Wartislaw I (Warcisław I) (c. 1092 – August 9, 1135) was the first historical ruler of theDuchy of Pomerania and the founder of theGriffin Dynasty.
Most of the information about him comes from the writings on the life ofOtto of Bamberg. He was ofSlavic origin, most likely born around the turn of the twelfth century.[1] Early in life he was probably a "crypto-Christian", after being baptized while a prisoner of theSaxons, because he wanted to hide his new religion from his still pagan subjects. In 1109 Wartislaw was defeated in theBattle of Nakło byBolesław III Wrymouth, the Duke ofPoland, to whom he became avassal sometime between 1120 and 1123. He agreed to pay tribute to Bolesław, as well as to Christianize Pomerania. To that effect, he, along with Bolesław, backed Otto of Bamberg in his successfulConversion of Pomerania. By 1124 his residence was in (Kammin)Kamień Pomorski.[2]
The last time he is mentioned explicitly in chronicles is bySaxo Grammaticus who describes a joint Polish-Danish expedition against Wartislaw around 1129/1130, which was directed at the islands ofWolin andUznam. TheDanish KingNiels is supposed to have taken him prisoner but released later after the intervention of "King of theObotrites"Canute Lavard.[2]
The author of the chronicles of Otto does not give the name of Wartislaw's wife, only that she was a Christian. Otto also forced Wartislaw to send home his previous 24 wives and concubines before he could marry her. The Pomeranian chroniclerThomas Kantzow, writing almost four hundred years later, states that Wartislaw was married to a Heila fromSaxony. She is supposed to have died in 1128 and the following year the Duke married Ida, the daughter of Niels of Denmark or of Canute Lavard (Kanztow changed his chronicles in subsequent editions in this respect). However, the names and origins of both supposed wives have been questioned by later historians. Edward Rymar argues that if Wartislaw had indeed been married to a German princess then sources such as the life of Otto would have surely mentioned that fact. Rymar hypothesizes instead that Wartislaw's wife was probably from theRuthenianRurik dynasty.[3]
He had two sons and a daughter:Bogusław I, Duke of Pomerania,Casimir I, Duke of Pomerania, and Woizlava, who marriedPribislav of Mecklenburg.
Wartislaw was murdered sometime between 1134 and 1148, and was succeeded by his brotherRatibor I. The site of Wartislaw's death nearStolpe in the modern district ofVorpommern-Greifswald, where he is said to be slain by pagans, is marked by a rock calledWartislawstein with an engraved Christian cross in remembrance of his missionary efforts.
Wartislaw I Born: ~ 1091 Died: 1135 | ||
| Preceded by unknown | Duke of Pomerania 1120s–1135 | Succeeded by |
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