Duke of Silesia
In accordance with the last will and testament of Poland's Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth, the territory he governed was upon his death divided into 4-5 hereditary provinces distributed among his sons, and a royal province of Kraków reserved for the eldest, who was to be High Duke of all Poland. This was known as the fragmentation of Poland.
One of these provinces, Silesia, was granted to Bolesław III's eldest son, Władysław II the Exile, and was subsequently divided among his sons Boleslaus I the Long (Wrocław/Lower Silesia), Mieszko I Tanglefoot (Racibórz/Upper Silesia) and Konrad Spindleshanks (Głogów). After Konrads death Głogów was united with the Duchy of Wroclaw/Lower Silesia. In 1241 the Duchy of Lower Silesia was divided into the Duchies of Wrocław, Legnica and Głogów; Upper Silesia was divided into the Duchies of Cieszyn, Opole and Racibórz. In 1340 the Duchy of Racibórz was united with Opava, a Bohemian fief. At the beginning of the 14th century 14 independent Duchies existed in Silesia: Brzeg, Wroclaw, Świdnica, Jawor, Ziębice, Głogów, Ścinawa, Zagan and Oels in Lower Silesia; Koźle, Cieszyn, Bytom, Niemodlin, Opole, Strzelce, Racibórz and Opava in Upper Silesia and the eclessiatical duchy of Nysa. Between 1327 and 1329 most dukes accepted the overlordship of Bohemian king John of Bohemia, who acquired the right of succession for all of these duchies. In the coming centuries all branches of the Silesian Piasts died out, and with the dead of George William, Duke of Liegnitz the dynasty ceased to exist.
Duchy of Silesia
- 1138-1146 Ladislaus I the Exile exiled by his brothers
- 1146-1163 Boleslaus IV the Curly brother of Ladislaus I
- 1163-1177 Boleslaus I the Long, Mieszko I Platonogi and Konrad, sons of Ladislaus I
Duchies of Lower Silesia
- 1177/1195-1201 Boleslaus I the Long (Bolesław I Wysoki)
- 1201-1238 Henry I the Bearded (Henryk I Brodaty)
- 1238-1241 Henry II the Pious (Henryk II Pobożny)
- 1241-1248 Boleslaus II the Bald (Bolesław II Łysy Rogatka)
- 1248-1266 Henry III the White (Henryk III Biały)
- 1248-1270 Władysław of Salzburg
- 1266/1270-1290 Henry IV the Righteous (Henryk IV Prawy (Probus))
- 1270-1273 Přemysl II Ottokar of Bohemia (regent)
- 1290-1296 Henry V the Corpulent (Henryk V Brzuchaty)
- 1296-1311 Bolesłaus III Rozrzutny
- 1296-1301 Bolko I Surowy
- 1301-1302 Henry of Wiebrzno (regent)
- 1302-1305 Wenceslaus II of Bohemia
- 1311-1335 Henry VI the Good (Henryk VI Dobry)
1327/1335 Duchy of Wrocław falls to imperial Bohemia.
Duchy of Bierutów
Duchy of Brzeg
- George II of Brieg of Liegnitz-Brieg-Wohlau 1523-1586
Duchy of Chojnów
Duchy of Głogów
- 1177-1185 Konrad Spindleshanks
- 1251-1274 Konrad I
- 1274-1309 Henry III
- 1309-1318 Henry IV, jointly with his brothers
- 1309-1312 Jan, Duke of Ścinawa
- 1309-1331 Przemko, Duke of Silesia-Glogau
Duchy of Jawor
County of Kłodzko
Duchy of Korzuchów
Duchy of Krosno
[ Jan Kroski, Count of Krosno 1656]
Duchy of Legnica
- George II of Liegnitz-Brieg-Wohlau 1523-1586
- George Rudolph of Liegnitz died 1653
- George William I of Liegnitz Brieg Wohlau, (George IV William of Legnica) (born 1660, duke 1672 - 1675)
- from 1675 a possession of the House of Habsburg
Duchy of Lubin
| Term | Incumbent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Piast Dynasty | ||
