Przemysł I | |
|---|---|
| Duke of Greater Poland | |
 Przemysł I'sseal, dated from 1252 | |
| Born | 4 June 1221 Trzebnica,Silesia |
| Died | 4 June 1257 (aged 36) Poznań,Greater Poland |
| Buried | Poznań Cathedral |
| Noble family | Piast dynasty |
| Spouse | Elisabeth of Wrocław |
| Issue | Constance of Greater Poland Euphrosyne of Greater Poland Anna of Greater Poland Euphemia of Greater Poland Przemysł II |
| Father | Władysław Odonic |
| Mother | Jadwiga |
Przemysł I (4 June 1221[1] – 4 June 1257), a member of thePiast dynasty, wasDuke of Greater Poland from 1239 until his death, from 1241 with his brotherBolesław the Pious as co-ruler. He was able to re-acquire large parts of Greater Poland, ruling as Duke ofPoznań andGniezno from 1247 and, upon several inheritance conflicts with his brother, as Duke of Poznań andKalisz from 1249, sole Duke of Greater Poland from 1250, and Duke of Poznań from 1253 until his death.
The numeralprimus ("The First") was given to him in the almost contemporaryWielkopolska Chronicle.
He was the eldest son of the Greater Polish dukeWładysław Odonic by his wifeJadwiga (Jadwiga), who was likely a daughter of theSamboride dukeMestwin I of Pomerania, or a member of the BohemianPřemyslid dynasty (a supposition supported by the name given to her son, the first in thePiast dynasty who bears it),[2] or of the BavarianHouse of Andechs. Duke Władysław Odonic ordered that his son be given a comprehensive education; as attested in theWielkopolska Chronicle, young Przemysł was able to read Latin psalms with ease.[3]
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Przemysł first appears in official documents signed by his father from 1232 onward, and after Władysław Odonic's death on 5 June 1239 he began his own rule, during the time ofFragmentation of Poland (1138 - ca. 1314). Two years later (in 1241), Przemysł approved his younger brother Bolesław as an official co-ruler, though this was merely a formality. In reality Przemysł reigned alone.
The principality inherited from his father was composed of northern Greater Poland, which includedUjście andNakło (although some historians believe that Władysław Odonic lost Ujście and Nakło before his death). Subsequently, he strove to recover the remaining part of Greater Poland. In 1241, after the death of hisSilesian cousin High DukeHenry II the Pious at the 1241Battle of Legnica, Przemysł recovered Poznań and Gniezno, and subsequently managed to conquer also the parts of Greater Poland previously controlled byDukes of Silesia.[4]
In 1242 Przemysł I reconqueredZbąszyń andMiędzyrzecz fromBolesław II the Bald.[5] The presence of Przemysł in Silesia forced the intervention of DukeSwantopolk II of Pomerania, who captured Nakło. However Przemysł quickly took back the control of the district from the Pomeranian ruler.[6]
Despite his success, Przemysł sought to end his disputes with the Silesian Piasts and in 1244 he married Bolesław II's sisterElizabeth,[7] at the monastery in Trzebnica. Contrary to his plans, this marriage did not calm the situation on the Silesian-Greater Poland border, but it did allow Przemysł to recoverKalisz from DukeWładysław of Opole.[8] He failed however in his attempt to recoverWieluń, which was only annexed to Greater Poland in 1249.[9] The actions against the sons of Henry II the Pious were completed in 1247 whenSantok was recovered.[10]
In 1247 Przemysł I was forced by the local knights to give his brother Bolesław the district ofKalisz as a separated Duchy, but in foreign policy he retained full authority over Greater Poland.[11] It was not the final division. A year later, the ruler of Greater Poland crushed the opposition by imprisoning its leaders, the Castellan of Poznań Thomas of Nałęczów and his sons. Przemysł I released them in 1250, when he was involved in the conflict between Bolesław II the Bald and his brotherKonrad (husband of Przemysł I's sisterSalomea). The intervention of the Greater Poland Duke helped Konrad to obtain the district ofGłogów as his own independent Duchy.[12]
In 1249 Przemysł I exchanged again territories with his brother, giving him Gniezno and becoming Duke of Poznań and Kalisz.[13] In 1250, for unknown reasons, Przemysł had Bolesław arrested, becoming in this way the sole ruler of Greater Poland (Poznań, Gniezno and Kalisz).[14] Only atEaster of 1253, after the Church intervention, the brothers were finally reconciled and Bolesław received the Duchy of Kalisz-Gniezno.[15]
