Boleslaus III of Poland

From Freepedia

Boleslaus III the Wrymouth (Polish: Bolesław III Krzywousty; 1085–1138) was duke of Poland from 1102. He was a son of Duke Wladislaus Herman and Judith of Bohemia, daughter of emperor Henry III. Boleslaus III was thus the brother-in-law of emperor Henry IV.

He defeated the Pomeranians at the Battle of Nakło in 1109, and took control of Pomerania between 1119 and 1123, once again regaining Polish access to the Baltic Sea. The government of the local Pomeranians was left in place. He also defeated Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor in 1109, in the Battle of Głogów and Battle of Psie Pole. However, in 1135 he became a vassal of Henry's son Lothair II, Holy Roman Emperor, with Pomerania and Rügen as the fief.

Boleslaus also campaigned in Hungary from 1132 to 1135, but to little effect.

First he married Zbyslava, daughter of Sviatopolk II, grand duke of Kiev. They had one son:

• Wladislaus II the Exile (b. 1105), King of Poland

Second, he married Salome von Berg-Schelklingen, by whom he had 14 children (6 sons + 8 daughters), of which we know 4 sons and 5 daughters:

• Boleslaus IV the Curly (b. 1125)
• Mieszko III the Old (b. 1126)
• Henry of Sandomierz (b. 1127)
• Casimir the Just (b. 1138)
• Rycheza of Poland (b. 12 april 1116), married to Grand Duke Volodar
• Dobronega of Poland (b. 1128), married Markis Dietrich of Niederlausitz
• Gertruda of Poland
• Judith of Poland (b. 1132), married Otto I of Brandenburg
• Agnes of Poland (b. 1137), married Mstislav II of Kiev

Before his death in 1138 he announced his testament (Boleslaus the Wrymouth's testament) dividing his land between four of his sons. The "senioral principle" established in the testament stated that at all times the oldest member of the dynasty was to have supreme power over the rest and also control an indivisible "senioral part": a vast strip of land running N-S through the middle of Poland, with Kraków as the main city. The Senior's prerogatives also included control over Pomerania, which was a fief of the Empire. The principle was quickly broken, at which there began a period of almost 200 years of feudal dissolution in Poland.

See also

• History of Poland (966-1385)

External links

• Map of the feudal dissolution

Monarchs of Poland

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Siemowit • Lestko • Siemomysł • Mieszko I • Boleslaus I the Brave • Mieszko II Lambert • Bezprym • Mieszko II Lambert • Casimir I the Restorer • Boleslaus II the Generous • Wladislaus I Herman • Zbigniew • Boleslaus III the Wrymouth • Wladislaus II the Exile • Boleslaus IV the Curly • Mieszko III the Old • Casimir II the Just • Leszek I the White • Wladislaus III Spindleshanks • Leszek I the White • Mieszko IV Plątonogi • Leszek I the White • Wladislaus III Spindleshanks • Konrad I of Masovia • Henry I the Bearded • Henry II the Pious • Konrad I of Masovia • Boleslaus V the Chaste • Leszek II the Black • Henry IV Probus • Przemysł II • Wenceslaus II • Wenceslaus III • Wladislaus I the Elbow-high • Casimir III the Great • Louis of Hungary • Jadwiga • Wladislaus II Jagiełło • Wladislaus III of Varna • Casimir IV the Jagiellonian • John I Olbracht • Alexander the Jagiellonian • Sigismund I the Old • Sigismund II Augustus • Henry Valois • Stephen Báthory • Sigismund III Vasa • Wladislaus IV Vasa • John II Casimir • Michael Korybut Wiśniowiecki • John III Sobieski • Augustus II the Strong • Stanislaus I Leszczyński • Augustus II the Strong • Stanislaus I Leszczyński • Augustus III • Stanislaus II Augustus Poniatowski