Otto Bolesławowic
Encyclopedia
Otto Bolesławowic was a Polish prince member of the House of Piast.
He was the third son of Bolesław I the Brave but the second born from his third marriage with Emnilda
, daughter of Dobromir, a Slavic
prince of Lusatia
.
, who probably stood as his godfather. In 1018 he was present in his father's fourth and last marriage with Oda of Meissen
on Cziczani.
After the death of his father in 1025, Otto expected to obtain a part of Bolesław I's heritage, according to the Slavic custom, under which a father should divide his legacy among all his sons. However, because Poland became a Kingdom, the country cannot be divided, and in consequence Otto receive nothing from their father's legacy. The only heir and successor of Bolesław I was Mieszko II Lambert
, his eldest son from his marriage with Emnilda.
With Otto, his half-brother Bezprym
was also disinherited. Bezprym was the older son of Bolesław I by his second wife, the Hungarian princess Judith, who was repudiated shortly after Bezprym was born. Maybe for this he was always been disliked by his father, who determined that Mieszko II was his only heir.
Soon after Mieszko II took the government of Poland, he either expelled or forced to flee his brothers from the country. Otto moved to Germany, probably to Meissen
at the court of his sister Regelinda
. In 1031 the combined attack of the Kievan and German forces led to the downfall of Mieszko II, who had to flee to Bohemia
. The government was taken by Bezprym alone; this probably caused Otto's resentment and his approach to Mieszko II. As a result, in the first half of 1032 Bezprym was murdered probably thanks to a conspiracy organized by his half-brothers.
On 7 July 1032, the Emperor Conrad II in Merseburg
divided Poland between Mieszko II, Otto, and their cousin Dytryk (grandson of Mieszko I and his third wife Oda). It's unknown were was exactly divided the country between them.
Otto died in 1033 of natural causes, or killed by his own vassals. His place of burial is unknown.
He was the third son of Bolesław I the Brave but the second born from his third marriage with Emnilda
Emnilda of Lusatia
Emnilda of Lusatia , was a Slavic princess and by marriage Duchess of Poland. She was a daughter of certain Dobromir, a Slavic leader ruler of Lusatia and Milsko, who was named venerable by Thietmar of Merseburg.- Life :...
, daughter of Dobromir, a Slavic
Slavic peoples
The Slavic people are an Indo-European panethnicity living in Eastern Europe, Southeast Europe, North Asia and Central Asia. The term Slavic represents a broad ethno-linguistic group of people, who speak languages belonging to the Slavic language family and share, to varying degrees, certain...
prince of Lusatia
Lusatia
Lusatia is a historical region in Central Europe. It stretches from the Bóbr and Kwisa rivers in the east to the Elbe valley in the west, today located within the German states of Saxony and Brandenburg as well as in the Lower Silesian and Lubusz voivodeships of western Poland...
.
Life
Otto was the youngest child of his parents; he was named after Emperor Otto IIIOtto III, Holy Roman Emperor
Otto III , a King of Germany, was the fourth ruler of the Saxon or Ottonian dynasty of the Holy Roman Empire. He was elected King in 983 on the death of his father Otto II and was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 996.-Early reign:...
, who probably stood as his godfather. In 1018 he was present in his father's fourth and last marriage with Oda of Meissen
Oda of Meissen
Oda of Meissen , was a German noblewoman member of the Ekkehardiner dynasty and by marriage firstly Duchess and later the first Queen of Poland....
on Cziczani.
After the death of his father in 1025, Otto expected to obtain a part of Bolesław I's heritage, according to the Slavic custom, under which a father should divide his legacy among all his sons. However, because Poland became a Kingdom, the country cannot be divided, and in consequence Otto receive nothing from their father's legacy. The only heir and successor of Bolesław I was Mieszko II Lambert
Mieszko II Lambert
Mieszko II Lambert was King of Poland during 1025–1031, and Duke from 1032 until his death.He was the second son of Bolesław I the Brave, but the eldest born from his third wife Emmilda, daughter of Dobromir, possible ruler of Lusatia. He was probably named after his paternal grandfather, Mieszko I...
, his eldest son from his marriage with Emnilda.
With Otto, his half-brother Bezprym
Bezprym
Bezprym was a Duke of Poland during 1031–1032.He was the eldest son of Bolesław I the Brave, King of Poland, but was deprived of the succession by his father, who around 1001 sent him to Italy, in order to became a monk at one of Saint Romuald's hermitages in Ravenna.Expelled by his half-brother...
was also disinherited. Bezprym was the older son of Bolesław I by his second wife, the Hungarian princess Judith, who was repudiated shortly after Bezprym was born. Maybe for this he was always been disliked by his father, who determined that Mieszko II was his only heir.
Soon after Mieszko II took the government of Poland, he either expelled or forced to flee his brothers from the country. Otto moved to Germany, probably to Meissen
Meissen
Meissen is a town of approximately 30,000 about northwest of Dresden on both banks of the Elbe river in the Free State of Saxony, in eastern Germany. Meissen is the home of Meissen porcelain, the Albrechtsburg castle, the Gothic Meissen Cathedral and the Meissen Frauenkirche...
at the court of his sister Regelinda
Regelinda
Regelinda , was a Polish princess member of the House of Piast and by marriage Margravine of Meissen.She was the third daughter of Bolesław I the Brave but the second born from his third marriage with Emnilda, daughter of Dobromir, a Slavic prince of Lusatia.-Life:By 30 April 1002, she was married...
. In 1031 the combined attack of the Kievan and German forces led to the downfall of Mieszko II, who had to flee 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...
. The government was taken by Bezprym alone; this probably caused Otto's resentment and his approach to Mieszko II. As a result, in the first half of 1032 Bezprym was murdered probably thanks to a conspiracy organized by his half-brothers.
On 7 July 1032, the Emperor Conrad II in Merseburg
Merseburg
Merseburg is a town in the south of the German state of Saxony-Anhalt on the river Saale, approx. 14 km south of Halle . It is the capital of the Saalekreis district. It had a diocese founded by Archbishop Adalbert of Magdeburg....
divided Poland between Mieszko II, Otto, and their cousin Dytryk (grandson of Mieszko I and his third wife Oda). It's unknown were was exactly divided the country between them.
Otto died in 1033 of natural causes, or killed by his own vassals. His place of burial is unknown.