Mieszko IV Tanglefoot
Encyclopedia
Mieszko IV Tanglefoot (ca. 1130 – 16 May 1211) was a Duke of Silesia
from 1163 to 1173 (with his brother as co-ruler), 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.
He was the second son of Władysław II the Exile by his wife Agnes of Babenberg
, daughter of Margrave Leopold III of Austria and half-sister of King Conrad III of Germany
.
His nickname "Tanglefoot" (Plątonogi) appeared in the early chronicles of the 14th and 15th centuries. By the year 1192 the following was written: "Cracovia civitas est devastate a Mescone loripede dicto Platonogi nepote ducis Kazimiriensis Filio Wladislai exulis" ("Monumenta Poloniae Historica," edd. Bielowski August, t.II, Lviv 1872, p. 876). This is the oldest preserved record of the Mieszko's nickname in the form of "Plątonogi".
in Saxony
, which was granted as a temporary possession to Władysław II by his brother-in-law, King Conrad III of Germany. During his time in exile, Mieszko studied in Michaelsberg and Bamberg
.
However, the supposed temporary exile was, for the deposed High Duke, for good; he died in Altenburg in 1159. His sons continued the fight to recover their inheritance, and finally three years later, in 1163, and thanks to the intervention of the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, Mieszko and his older brother Bolesław I the Tall returned to Silesia
.
However, soon Mieszko began his efforts to obtain his own Duchy, maybe in part because his older brother Bolesław took all the government into his hands and left little participation for Mieszko there. In 1172, Mieszko began the open rebellion against his brother; also, he supported Bolesław's eldest son, Jarosław, who was forced to became a priest thanks to the intrigues of his stepmother Christina, who wished her sons to be the only heirs. The rebellion was a complete surprise to Bolesław, who was forced to escape to Erfurt
, Germany. However, the intervention of the Emperor favored the return of Bolesław soon afterwards, but he was forced to give his own separated lands to both Mieszko (who received the towns of Racibórz
and Cieszyn
) and Jarosław (who received Opole
).
when he had to fight to maintain his rule over the Duchy of Kraków
; this renewed again the disputes between him and Bolesław I the Tall, who wished to obtain the Duchy and with this the Seniorate. However, Bolesław suffered an unexpected defeat by Mieszko and his own son Jarosław, who distracted him to advance over Kraków; in his place was his younger uncle and ally, Casimir II the Just
, who captured the city and was proclaimed the new High Duke of Poland. Mieszko III the Old found himself in exile in Racibórz and it seemed that the war between Mieszko Tanglefoot and Casimir II the Just was now just a matter of time. Casimir II, however, went a different route and, in order to gain the favor of the Duke of Racibórz given him the towns of Oświęcim
and Bytom
(with the fortress of Oświęcim, Bytom, Mikołów, Siewierz
and Pszczyna
, although some historians estimate that these fortress had belonged to Mieszko only since 1179). On the other hand, Bolesław the Tall suffered a further diminution of his authority when he was compelled to give Głogów to his youngest brother Konrad
, who had recently returned from Germany and claimed his part over the Silesian inheritance.
. However, Kraków and the nobility of Sandomierz, led by the voivode Nicholas, had other plans and decided to support Casimir II's eldest son, Leszek the White. Both sides clashed in the bloody Battle of Mozgawa near Jędrzejów
(13 September 1195), where Mieszko III was seriously injured and his son Bolesław of Kuyavia died. The Silesian troops, led by Mieszko and Jarosław, arrived to the battlefield too late, soon after Mieszko III withdrew to Kalisz
. Despite the forces of the Count palatine
Goworek who also arrived to help Leszek's troops, the Silesians obtained a great victory; however, because Mieszko III wasn't present, this victory brought to them only benefits in terms of prestige (not counting the ransoms obtained by the Sandomierz nobles captured in the battle).
.
Mieszko was determined to obtain Opole and made a surprise attack at the beginning of 1202. The Duke managed to obtain Opole
, which was from then on definitely joined to his lands. Despite this victory, Mieszko wanted more lands, but this was against the wishes of the Church, which strongly supported Henry I the Bearded. Thanks to the intervention of the Archbishop of Gniezno, Henry Kietlicz and the Bishop of Wroclaw, Cyprian, Henry I maintained his frontiers, but he had to pay 1000 pieces of silver to his supporters.
