Duchy of Greater Poland

Duchy of Greater Poland Książęta wielkopolscy (pl)
Province of Poland
← 1138–1320 →   →
Coat of arms
Greater Poland 1138-1202
Capital	Poznań
Religion	Roman Catholic
Government	Duchy
Historical era	High Middle Ages
- Established	1138
- Acquired Kalisz	1146
- Divided into Poznań,    Gniezno and Kalisz	1177
- Re-united	1279
- Incorporated by the    Polish Crown	1320

The Duchy of Greater Poland was a historical state of Poland, which existed from 1138 until 1320.

History

Fragmentation of Poland in 1138:

  Duchy of Greater Poland of Mieszko III

At the death of Polish duke Boleslaus III the Wrymouth (1138), according to his testament, his country was divided by his will into 4-5 hereditary provinces distributed among his sons, and the royal province of Kraków (Seniorate Province) for the eldest, to be the High duke of the whole Poland.

One of these provinces, Greater Poland was given to the Mieszko III the Old, the third oldest son of Boleslaus, and subsequently divided among his descendants and successors, until they died out in 1296. After a short period of rule by the dukes from various branches of Piast dynasty and the kings of Bohemia, the province fell to Władysław I the Elbow-high (crowned king 1320) and turned into the Poznań Voivodship and Kalisz Voivodship of the united Kingdom of Poland.

Dukes of Greater Poland

In 1177 Mieszko III the Old, also High Duke of Poland from 1173, faced a rebellion instigated by Lesser Polish magnates and led by his younger brother Casimir II the Just, who assumed the title of a High Duke. Mieszko fled to the Pomerania, his lands were seized by Casimir, while the lands of Poznań were ruled by Mieszko's son Odon. With support by the Pomeranian tribes, Mieszko was able to reconquer the lands of Gniezno and Kalisz, which he ceded to his son Mieszko the Younger in 1191. As Mieszko outlived his sons Odon and Mieszko the Younger, the Greater Polish lands were reunited under his rule by 1194 and together with the high ducal title inherited by his youngest son Władysław III Spindleshanks in 1202.

Duchy of Greater Poland
Poznań	Gniezno	Kalisz
1177–1179 Mieszko III the Old 1179–1194 Odon of Poznań, son of Mieszko 1196–1202 Mieszko III the Old 1202–1227 Władysław III Spindleshanks 1227–1234 Władysław Odonic 1234–1238 Henry I the Bearded (Henryk I Brodaty) 1238–1241 Henry II the Pious (Henryk II Pobożny) 1241–1247 Przemysl I (Przemysł I) and Boleslaus the Pious (Bolesław Pobożny) 1247–1257 Przemysl I (Przemysł I) 1257–1277 Boleslaus the Pious (Bolesław Pobożny) 1277–1296 Przemysl II (Przemysł II) 1296–1300 Władysław I the Elbow-high (Władysław Łokietek) 1300–1302 Wenceslaus II of Bohemia (Wacław II Czeski) 1302–1309 Henry III of Glogow (Henryk III Głogowski) 1309–1312 Przemko II of Zagan, Henry IV of Zagan, John of Zagan, Boleslaus of Olesnica, Konrad 1309–1312 Przemko II of Zagan, Henry IV of Zagan, John of Zagan from 1314 Władysław I the Elbow-high (Władysław Łokietek) Turned into the Poznań Voivodship, part of the Greater Poland Province of the united Kingdom of Poland	1177–1181 Casimir II the Just 1182–1202 Mieszko III the Old 1202–1229 Władysław III Spindleshanks 1229–1238 Władysław Odonic 1238–1241 Henry II the Pious (Henryk II Pobożny) 1241–1247 Przemysl I (Przemysł I) and Boleslaus the Pious (Bolesław Pobożny) 1247–1249 Przemysl I (Przemysł I) 1249–1250 Boleslaus the Pious (Bolesław Pobożny) 1250–1253 Przemysl I (Przemysł I) 1253–1279 Boleslaus the Pious (Bolesław Pobożny) 1279–1296 Przemysl II (Przemysł II) 1296–1300 Władysław I the Elbow-high (Władysław Łokietek) 1300–1305 Wenceslaus II of Bohemia (Wacław II Czeski) 1306–1309 Henry III of Glogow (Henryk III Głogowski) 1309–1312 Przemko II of Zagan, Henry IV of Zagan, John of Zagan, Boleslaus of Olesnica, Konrad 1312–1313 Boleslaus of Olesnica and Konrad of Namyslow, 1313–1314 Boleslaus of Olesnica from 1314 Władysław I the Elbow-high (Władysław Łokietek) Together with the Duchy of Kalisz turned into the Kalisz Voivodship, part of the Greater Poland Province of the united Kingdom of Poland	1190–1193 Mieszko the Younger, son of Mieszko the Old 1193–1194 Odon of Poznań, brother 1194–1194 Władysław Odonic 1194–1202 Mieszko III the Old 1202–1207 Władysław III Spindleshanks 1207–1217 Ladislaus Odonic Plwacz (Władysław Odonic Plwacz) 1217–1227 Ladislaus III Laskonogi (Władysław III Laskonogi) 1227–1234 Ladislaus Odonic Plwacz (Władysław Odonic Plwacz) 1234–1238 Henry I the Bearded (Henryk I Brodaty) 1238–1241 Henry II the Pious (Henryk II Pobożny) 1241–1247 Przemysl I (Przemysł I) and Boleslaus the Pious (Bolesław Pobożny) 1247–1249 Boleslaus the Pious (Bolesław Pobożny) 1249–1253 Przemysl I (Przemysł I) 1253–1279 Boleslaus the Pious (Bolesław Pobożny) 1279–1296 Przemysl II (Przemysł II) 1296–1300 Władysław I the Elbow-high (Władysław Łokietek) 1300–1305 Wenceslaus II of Bohemia (Wacław II Czeski) 1306–1309 Henry III of Glogow (Henryk III Głogowski) 1309–1312 Przemko II of Zagan, Henry IV of Zagan, John of Zagan, Boleslaus of Olesnica, Konrad 1312–1313 Boleslaus of Olesnica and Konrad of Namyslow 1313–1314 Konrad of Namyslow from 1314 Władysław I the Elbow-high (Władysław Łokietek) Together with the Duchy of Gniezno turned into the Kalisz Voivodship, part of the Greater Poland Province of the united Kingdom of Poland

