Silesian Piasts - Early History

Early History

History of Silesian Piasts began with the feudal fragmentation of Poland in 1138 following the death of Bolesław III Wrymouth - Duke of Poland. Silesian provice was assigned to Władysław II the Exile his son. In 1145 Władysław attempted to take control of the whole of Poland, but he was defeated by his younger brothers in 1146 and was driven into exile to Altenburg in Thuringia, an imperial palace of emperor Konrad III, his brother-in-law. The Seniorate Province as well as Silesia came under the control of Bolesław IV the Curly (duke of Masovia). In the same year Konrad III attempted to regain power for Władysław, but failed. In 1157 Bolesław IV the Curly was defeated by Konrads successor Frederic Barbarossa, but the "Silesian issue" was not mentioned in the treaty concluded by the rulers, and so Władysław remained in exile. He died in 1159 without returning to Poland.

In 1163 Bolesław IV the Curly was pressed by Frederic Barbarossa to return the hereditary Silesian province to Władysław's sons Bolesław, Konrad and Mieszko. Silesia remained in the Polish seniorate, but the sons had to pay a yearly tribute to Frederic Barbarossa. The senior duke retained control of the most important cities in the region such as Wrocław, Opole, Głogów, Racibórz and Legnica until 1166, when the Silesian dukes took control of these parts. The three sons probably ruled Silesia together until 1172. Afterwards they divided the territory. Bolesław received the area of Wroclaw, Opole and Legnica, Konrad Żagań, Głogów and Krosno and Mieszko the smallest part with Racibórz and Cieszyn. As Konrad prepared himself for a clerical career in Fulda his brother Bolesław administered his possessions until Konrad's early death, when Bolesław incorporated Konrad's part into his own duchy. Mieszko at the same time expanded his duchy with Bytom and Oświęcim, which were given to him by Casimir II, and Opole, which he received after the death of Bolesław. In 1202 Bolesław's son, Henry I, and Mieszko moreover specified to rule out the right of succession among their branches, an arrangement which was largely responsible for the special position of what would become Upper Silesia. In the same year Poland abolished the seniorate and Silesian duchies became independent entities.