occupied the papal chair...
in 1155, decided to made a new expedition to Poland, thanks to the ongoing pressures by his aunt Agnes, Władysław's wife. This time the campaign was well organized, and the Emperor was well determined to force Bolesław IV to accept his own conditions. It's unknown why Bolesław opted for a highly security tactics of war, not defending the swampy areas in front of the middle Oder river, which was for centuries the natural defense of Poland, nor the strongholds of Głogów and Bytom
Bytom Odrzanski
Bytom Odrzański is a town on the Oder river in western Poland, in Nowa Sól County of Lubusz Voivodeship.-History:Archaeological findings from the Stone Age and Bronze Age around Bytom suggest a early settlement. A Slavic gród is mentioned in 1005...
in Silesia. The Imperial army quickly advanced and soon laid siege to Poznan.
Given the difficult situation, Bolesław was forced to accept the humiliating negotiations and in a shameful ceremony on 30 August 1157, was declared a vassal of the Empire at his camp in Krzyszkowo
Krzyszkowo
Krzyszkowo is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Rokietnica, within Poznań County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, in west-central Poland. It lies approximately west of Rokietnica and north-west of the regional capital Poznań....
. Bolesław was in his knees and beg for forgiveness to the Emperor, in return for which he kindly received from Barbarossa the further control over the Polish lands; also, he had to pay an enormous tribute to Emperor. For unknown reasons however, despite Barbarossa's victory, Władysław II to his great disappointment was not restored in the Polish throne. Bolesław formally swore loyalty to the Emperor on Christmas Day in Magdeburg
Magdeburg
Magdeburg , is the largest city and the capital city of the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Magdeburg is situated on the Elbe River and was one of the most important medieval cities of Europe....
, and gave his younger brother, Casimir II, as a hostage. Two years later Władysław died in exile, having never returned to his country again.
Return of Władysław II's sons to Silesia
Not before 1163 the sons of the late Władysław, Bolesław I the Tall and Mieszko IV TanglefootMieszko IV Tanglefoot
Mieszko IV Tanglefoot was a Duke of Silesia from 1163 to 1173 , Duke of Racibórz from 1173, Duke of Opole from 1202 and from 9 June 1210 until his death, Duke of Kraków and High Duke of Poland....
, backed by the Emperor insisting on the agreement made with Bolesław IV, were restored in their Silesia heritage; but this return didn't affect the power of Bolesław as a High Duke and overlord of Poland. Thanks to its German affinities, the senior branch of the Silesian Piasts
Silesian Piasts
The Silesian Piasts were the oldest line of the Piast dynasty beginning with Władysław II the Exile, son of Bolesław III Wrymouth, Duke of Poland...
at least managed to retain its Silesian lands (Wrocław, Legnica
Legnica
Legnica is a town in south-western Poland, in Silesia, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the plain of Legnica, riverside: Kaczawa and Czarna Woda. Between 1 June 1975 and 31 December 1998 Legnica was the capital of the Legnica Voivodeship. It is currently the seat of the county...
, Głogów, Opole
Opole
Opole is a city in southern Poland on the Oder River . It has a population of 125,992 and is the capital of the Upper Silesia, Opole Voivodeship and, also the seat of Opole County...
and Racibórz
Racibórz
Racibórz is a town in southern Poland with 60,218 inhabitants situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , previously in Katowice Voivodeship...
) without problems.
Crusade against the Prussians
Following the defeat by the German forces, Bolesław initiated a bold plan for the conquest of the pagan PrussiansOld Prussians
The Old Prussians or Baltic Prussians were an ethnic group, autochthonous Baltic tribes that inhabited Prussia, the lands of the southeastern Baltic Sea in the area around the Vistula and Curonian Lagoons...
