Duchy of Oswiecim
Encyclopedia
The Duchy of Oświęcim or the Duchy of Auschwitz , was one of many Duchies of Silesia
, formed in the aftermath of the fragmentation of Poland
.
It was established about 1315 on the Lesser Polish
lands east of the Biała river held by the Silesian
branch of the Polish royal Piast dynasty
. Briefly semi-autonomus, with its capital in Oświęcim
, it was finally sold to the Kingdom of Poland
in 1457. Annexed by the Habsburg Empire
in 1772, the remaining ducal title ceased to exist in 1918 with the lands being reincorporated into the Second Polish Republic
.
, which the Polish High Duke Casimir II the Just
had split off the Seniorate Province
and granted to the Silesian duke Mieszko IV Tanglefoot
in 1177. From 1281 onwards, the area had been part of the Silesian Duchy of Teschen (Cieszyn) until after the death of Duke Miezsko I in 1315, the lands of Oświęcim east of the Biała were split off from it as a separate duchy for Mieszko's son Władysław
. In 1327 his heir Duke Jan I the Scholastic
paid homage to King John of Bohemia and likewise many other Silesian duchies, Oświęcim became a vassal of the Bohemian Crown
.
In 1445 the duchies of Zator
and Toszek
were created from some the lands of the duchy. Though the Duchy of Oświęcim had fallen under the Bohemian vassalage, it was re-united with Poland in 1454, when the last duke, Jan IV, declared himself a vassal
of the Polish king Casimir IV Jagiellon
. Jan had no male heirs and sold his duchy to King Casimir for the price of 3,000,000 Prague groschen three years later.
At the General sejm
of 1564, King Sigismund II Augustus
issued privileges of incorporation recognizing both Duchies of Oświęcim and Zator as part of the Polish Crown into the Silesian County of the Kraków Voivodeship, although the Polish kings retained both ducal titles.
After the First Partition of Poland
in 1772, the lands of the former duchies of Oświęcim and Zator were affiliated to the Habsburg Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria
, an Austrian
crown land from 1804, and joined the German Confederation
in 1818. By the 1919 Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye they were attached to the Polish Kraków Voivodeship.
of the Piast dynasty
(see also Dukes of Silesia
).
s, from 1804 Emperors of Austria
held the title of a Duke of Auschwitz which constituted part of their official grand title.
Duchies of Silesia
The Duchies of Silesia resulted from divisions of the original Duchy of Silesia after 1138.In accordance with the last will and testament of Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth, the Kingdom of Poland was, upon his death in 1138, divided into five hereditary provinces distributed among his sons, including...
, formed in the aftermath of the fragmentation 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...
.
It was established about 1315 on the Lesser 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...
lands east of the Biała river held by the Silesian
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...
branch of the Polish royal Piast dynasty
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...
. Briefly semi-autonomus, with its capital in 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 :...
, it was finally sold to the Kingdom of Poland
Poland during the Jagiellon dynasty
History of Poland during the Jagiellon dynasty is the period in the history of Poland that spans the late Middle Ages and early Modern Era. Beginning with the Lithuanian Grand Duke Jogaila , the Jagiellon dynasty formed the Polish–Lithuanian union...
in 1457. Annexed by the Habsburg Empire
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
in 1772, the remaining ducal title ceased to exist in 1918 with the lands being reincorporated into the Second Polish Republic
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
.
History
The duchy was created in 1315 in the aftermath of the ongoing 12th century fragmentation of Poland on these southeastern estates of the original Duchy of SilesiaDuchy 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...
, which the Polish High Duke Casimir II the Just
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...
had split off 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...
and granted to the Silesian duke Mieszko IV Tanglefoot
Mieszko 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....
in 1177. From 1281 onwards, the area had been part of the Silesian Duchy of Teschen (Cieszyn) until after the death of Duke Miezsko I in 1315, the lands of Oświęcim east of the Biała were split off from it as a separate duchy for Mieszko's son Władysław
Władysław of Oświęcim
Władysław of Oświęcim , was a Duke of Oświęcim from 1315 until his death.He was the eldest son of Mieszko I, Duke of Cieszyn by his wife, probably called Grzymisława.-Life:...