During the first half of the 13th century, Przemysł I promoted a more peaceful policy, working closely with his brother-in-law Konrad I of Głogów and giving his sisterEuphemia in marriage to DukeWładysław of Opole.[16] Also, he received the help of his brother Bolesław with troops against DukeCasimir I of Kuyavia for the possession of Ladzka. In 1254 he organized an armed expedition againstHenry III the White, destroying part of theBishopric of Wrocław goods (i.e.Oleśnica), for which Przemysł I wasexcommunicated, and the penalty was only removed after the Greater Poland Duke repaired the damages in the Church states. The next campaign against Henry III was launched in September of the same year, but this time the joint expedition of Przemysł I, his brother Bolesław and Konrad I of Głogów avoided damages of Church goods.[17]
In foreign policy, Duke Przemysł's main concern was the expansionism of theAscanian margraves ofBrandenburg in the west. Although he stopped the advance of Brandenburg troops into his domains (Santok in 1247,Zbąszyń in 1251 andDrezdenko in 1252), the situation remained tense on the western border. To address this problem, between 1254 and 1255 Przemysł I tried to establish warmer relations with the House of Ascania through the betrothal of his eldest daughter Constance withConrad, son of MargraveJohn I (the marriage took place after Przemysł I's death, in 1260). However, this strategy ultimately back-fired politically as the Ascanians used the marriage to claim rights over the western region of Greater Poland as their "New March".
In 1253 Przemysł I chose as his capital the city ofPoznań, situated on the left bank of theWarta River. He also began the building of theRoyal Castle on the hill overlooking the town.
The political line of Przemysł was based on closer cooperation with the Church (especially theBishops of Poznań,Bogufał II andBogufał III) which caused the opposition of the knighthood. In 1244 local knights rebelled against him and tried to abolish the judicial and tax immunity gained by the Bishops from Władysław Odonic. Przemysł initially accepted the request, but in 1252 he reestablished the former privilege, and even expanded them even further.[18]
Despite periodic troubles with his lay subjects, Przemysł I had the support of a large group of trusted advisers, such as the Governor of Poznań Przedpełk Łódź, the castellan of Poznań Boguchwał, the Judge Domarat Grzymalita, and the master of the hunt Pakosław Awdaniec.
On 8 May 1254 Przemysł took part in the national Congress of Piast princes atKraków which convened for the canonization ofSt. Stanislaus. Among the princes who participated were his brother Bolesław, Casimir I of Kuyavia,Siemowit I of Masovia, Władysław of Opole and the host,Bolesław V the Chaste.[19] The establishment of friendly contacts with his relatives proved useful one year later, when DukeMestwin II ofPomerania captured the district ofNakło. After the following war Przemysł was only able to recover Nakło after paying 500 pieces of silver in 1256.[20]
Przemysł I died in Poznań on 4 June 1257[21] and was buried in theWawel Cathedral. The head was displayed in the vault of the Church of Holiest Heart of Jesus and Mother of God of Consolation inPoznań. A painting in the Historical Museum ofPoznań City Hall is believed to be Przemysł I's portrait, but this has been questioned by art historians.
In 1244 Przemysł I married withElisabeth (ca. 1232 – 16 January 1265), daughter ofHenry II the Pious, Duke ofWrocław. They had:
At the time of Przemysł I's death, his wife was five months pregnant with their last child. His brother Bolesław took over the government of all his domains. After his birth, young Przemysł II remained under the tutelage of his uncle until 1273, when he receivedPoznań as his own district. Eventually, Przemysł II inherited the whole ofGreater Poland after his uncle's death in 1279, subsequently becomingKing of Poland in 1295. With his death one year later, the Greater Poland branch of the Piast dynasty, descendants of DukeMieszko III the Old became extinct.
Media related toPrzemysł I of Greater Poland at Wikimedia CommonsPrzemysł I of Greater Poland Born: 1220/1221 Died: 4 June 1257 | ||
| Preceded by | Duke of Greater Poland 1239–1257 | Succeeded by |
| Duke of Gniezno 1239–1249 with Bolesław (1239–1247) | ||
| Preceded by | Duke of Kalisz 1244–1247 with Bolesław | |
| Duke of Wieluń 1249–1253 | ||
| Preceded by | Duke of Poznań 1249–1257 | |
| Duke of Kalisz 1249–1253 | ||
| Duke of Gniezno 1250–1253 | ||
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