| 1396 to 1419/20 | Henry IX of Lubin | partly |
| 1399 to 1400 | Ludwik II of Brzeg | partly |
| 1420 to 1431 | Ruprecht II of Lubin | partly |
| 1420 to 1423 | Wacław of Oława | partly, co-ruler |
| 1420 to 1441 | Ludwik III of Lubin | partly, co-ruler |
| 1441 to 1454 | Margaret of Opole | partly |
| 1441 to 1453 | Jan of Chojnów | partly |
| 1441 to 1452 | Henry X of Chojnów | partly |
| 1346/1354 - Partition of the Duchy: | ||
Duchy of Lwówek
Duchy of Oels
1309-1320/1 — Boleslaw of Olesnica
1309-1366 — Konrad I of Olesnica
1492 Duchy of Oleśnica falls to Bohemia.
Duchy of Oława
Duchy of Ścinawa
- 1274-1289 Przemko, son of Konrad I, Duke of Silesia-Glogau
- 1289-1310 Henry III, Duke of Silesia-Glogau
- 1310-1365 Jan
Duchy of Świdnica
Duchy of Wołów
Duchy of Ziębice
| Term | Incumbent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Piast Dynasty | ||
| 1312 to 1341 | Bolko II of Ziebice | The first Duke of Ziebice from 1322; Vassal of Bohemia from 1336 |
| 1341 to 1358 | Nicholas of Ziebice | |
| 1358 to 1410 | Bolko III of Ziebice | co-ruler |
| 1358 to 1366/85 | Henryk II of Ziebice | co-ruler |
| 1358 to ca. 1360 | Agnes of Lichtenburg | mother, regent |
| 1410 to 1428 | John of Ziębice | co-ruler |
| 1410 to 1420 | Henry II of Ziębice | co-ruler |
| 1428 - Duchy of Ziębice falls to Bohemia | ||
Duchy of Żagań
- 1278-1284 Przemko, Duke of Ścinawa
- 1284-1304 Konrad II Garbaty
- 1304-1310 Henry III, Duke of Silesia-Glogau
- 1403-1439 Jan I
- 1439-1461 Baltazar I
- 1461-1467 Jan II Szalony
- 1467-1472 Baltazar I, again
- 1472 Jan II Szalony, again, sold it to Duke Albert the Bold of Saxony
- 1786-1800 Peter von Biron, also Duke of Courland
- 1800-1839 Wilhelmine von Sagan
- 1839-1845 Pauline von Biron
- 1845-1862 Dorothea von Biron
Duchies of Upper Silesia
Duchy of Opole
- 1177-1195 Boleslaus the Long (Bolesław Wysoki)
- 1195-1201 Jarosław
- 1201-1202 Henry the Bearded (Henryk I Brodaty)
- 1202-1211 Mieszko I Platonogi (Mieszko I Plątonogi)
- 1211-1230 Kasimir I (Kazimierz I)
- 1230-1246 Mieszko II the Fat (Mieszko II Otyły)
- 1246-1281 Ladislaus I (Władysław I)
- 1281-1313 Bolko I (Bolko I)
- 1313-1316 Boleslaus, Bolko II and Albert (Bolesław, Bolko II, Albert)
- 1316-1356 Bolko II (Bolko II)
- 1356-1367 Ladislaus II and Bolko III (Władysław II and Bolko III)
- 1367-1401 Ladislaus II (Władysław)
- 1401-1437 Bolko IV (Bolko IV)
- 1437-1439 Nicholas I and John I (Mikołaj I, Jan I)
- 1439-1476 Nicholas I (Mikołaj I)
- 1476-1497 John II the Good and Nicholas II (Jan II Dobry, Mikołaj II)
- 1497-1532 John II the Good (Jan II Dobry)
- 1532-1543 possession of Brandenburg
- 1543-1549 George Frederic of Brandenburg (Jerzy Fryderyk Brandenburski)
- 1549-1551 Ferdinand of Austria (Ferdynand Austriacki)
- 1551-1556 Isabelle and Sigismund Zapolya (Izabela and Zygmunt Zapolya)
- 1556-1558 George Frederic of Brandenburg (Jerzy Fryderyk Brandenburski)
- from 1558 possession of the Habsburgs of as kings of Bohemia, sometimes governed by dukes from other dynasties
- 1597-1598 Sigismund Bathory (Zygmunt Batory) - nephew of Polish king
- 1622-1625 Gabriel Bethlen (Gabriel Bethlen)
- 1645-1648 Ladislaus IV Vasa (Władysław IV Waza) - king of Poland-Lithuania
- 1648-1655 Charles Ferdinand Vasa (Karol Ferdynand Waza)
- 1655-1666 John II Casimir Vasa (Jan Kazimierz Waza) - king of Poland-Lithuania
- 1666-1742 possession of the House of Habsburg as kings of Bohemia
Duchy of Bielsko
Duchy of Bytom
| Term | Incumbent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Piast Dynasty | ||
| 1177/9 to 1211 | Mieszko I Plątonogi | The first duke of Bytom |
| 1280/1 to 1312 | Casimir of Bytom | The first Ruler of the second Duchy of Bytom, co-ruler from 1303 |