. In 1327 his heir Duke Jan I the Scholastic
Jan I the Scholastic
Jan I the Scholastic , was a Duke of Oświęcim from 1324 until his death.He was the eldest child and only son of Duke Władysław of Oświęcim by his wife Euphrosyne, daughter of Duke Boleslaus II of Masovia.-Life:...
paid homage to King John of Bohemia and likewise many other Silesian duchies, Oświęcim became a vassal of the Bohemian Crown
Kingdom of Bohemia
The Kingdom of Bohemia was a country located in the region of Bohemia in Central Europe, most of whose territory is currently located in the modern-day Czech Republic. The King was Elector of Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution in 1806, whereupon it became part of the Austrian Empire, and...
.
In 1445 the duchies of Zator
Duchy of Zator
The Duchy of Zator was one of many Duchies of Silesia.It was split off the Duchy of Oświęcim, when after eleven years of joint rule the sons of Duke Casimir I in 1445 finally divided the lands among themselves, whereby his eldest son Wenceslaus received the territory around the town of Zator...
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...
were created from some the lands of the duchy. Though the Duchy of Oświęcim had fallen under the Bohemian vassalage, it was re-united with Poland in 1454, when the last duke, Jan IV, declared himself a vassal
Vassal
A vassal or feudatory is a person who has entered into a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. The obligations often included military support and mutual protection, in exchange for certain privileges, usually including the grant of land held...
of the Polish king Casimir IV Jagiellon
Casimir IV Jagiellon
Casimir IV KG of the House of Jagiellon was Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1440, and King of Poland from 1447, until his death.Casimir was the second son of King Władysław II Jagiełło , and the younger brother of Władysław III of Varna....
. Jan had no male heirs and sold his duchy to King Casimir for the price of 3,000,000 Prague groschen three years later.
At the General sejm
General sejm
The general sejm was the parliament of Poland for four centuries from the late 15th until the late 18th century.-Genesis:The power of early sejms grew during the period of Poland's fragmentation , when the power of individual rulers waned and that of various councils and wiece grew...
of 1564, King Sigismund II Augustus
Sigismund II Augustus
Sigismund II Augustus I was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, the only son of Sigismund I the Old, whom Sigismund II succeeded in 1548...
issued privileges of incorporation recognizing both Duchies of Oświęcim and Zator as part of the Polish Crown into the Silesian County of the Kraków Voivodeship, although the Polish kings retained both ducal titles.
After the First Partition of Poland
First Partition of Poland
The First Partition of Poland or First Partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in 1772 as the first of three partitions that ended the existence of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth by 1795. Growth in the Russian Empire's power, threatening the Kingdom of Prussia and the...
in 1772, the lands of the former duchies of Oświęcim and Zator were affiliated to the Habsburg Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria
Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria
The Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria was a crownland of the Habsburg Monarchy, the Austrian Empire, and Austria–Hungary from 1772 to 1918 .This historical region in eastern Central Europe is currently divided between Poland and Ukraine...
, an Austrian
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
crown land from 1804, and joined the German Confederation
German Confederation
The German Confederation was the loose association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to coordinate the economies of separate German-speaking countries. It acted as a buffer between the powerful states of Austria and Prussia...
in 1818. By the 1919 Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye they were attached to the Polish Kraków Voivodeship.
Dukes of Oświęcim
The Dukes of Oświęcim belonged to the Silesian branchSilesian 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...
of the Piast dynasty
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...
(see also Dukes of Silesia
Dukes of Silesia
The Dukes of Silesia were the sons and descendants of the Polish Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth. In accordance with the last will and testament of Bolesław, upon his death his lands were divided into 4-5 hereditary provinces distributed among his sons, and a royal province of Kraków reserved for the...