Rulers of all Greater Poland

• 1202–1207 Ladislaus III Laskonogi (Władysław III Laskonogi)
• 1229–1234 Ladislaus Odonic Plwacz (Władysław Odonic Plwacz)
• 1238–1241 Henry II the Pious (Henryk II Pobożny)
• 1241–1247 Przemysl I (Przemysł I) and Boleslaus the Pious (Bolesław Pobożny)
• 1250–1253 Przemysl I (Przemysł I)
• 1257–1277 Boleslaus the Pious (Bolesław Pobożny)
• 1279–1296 Przemysl II (Przemysł II)
• 1296–1300 Władysław I the Elbow-high (Władysław Łokietek)
• 1300–1305 Wenceslaus II of Bohemia (Wacław II Czeski)
• 1305–1309 Henry III of Głogów (Henryk III Głogowski)
• 1309–1312 Przemko II of Zagan, Henry IV of Zagan, John of Zagan, Boleslaus of Olesnica, Konrad
• from 1314 Władysław I the Elbow-high (Władysław Łokietek)

Turned into the Greater Poland province of the united Kingdom of Poland, divided into the Poznań Voivodship and Kalisz Voivodship.

Duchy of Ujscie
Temporary duchy created during the struggle of Ladislaus for control of all Greater Poland province, later part of the Duchy of Gniezno.

• 1223–1229 Ladislaus Odonic Plwacz (Władysław Odonic Plwacz)

See also

• List of Polish rulers
• Piast Dynasty
• Dukes of Silesia
• Dukes of Masovia
• Dukes of Little Poland
• Dukes of Cuiavia
• Dukes of Leczyca
• Dukes of Sieradz
• Poznań (city)
• History of Poznań (city)

Further reading

• Zygmunt Boras, Książęta piastowscy Wielkopolski, Wydawnictwo Poznańskie, Poznań 1983, ISBN 83-210-0381-8
• Oskar Balzer, Genealogia Piastów, Kraków 1895
• K. Dworzaczek, Geneaalogia, part 1-2, Warszawa 1959
• Wojciech Górczyk,"Ślady recepcji legend arturiańskich w heraldyce Piastów czerskich i kronikach polskich", Kultura i Historia, Uniwersytet Marii Curie Skłodowskiej w Lublinie,17/2010 ISSN 1642-9826 [1]
• Wojciech Górczyk, "Półksiężyc, orzeł, lew i smok. Uwagi o godłach napieczętnych Piastów" [2]
• Poczet książąt i królów polskich, Warszawa 1978
• Kronika wielkopolska, przeł. Kazimierz Abgarowicz, wstęp i komentarze oprac. Brygida Kürbisówna, PWN, Warszawa 1965, wyd. 2, Kraków 2010, ISBN 97883-242-1275-0