, under which all the Seniorate rulers (included the High Duke Leszek the White) were excommunicated and deposed. Strangely, in the Bull the unnamed Duke of Silesia (who only could be Henry I the Bearded, because he actually used that title) was exempted from the ban. The country was full of consternation, because nobody knew who had real power.
Henry Ketlicz -who had returned from exile some time before- decided to call a Synod
in Borzykowa, where he tried to find a solution to this delicate issue. At the convention, in addition to the Hierarchy of the Church, Henry I and the other Junior Dukes attended. Leszek the White, wanting to ensure the support of the Church, along with other Piast princes, then gave a Great Privilege, which ensured the integrity of territorial possession of the Bishops (the privilege wasn't signed by Henry and Władysław III Spindleshanks, but rather was complied with the provisions established there). Mieszko wasn't present in Borzykowa; with the support of the Gryfici family, he decided to lead his army and marched against Kraków
, where the confusion among the citizens left him in total control over the capital without fighting. This was the zenith of Mieszko's career: he died almost one year later, on 16 May 1211, and, according to Jan Długosz, was probably buried in the Cathedral of Kraków. Only after Mieszko's death could Leszek the White return to Krakow without major difficulties.
(d. aft. 20 October 1210), whose origins are unknown. Her name indicates that she maybe had a Bohemia
n origin, probably a member of the Přemyslid dynasty
. According to the majority of historians, she could be the daughter of Otto III Detleb, Duke of Olomouc
, by his wife Durantia, in turn probably daughter of Grand Prince Mstislav I of Kiev
by his second wife Liubava Dmitrievna. There also minority hypotheses that put her as daughter of Sobeslaus I, Duke of Bohemia or Konrad II, Duke of Znojmo, and even as a daughter of her probably brother Vladimir, Duke of Olomouc, son of Otto III Detleb. They had five children:
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
from 1163 to 1173 (with his brother as co-ruler), Duke of Racibórz
Racibórz
Racibórz is a town in southern Poland with 60,218 inhabitants situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , previously in Katowice Voivodeship...
from 1173, Duke of 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...
from 1202 and from 9 June 1210 until his death, Duke 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 High Duke of Poland.
He was the second son of Władysław II the Exile by his wife Agnes of Babenberg
Agnes 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....
, daughter of Margrave Leopold III of Austria and half-sister of King Conrad III of Germany
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:...
.
His nickname "Tanglefoot" (Plątonogi) appeared in the early chronicles of the 14th and 15th centuries. By the year 1192 the following was written: "Cracovia civitas est devastate a Mescone loripede dicto Platonogi nepote ducis Kazimiriensis Filio Wladislai exulis" ("Monumenta Poloniae Historica," edd. Bielowski August, t.II, Lviv 1872, p. 876). This is the oldest preserved record of the Mieszko's nickname in the form of "Plątonogi".
Exile in Germany
From 1146, after the deposition of his father, Mieszko and his family mainly lived in the town of AltenburgAltenburg
Altenburg is a town in the German federal state of Thuringia, 45 km south of Leipzig. It is the capital of the Altenburger Land district.-Geography:...
in Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
, which was granted as a temporary possession to Władysław II by his brother-in-law, King Conrad III of Germany. During his time in exile, Mieszko studied in Michaelsberg and Bamberg
Bamberg
Bamberg is a city in Bavaria, Germany. It is located in Upper Franconia on the river Regnitz, close to its confluence with the river Main. Bamberg is one of the few cities in Germany that was not destroyed by World War II bombings because of a nearby Artillery Factory that prevented planes from...
.
However, the supposed temporary exile was, for the deposed High Duke, for good; he died in Altenburg in 1159. His sons continued the fight to recover their inheritance, and finally three years later, in 1163, and thanks to the intervention of the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, Mieszko and his older brother Bolesław I the Tall returned to Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
.
Duke of Racibórz
Mieszko and Bolesław I the Tall co-ruled the Duchy of Wrocław during the period 1163-1173. At first, their rule did not extend over the major Silesian cities, which remained under the control of Bolesław IV the Curly, the current High Duke of Poland. The brothers retook them in the year 1165, taking advantage of Bolesław IV's involvement in a crusade against the Prussians.However, soon Mieszko began his efforts to obtain his own Duchy, maybe in part because his older brother Bolesław took all the government into his hands and left little participation for Mieszko there. In 1172, Mieszko began the open rebellion against his brother; also, he supported Bolesław's eldest son, Jarosław, who was forced to became a priest thanks to the intrigues of his stepmother Christina, who wished her sons to be the only heirs. The rebellion was a complete surprise to Bolesław, who 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...