).
| 1314/5-1321/4 | Władysław I Władysław of Oświęcim Władysław of Oświęcim , was a Duke of Oświęcim from 1315 until his death.He was the eldest son of Mieszko I, Duke of Cieszyn by his wife, probably called Grzymisława.-Life:... (son of Mieszko I of Cieszyn, from 1290 co-regent, due to division of Oświęcim) |
| 1321/4-1372 | Jan I the Scholastic Jan I the Scholastic Jan I the Scholastic , was a Duke of Oświęcim from 1324 until his death.He was the eldest child and only son of Duke Władysław of Oświęcim by his wife Euphrosyne, daughter of Duke Boleslaus II of Masovia.-Life:... (son of Władysław I) |
| 1321/4-1325 | Eufrozyna Mazowiecka (wife of Władysław I, mother of Jan I, regent, d. 1329) |
| 1372-1375/6 | Jan II Jan II of Oświęcim Jan II of Oświęcim was a Duke of Oświęcim since 1372 until his death.He was the only son of Jan I the Scholastic, Duke of Oświęcim, by his first unknown wife.-Life:... (son Jan I) |
| 1375/6-1405 | Jan III Jan III of Oświęcim Jan III of Oświęcim was a Duke of Oświęcim since 1376 until his death.He was the eldest child and only son of Duke Jan II of Oświęcim by his wife Hedwig, daughter of Ludwik I the Fair, Duke of Brzeg... (son of Jan II, died childless) |
| 1405–1406 | Przemysław 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.... (also known as Przemysław the Younger (Młodszy), son of Przemysław I Noszak (whose uncle was Mieszko cieszyński), from 1404 prince of half of 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... and Głogów, from 1405 also in 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... ) |
| 1410-1433/4 | Casimir I 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:... (son of Przemysł Młodszy, due to division in 1414 of Oświęcim, Toszek 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... (in Strzelin until 1427)) |
| 1433/4-1484 | Przemysław of Toszek Przemysław of Toszek Przemysław of Toszek was a Duke of Oświęcim during 1434–1445 and Duke of Toszek since 1445 until his death.... (son of Casimir I, also prince of Toszek due to its division in 1445) |
| 1433/4-1456 | Jan IV (Janusz) (brother of Przemysław Toszecki and son of Kazimierz I, also prince of Toszek, from 1445 due to a division of Oświęcim, 1465-1482 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... , abdicated (Oświęcim transferred to Crown of Poland), d. 1496) |
Rulers claiming the ducal title after partition of Poland
In the aftermath of the First Partition of Poland until 1918, the Habsburg Holy Roman EmperorHoly 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...
s, from 1804 Emperors of Austria
Emperor of Austria
The Emperor of Austria was a hereditary imperial title and position proclaimed in 1804 by the Holy Roman Emperor Francis II, a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, and continually held by him and his heirs until the last emperor relinquished power in 1918. The emperors retained the title of...
held the title of a Duke of Auschwitz which constituted part of their official grand title.
| Emperor | Acceded | Deceded |
| Joseph II Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I... |
1772 | 20 February 1790 |
| Leopold II Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II , born Peter Leopold Joseph Anton Joachim Pius Gotthard, was Holy Roman Emperor and King of Hungary and Bohemia from 1790 to 1792, Archduke of Austria and Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1765 to 1790. He was a son of Emperor Francis I and his wife, Empress Maria Theresa... |
20 February 1790 | 1 March 1792 |
| Francis I Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor Francis II was the last Holy Roman Emperor, ruling from 1792 until 6 August 1806, when he dissolved the Empire after the disastrous defeat of the Third Coalition by Napoleon at the Battle of Austerlitz... |
1 March 1792 | 2 March 1835 |
| Ferdinand I Ferdinand I of Austria Ferdinand I was Emperor of Austria, President of the German Confederation, King of Hungary and Bohemia , as well as associated dominions from the death of his father, Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor, until his abdication after the Revolutions of 1848.He married Maria Anna of Savoy, the sixth child... |
2 March 1835 | 2 December 1848 |
| Francis Joseph I | 2 December 1848 | 21 November 1916 |
| Charles I | 21 November 1916 | 11 November 1918 |