Bolesław of Bytom
Encyclopedia
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
.
in 1347, Bolesław succeeded him as Duke of Koźle. Five years later, in 1352, the death of his father made him also Duke of Bytom.
In 1354 he went to Italy in the suite of King Charles of Bohemia
, who travel to that country for his coronation as Holy Roman Emperor
. Under unknown circumstances, Bolesław died suddenly between 4 October and 15 December 1355. He was buried in the cathedral of Venzone
in a beautiful tombstone who was destroyed during an earthquake in 1976, but was later restored.
(d. aft. 5 June 1365), daughter of the rich moravia
n magnate Jaroslav ze Šternberka (of Sternberg
). As a dowry, she received the amount of 60 Prague groschen. They had three daughters:
With him, the male line of the Bytom-Koźle branch of the Piast dynasty became extinct. According to his will, Bolesław left Bytom to his wife as her Oprawa wdowia; however, almost immediately a dispute began over his inheritance between his close relatives, by virtue of the treaty signed between Duke Władysław and the Bohemian Kingdom, who allowed the women succession over his lands in absence of male heirs. The Dukes Konrad I of Oleśnica
(husband of Bolesław's eldest half-sister Euphemia) and Casimir I of Cieszyn (legal guardian of Bolesław's daughters) claimed the whole succession of Bolesław, and only solved their dispute in 1357: Koźle (who was already obtain by Konrad I in 1355) remains under the hands of the Dukes of Oleśnica, who also obtained half of Bytom
, and the Dukes of Cieszyn received the other half of Bytom, Gliwice
, Toszek
and Pyskowice
.
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...
from 1347 and Duke of 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...
since 1352 until his death.
He was the second son of Duke Władysław of Bytom
Władysław of Bytom
Władysław of Bytom , was a Duke of Koźle during 1303-1334, Duke of Bytom from 1316, Duke of Toszek since 1329 and Duke of Siewierz during 1328-1337.He was the second son of Duke Casimir of Bytom by his wife Helena.-Life:...
but the eldest by his second wife Ludgarda, daughter of Henry II the Lion, Prince of Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg is a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern...
and Lord of Stargard
Stargard
Starogard or Stargard means old fort or old city in the Pomeranian language, and gard is Old Slavic, Old Germanic, Old Baltic, and Old Finnic for castle or fortification...
.
Life
After the death of his elder half-brother CasimirCasimir of Koźle
Casimir of Koźle was a Duke of Koźle since 1336 until his death.He was the eldest son of Duke Władysław of Bytom but the only by his first wife Beatrix, daughter of Otto V the Long, Margrave of Brandenburg–Salzwedel.-Life:...
in 1347, Bolesław succeeded him as Duke of Koźle. Five years later, in 1352, the death of his father made him also Duke of Bytom.
In 1354 he went to Italy in the suite of King Charles of Bohemia
Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles IV , born Wenceslaus , was the second king of Bohemia from the House of Luxembourg, and the first king of Bohemia to also become Holy Roman Emperor....
, who travel to that country for his coronation as Holy Roman 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...
. Under unknown circumstances, Bolesław died suddenly between 4 October and 15 December 1355. He was buried in the cathedral of Venzone
Venzone
thumb|250px|The Communal Palace.Venzone is a comune in the Province of Udine in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about 90 km northwest of Trieste and about 30 km north of Udine.-History:...
in a beautiful tombstone who was destroyed during an earthquake in 1976, but was later restored.
Marriage and issue
By 14 February 1347 Bolesław married MargaretaMargareta of Sternberg
Margareta of Sternberg was a Moravian noblewoman and by marriage Duchess of Bytom.She was the eldest child and only daughter of Jaroslav of Sternberg by his second wife Margareta of Bílina . Margareta had two full-brothers, Aleš and Jan, and also two older half-brothers, Zdeněk and Smil...
(d. aft. 5 June 1365), daughter of the rich moravia
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
n magnate Jaroslav ze Šternberka (of Sternberg
Sternberg
Sternberg is surname of:- Persons :* Counts of Sternberg, Bohemian nobility* Ben-Zion Sternberg , a Zionist statesman* Charles Hazelius Sternberg , an American paleontologist...
). As a dowry, she received the amount of 60 Prague groschen. They had three daughters:
- Elisabeth (b. 1347/50 - d. 1374), married by 1360 to Duke Przemysław I Noszak of Cieszyn.
- Euphemia (b. 1350/52 - d. 26 August 1411), married firstly in 1364 to Duke Wenceslaus of NiemodlinWenceslaus of NiemodlinWenceslaus of Niemodlin was a Duke of Niemodlin since 1365 until his death , and Duke of Gliwice from 1364....
and secondly in 1369 to Duke Bolko III of ZiębiceBolko III of ZiębiceBolko III of Münsterberg was a Duke of Münsterberg since 1358 until his death, and ruler over Gleiwitz during 1369–1373....
. - Bolka (b. 1351/55 - d. by 15 October 1428), married in 1360 to Čeněk z Vartemberka (of Wartenberg). A nun after his death in 1396, she became Abbess of TrzebnicaTrzebnicaTrzebnica is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship in south-western Poland. It is the seat of Trzebnica County, and of the smaller administrative district called Gmina Trzebnica. Prior to 1945 it was in Germany...
in 1405.
With him, the male line of the Bytom-Koźle branch of the Piast dynasty became extinct. According to his will, Bolesław left Bytom to his wife as her Oprawa wdowia; however, almost immediately a dispute began over his inheritance between his close relatives, by virtue of the treaty signed between Duke Władysław and the Bohemian Kingdom, who allowed the women succession over his lands in absence of male heirs. The Dukes Konrad I of Oleśnica
Konrad I of Olesnica
Konrad I of Oleśnica was a Duke of Żagań, Ścinawa, etc., during 1309–1312 , Duke of Oleśnica, Namysłów, Gniezno and Kalisz during 1312–1313 , Duke of Kalisz during 1313–1314 , Duke of Namysłów since 1313 and Duke of Oleśnica since 1321 until his death .He was the second son...
(husband of Bolesław's eldest half-sister Euphemia) and Casimir I of Cieszyn (legal guardian of Bolesław's daughters) claimed the whole succession of Bolesław, and only solved their dispute in 1357: Koźle (who was already obtain by Konrad I in 1355) remains under the hands of the Dukes of Oleśnica, who also obtained half of 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...
, and the Dukes of Cieszyn received the other half of Bytom, 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...
, 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 Pyskowice
Pyskowice
Pyskowice is a town in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Borders on the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Located in the Silesian Highlands....
.