, Germany. However, the intervention of the Emperor favored the return of Bolesław soon afterwards, but he was forced to give his own separated lands to both Mieszko (who received the towns of Racibórz
Racibórz
Racibórz is a town in southern Poland with 60,218 inhabitants situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , previously in Katowice Voivodeship...
and 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 Jarosław (who received 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...
).
Bytom and Oświęcim
In 1177 Mieszko supported his uncle and namesake Mieszko III the OldMieszko 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....
when he had to fight to maintain his rule over the Duchy 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...
; this renewed again the disputes between him and Bolesław I the Tall, who wished to obtain the Duchy and with this the Seniorate. However, Bolesław suffered an unexpected defeat by Mieszko and his own son Jarosław, who distracted him to advance over Kraków; in his place was his younger uncle and ally, 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...
, who captured the city and was proclaimed the new High Duke of Poland. Mieszko III the Old found himself in exile in Racibórz and it seemed that the war between Mieszko Tanglefoot and Casimir II the Just was now just a matter of time. Casimir II, however, went a different route and, in order to gain the favor of the Duke of Racibórz given him the towns 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 :...
and 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...
(with the fortress of Oświęcim, Bytom, Mikołów, 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 Pszczyna
Pszczyna
Pszczyna is a town in southern Poland with 26,827 inhabitants within the immediate gmina rising to 50,121 inhabitants in the powiat, which includes the town of Pszczyna, itself, Brzeźce , Czarków , Ćwiklice , Jankowice , Łąka , Piasek , Poręba , Rudołtowice , Studzionka , Studzienice , Wisła...
, although some historians estimate that these fortress had belonged to Mieszko only since 1179). On the other hand, Bolesław the Tall suffered a further diminution of his authority when he was compelled to give Głogów to his youngest brother Konrad
Konrad Spindleshanks
Konrad Spindleshanks , was a Duke of Głogów since 1177 until his death.He was the third and youngest surviving son of Władysław II the Exile by his wife Agnes of Babenberg, daughter of Margrave Leopold III of Austria and half-sister of King Conrad III of Germany.-Life:Little is known about Konrad's...
, who had recently returned from Germany and claimed his part over the Silesian inheritance.
The Battle of Mozgawa
In 1195 Mieszko and his nephew Jarosław supported Mieszko III the Old in his new attempt to recover Kraków and the Seniorate. The death of Casimir II the Just and the minority of his sons had given them the opportunity to attack and regain control over Lesser PolandLesser 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...
. However, Kraków and the nobility of Sandomierz, led by the voivode Nicholas, had other plans and decided to support Casimir II's eldest son, Leszek the White. Both sides clashed in the bloody Battle of Mozgawa near 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 ....
(13 September 1195), where Mieszko III was seriously injured and his son Bolesław of Kuyavia died. The Silesian troops, led by Mieszko and Jarosław, arrived to the battlefield too late, soon after Mieszko III withdrew to Kalisz
Kalisz
Kalisz is a city in central Poland with 106,857 inhabitants , the capital city of the Kalisz Region. Situated on the Prosna river in the southeastern part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship, the city forms a conurbation with the nearby towns of Ostrów Wielkopolski and Nowe Skalmierzyce...
. Despite the forces of the Count palatine
Count palatine
Count palatine is a high noble title, used to render several comital styles, in some cases also shortened to Palatine, which can have other meanings as well.-Comes palatinus:...
Goworek who also arrived to help Leszek's troops, the Silesians obtained a great victory; however, because Mieszko III wasn't present, this victory brought to them only benefits in terms of prestige (not counting the ransoms obtained by the Sandomierz nobles captured in the battle).
Duke of Opole
On 22 March 1201 Jarosław of Opole died. The Duchy of Opole was then inherited by his father Bolesław the Tall, with whom the late Duke was recently reconciled. Bolesław the Tall died only nine months later, on 7/8 December 1201, leaving all his lands to his eldest (and only) surviving son Henry I the BeardedHenry I the Bearded
Henry I the Bearded , of the Silesian line of the Piast dynasty, was Duke of Silesia at Wrocław from 1201 and Duke of Kraków and thus High Duke of all Poland - internally divided - from 1232 until his death.-Heir of Wroclaw:...
.
Mieszko was determined to obtain Opole and made a surprise attack at the beginning of 1202. The Duke managed to obtain 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...