, settling beyond the northeastern Polish border along the Baltic
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
coast. This concept of an early Prussian Crusade
Prussian Crusade
The Prussian Crusade was a series of 13th-century campaigns of Roman Catholic crusaders, primarily led by the Teutonic Knights, to Christianize the pagan Old Prussians. Invited after earlier unsuccessful expeditions against the Prussians by Polish princes, the Teutonic Knights began campaigning...
was conceived in view of the repeated seizures by more and more Baltic
Balts
The Balts or Baltic peoples , defined as speakers of one of the Baltic languages, a branch of the Indo-European language family, are descended from a group of Indo-European tribes who settled the area between the Jutland peninsula in the west and Moscow, Oka and Volga rivers basins in the east...
tribes in the several districts of Bolesław's Masovian province. The High Duke proclaimed a "crusade" against the pagans and pressured the collaboration of both the Pope and the Emperor. The whole efforts and attempts to acquire these province were finally defeated in 1166. Furthermore during one of the battles the younger brother of the High Duke, Henry of Sandomierz, was killed.
Rebellion of Casimir II the Just. Relations with the Silesian Dukes
After Henry's death, against the dispositions of the Bolesław III's Testament, the High Duke incorporated Sandomierz into the Seniorate Province. This caused the anger and frustration of his youngest brother, Casimir II the Just, who was the next in line to inherit the lands and was the only of Bolesław III' sons still without any land.Casimir was supported in his rebellion by his elder brother Duke Mieszko III the Old of Greater Poland, the magnate Jaksa of Miechów and Sviatoslav, son of Voivode Piotr Włostowic, as well as the Archbishops of Gniezno and Kraków; also, almost all Leeser Polish
Lesser Poland
Lesser Poland is one of the historical regions of Poland, with its capital in the city of Kraków. It forms the southeastern corner of the country, and should not be confused with the modern Lesser Poland Voivodeship, which covers only a small, southern part of Lesser Poland...
nobility was on his side. In February 1168 the rebels gathered in Jędrzejów
Jedrzejów
Jędrzejów is a town in Poland, located in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, about 35 km southwest of Kielce. It is the capital of Jędrzejów County. It has 18,069 inhabitants ....
, and there they proclaimed Mieszko III as the new High Duke and Casimir was formally invested with Sandomierz. But at the end Bolesław maintained his rule by largely accepting the demands of rebels; he divided late Henry's duchy in three parts: the lands of Wiślica
Wislica
Wiślica is a village in Busko County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, in south-central Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Wiślica. It lies on the Nida River, approximately south of Busko-Zdrój and south of the regional capital Kielce...
were granted to Casimir, Bolesław himself obtained Sandomierz proper and the rest passed to Mieszko III.
After the disaster of the Prussian Crusade, the Silesian dukes Bolesław I the Tall and Mieszko IV Tanglefoot attempted to dethrone the High Duke and to recover the Seniorate Province and thereby the Polish overlordship. Bolesław's reprisal expedition in the following year ended with a total disaster, so the High Duke eventually had to reconcile with his Silesian nephews.
In 1172 Duke Mieszko III rebelled again; this time supporting his grandnephew Jarosław of Opole (the eldest son of Bolesław I the Tall), who, forced to become a priest in his early years, was barred from the Silesian succession. Unsatisfied with this, Jarosław tried to gain power and obtain his own lands. The support of this rebellion was so strong, that his father was forced to escape to Erfurt
Erfurt
Erfurt is the capital city of Thuringia and the main city nearest to the geographical centre of Germany, located 100 km SW of Leipzig, 150 km N of Nuremberg and 180 km SE of Hannover. Erfurt Airport can be reached by plane via Munich. It lies in the southern part of the Thuringian...
. This originated another expedition in his aid by Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, who again invaded Poland and defeated the rebels. The High Duke ordered Mieszko III to Magdeburg where peace was made with the Empire after the payment of 8,000 pieces of silver and the Silesian duchy was again granted to Bolesław I the Tall at the Emperor's mercy; despite his victory, the High Duke finally accepted the autonomy of his Silesian nephews.