| 1303 to 1328 | Boleslaus of Toszek | co-ruler |
| 1303 to 1352 | Wladislaus of Bytom | co-ruler |
| 1312 to 1316 | Siemowit of Bytom | co-ruler |
| 1312 to ca 1345 | Jerzy of Bytom | co-ruler |
| 1312 to 1328 | Mieszko of Siewierz | co-ruler |
| 1340 to ca 1350 | Siemowit of Bytom | second time, co-ruler |
| 1336 to 1342 | Casimir of Kozielsk | co-ruler |
| 1342 to 1354/5 | Boleslaus of Bytom | co-ruler to ca 1350 |
| 1354/5 to 1357 | Margaret of Moravia | unofficial, disputable |
1354/5 - Partition of the Duchy:
| ||
Duchy of Głogówek
Duchy of Karniów
Duchy of Koźle
Duchy of Namysłów
Duchy of Niemodlin
Eclessiatical Duchy of Nysa
Duchy of Opawa
| Term | Incumbent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pist Dynasty | ||
| 1314/5 to 1321/4 | Wladislaus I of Oswiecim | co-regent |
| 1321/4 to 1372 | Jan I Scholastyk | |
| 1321/4 to 1325 | Eufrozyna of Masovia | co-regent (mother) |
| 1372 to 1375/6 | Jan II of Oświęcim | |
| 1375/6 to 1405 | Jan III of Oświęcim | |
| 1405 to 1406 | Przemyslaw of Oświęcim | Duke of Ścinawa (partly; from 1404), Duke of Toszek (from 1405) |
Duchy of Racibórz
| Term | Incumbent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Piast Dynasty | ||
| 1173 to 1211 | Mieszko I Plątonogi | Duke of Racibórz, Opole and Duke Senior of Poland |
| 1211 to 1230 | Kazimierz I | Duke of Racibórz and Opole |
| 1230 to 1246 | Mieszko II Otyły | Duke of Racibórz and Opole |
| 1246 to 1281 | Władysław I | Duke of Racibórz and Opole |
| 1280 to 1306 | Przemysław of Racibórz | Duke of Cieszyn, Oświęcim and Racibórz |
| 1306 to 1336 | Leszek of Racibórz | Duke of Racibórz |
| 1306 to 1308 | Mieszko I Cieszyński | regent |
| 1336 - The Duchy passed to Dukes of Opava who were from Přemyslid dynasty and were relatives to Dukes of Racibórz. | ||
Duchy of Radziejów
Duchy of Strzelce
Duchy of Teschen (Cieszyn)
Up to 1290 Cieszyn belonged to the Duchy of Racibórz
- 1290-1315 Mieszko
- 1315-1358 Kazimierz I
- 1358-1410 Przemysław I Noszak
- 1410–1431 Bolesław I
- 1431–1442 Eufemia and her sons: Wacław I, Bolesław II, Władysław, and Przemysław II
- 1442–1452 Przemysław II and Bolesław II
- 1452-1477 Przemysław II
- 1477–1528 Kazimierz II
- 1528-1579 Wacław III Adam
- 1579–1617 Adam Wacław
- 1617-1625 Fryderyk Wilhelm
- 1625-1653 Elżbieta Lukrecja
In 1653 the Duchy of Teschen was transferred to the Habsburg domains.
Duchy of Toszek
- Premislav of Tost (1439-1484)
Duchy of Wadowice
Sovereign Duchess Agnieska Zatorska of Wadowice. Born 1477-Died 1505. Married to Jan Kobierzycki of Tworkow and Kobierzyn, with one male heir. They were the last of the Piast Dynasty to rule Wadowice. Despite the sale of Wadowice to the King of Poland; to insure his armorial protection of the region; Wadowice continued to be torn by wars for another 300 years.
Duchy of Wieluń
Duchy of Zator
| Term | Incumbent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Piast Dynasty | ||
| 1433/4 to 1468 | Waclaw I of Zator | Duke of Zator from 1445 |
| 1468 to 1490 | Casimir II of Zator | co-ruler |
| 1468 to 1484/7 | Waclaw II of Zator | co-ruler |
| 1468 to 1494 | Jan V of Zator | co-ruler, Duke of Wadowice from 1493 |
| 1468 to 1493 | Wladislaus of Zator | co-ruler, Duke of Wadowice from 1482 |
| 1493 to 1503 | Agnieszka Zatorska, Married Jan Kobierzycki, Count of Tworkow and Kobierzyn | Sovereign owner of Wadowice per bequest of Duke Wladislaw of Zator |
See also
- List of Polish rulers
- Piast dynasty
- Dukes of Masovia
- Dukes of Greater Poland
- Dukes of Little Poland
- Dukes of Cuiavia
- Dukes of Sieradz-Łęczyca
References
- Neue deutsche Biographie, Berlin 2001, Bd.: 20, p. 403-407
- Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon, Leipzig 1905-1909, Bd.: 17, p. 845-847