, which was from then on definitely joined to his lands. Despite this victory, Mieszko wanted more lands, but this was against the wishes of the Church, which strongly supported Henry I the Bearded. Thanks to the intervention of the Archbishop of Gniezno, Henry Kietlicz and the Bishop of Wroclaw, Cyprian, Henry I maintained his frontiers, but he had to pay 1000 pieces of silver to his supporters.
High Duke of Poland. Death
On 9 June 1210 a Bull was decreed by Pope Innocent IIIPope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III was Pope from 8 January 1198 until his death. His birth name was Lotario dei Conti di Segni, sometimes anglicised to Lothar of Segni....
, under which all the Seniorate rulers (included the High Duke Leszek the White) were excommunicated and deposed. Strangely, in the Bull the unnamed Duke of Silesia (who only could be Henry I the Bearded, because he actually used that title) was exempted from the ban. The country was full of consternation, because nobody knew who had real power.
Henry Ketlicz -who had returned from exile some time before- decided to call a Synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
in Borzykowa, where he tried to find a solution to this delicate issue. At the convention, in addition to the Hierarchy of the Church, Henry I and the other Junior Dukes attended. Leszek the White, wanting to ensure the support of the Church, along with other Piast princes, then gave a Great Privilege, which ensured the integrity of territorial possession of the Bishops (the privilege wasn't signed by Henry and Władysław III Spindleshanks, but rather was complied with the provisions established there). Mieszko wasn't present in Borzykowa; with the support of the Gryfici family, he decided to lead his army and marched against 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...
, where the confusion among the citizens left him in total control over the capital without fighting. This was the zenith of Mieszko's career: he died almost one year later, on 16 May 1211, and, according to Jan Długosz, was probably buried in the Cathedral of Kraków. Only after Mieszko's death could Leszek the White return to Krakow without major difficulties.
Marriage and issue
By 1178, Mieszko married LudmillaLudmila (wife of Mieszko I Tanglefoot)
Ludmila was the wife of Mieszko I Tanglefoot. Her origins are disputed.Mieszko I Tanglefoot married Ludmila between 1170-1178. Given her name, scientists think that Ludmila came from Bohemia, a member of the Přemyslid dynasty, since this was one of the only families to have women in it called...
(d. aft. 20 October 1210), whose origins are unknown. Her name indicates that she maybe had a 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...
n origin, probably a member of the Přemyslid dynasty
Premyslid dynasty
The Přemyslids , were a Czech royal dynasty which reigned in Bohemia and Moravia , and partly also in Hungary, Silesia, Austria and Poland.-Legendary rulers:...
. According to the majority of historians, she could be the daughter of Otto III Detleb, Duke of Olomouc
Olomouc
Olomouc is a city in Moravia, in the east of the Czech Republic. The city is located on the Morava river and is the ecclesiastical metropolis and historical capital city of Moravia. Nowadays, it is an administrative centre of the Olomouc Region and sixth largest city in the Czech Republic...
, by his wife Durantia, in turn probably daughter of Grand Prince Mstislav I of Kiev
Mstislav I of Kiev
Mstislav I Vladimirovich the Great was the Grand Prince of Kiev , the eldest son of Vladimir II Monomakh by Gytha of Wessex...
by his second wife Liubava Dmitrievna. There also minority hypotheses that put her as daughter of Sobeslaus I, Duke of Bohemia or Konrad II, Duke of Znojmo, and even as a daughter of her probably brother Vladimir, Duke of Olomouc, son of Otto III Detleb. They had five children:
- Casimir ICasimir I of OpoleCasimir I of Opole was a Duke of Opole-Racibórz from 1211 until his death.He was the eldest child and only son of Mieszko I Tanglefoot, Duke of Opole-Racibórz and High Duke of Poland, and his wife Ludmilla, probably a Přemyslid princess.-Early life:Little is known about his early years of life,...
(b. ca. 1179/80 - d. 13 May 1230). - Ludmilla (d. 24 January aft. 1200).
- Agnes (d. 9 May aft. 1200).
- Euphrosyne (d. 25 May aft. 1200).
- Ryksa (d. aft. 24 September 1239).
Ancestry
See also
- History of Poland (966-1385)
- Dukes of SilesiaDukes of SilesiaThe 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...
- History of SilesiaHistory of SilesiaSilesia has been inhabited from time immemorial by people of multiple ethnic groups. Germanic tribes were first recorded within Silesia in the 1st century. Slavic White Croats arrived in this territory about the 6th century establishing White Croatia. The first known states in Silesia were those of...