Shortly afterwards another rebellion took place, this time of the Lesser Polish nobles, who were extremely dissatisfied with the harsh and dictatorial High Duke's government. The rebels invited Casimir II, then Duke of Wiślica, to take the Kraków throne, but Bolesław's resistance against his younger brother was so strong that both parties made concessions, who led finished with any riots until the end of the High Duke's reign. Casimir succeeded Bolesław in Sandomierz upon his death in 1173 and became High Duke four years later.
Relations with the Church
Bolesław was also known for his many gifts and grants to the Church. Particularly enriched thanks to him, among others were: the Church of St. Mary and St. Catherine and of St. Vincent near Wrocław, the Benedictine monastery in TrzemesznoTrzemeszno
Trzemeszno is a town in central Poland belonging to the group of the oldest settlements in the region. The town’s name derives from an Old Polish word “Trzemcha” meaning the flower of the "Bird’s Cherry" plant, which once grew in the vicinity...
and the Collegiate church in Tum
Collegiate church in Tum
The Collegiate church of St. Mary and St. Alexius in Tum is a Romanesque church of granite built during the years 1140–1161 in Tum in central Poland . The church was built in opus emplectum style and has the form of an aisled basilica with galleries, twin-tower west facade and two apses...
near Łęczyca. Around 1151 he founded the Canonical Regular Kolegiata in Czerwińsk.
Marriages and Issue
In 1137 Bolesław married firstly with ViacheslavaViacheslava of Novgorod
Viacheslava of Novgorod , was a Kievan Rus' princess member of the House of Rurik and by marriage Duchess of Masovia and Kuyavia and High Duchess of Poland since 1146.She was the daughter of St...
(b. ca. 1125 - d. 15 March ca. 1162?), daughter of St. Vsevolod, Prince of Novgorod and Pskov
Pskov
Pskov is an ancient city and the administrative center of Pskov Oblast, Russia, located in the northwest of Russia about east from the Estonian border, on the Velikaya River. Population: -Early history:...
. They had three children:
- Bolesław (b. 1156 – d. 1172)
- A daughter (b. ca. 1160 – d. aft. 1178), married ca. 1172/73 to Vasilko Iaropolkovich, Prince of ShumskShumskShumsk is a city in Ternopil Oblast, Ukraine. It is administrative center of the Shumsk Raion. Population is 5,161 ....
and Dorohychyn. - LeszekLeszek, Duke of MasoviaLeszek of Masovia was the second Duke of Masovia and Kuyavia from 1173 until his death.He was the second but only surviving son of Bolesław IV the Curly, High Duke of Poland by his first wife Viacheslava, daughter of St. Vsevolod, Prince of Novgorod and Pskov...
(b. ca. 1162 – d. 1186).
After the death of his first wife, Bolesław married with a woman called Maria
Maria (wife of Bolesław IV the Curly)
Maria , was by marriage High Duchess of Poland.By the majority of historians and web sources, her parentage is unknown; however, others authors believed that she was a daughter of Rostislav I Mstislavich, Grand Prince of Kiev....
(d. aft. 1173), whose origins are disputed. This union was childless.
Bolesław's eldest son died in 1172 aged sixteen and reportedly the High Duke was devastated by his death. He was succeeded in the Masovian-Kujavian principality by his second and only surviving son Leszek, at the age of eleven or less. As overlord and holder of 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 Gniezno
Gniezno
Gniezno is a city in central-western Poland, some 50 km east of Poznań, inhabited by about 70,000 people. One of the Piasts' chief cities, it was mentioned by 10th century A.D. sources as the capital of Piast Poland however the first capital of Piast realm was most likely Giecz built around...
, he however was succeeded by his next brother Mieszko III the Old
Mieszko III the Old
Mieszko III the Old , of the royal Piast dynasty, was Duke of Greater Poland from 1138 and High Duke of Poland, with interruptions, from 1173 until his death....
, Duke of Greater Poland.