THE PREMYSLID DECLINE: POLAND, 1137-1159
In the 1120’s and 1130’s, the Premyslids were the dominant family in Central Europe. Their ascendance began when Zdik the Just inherited the Kingdom of Poland from his grandmother, Queen Swietoslava Piast the Old in 1113. Ten years later, his father’s cousin, King Borijov the wise of Bohemia was elected Kaiser of the Holy Roman Emperor. The family also included the Dukes of Moravia and Tuscany, a half-dozen counts scattered across central Europe, not to mention various alliances through the marriages of their womanfolk.
When Borijov died in 1137, the succession laws of the Kingdom of Bohemia passed the throne to the eldest male of the Premyslid dynasty, King Zdik. Zdik lost no time in fashioning a new crown for the dual kingdom, and, in honor of his Bohemian heritage, christened it the Kingdom of Bohemia and Poland. But it proved an empty title. The nobles of Bohemia were too fearful of reprisals from the new Kaiser, Gerhard II von Julichgau, to swear allegiance to their new King. The only vassal to go over to Bohemia was Borijov’s grandson, Olrich, the Count of Znojmo and he was soon brought to heel.
Some of the Premyslids in 1148:
When Zdik died, his Kingdoms were divided because of the differing laws of the dual countries. As the eldest Premyslid, the Kingdom of Bohemia passed to Zdik’s uncle Duke Budivoj of Scalovia, while the Kingdom of Poland fell to his eldest son, BoleslawIII.
Furious that neither of his father’s two kingdoms had passed to him, Boleslav’s brother Zdik was not content with the Duchy of Kudavia and laid claim to Poland. He was backed in this endeavour by a strong alliance: his nephew, Count Zwietopolk of Plock, Duke Borivoj of Mazovia, and Boruvoj’s brother-in-law, Duke Boguvil Swidnica of Silesia. Things looked grim for King Boleslav, until in 1148, Zdik’s wife, the Duchess of Volhynia died after a long illness. Possibly believing his father had secretly poisoned his, daughter, or perhaps thinking Boleslawwould prevail in the end and wanting to be on the women’s side, Zdik’s own son, Svatopluk, turned against him after inheriting the Duchy of Volhynia. Meanwhile, taking advantage of the chaos in Poland, Kaiser Gerhard II laid claim to Bohemia and made war on King Budivoj in 1050. The Premyslids were in complete disarray.
Central Poland in 1148:
Bohemia was soon overcome, but the war for control of Poland dragged on for several years. For a time, the King seemed to have the advantage over his brother, but in 1151, he made a disastrous mistake. When his kinsmen Olrich, the Count of Znojmo declared independence from the Holy Roman Empire, Boleslawagreed to support him. While his support was token and he did not suffer too great a loss when the count was forced to surrender, the sense that Poland was a kingdom in grave trouble was noted on the other side of the Baltic.
In 1153, Queen Maria of Norway laid claim to Poland. Norway had long held a beach head in central Europe, from an old crusade against the pagans by Olaf III. But most of Maria’s lands were poor and cold, and she craved the fertile farmlands of the south. Most thought her claim spurious: yes, she was the granddaughter of Swietsolava Piast, from whom King Zdik the Just had inherited his throne, but her mother had been Swietoslava’s daughter. It was absurd to claim the throne through the maternal side, while the male line was still strong, but she had the armies to back her up. By 1159, Maria had backed up her claim to the throne with an army, and the Polish rebels recognized her as Queen. Boleslawrefused to give allegiance, instead remaining as an independent Duke of “lesser” Poland. Though Premyslids still held a number of duchies in central Europe, their preeminence appeared to be a thing of the past.
Norway, 1163:
In the 1120’s and 1130’s, the Premyslids were the dominant family in Central Europe. Their ascendance began when Zdik the Just inherited the Kingdom of Poland from his grandmother, Queen Swietoslava Piast the Old in 1113. Ten years later, his father’s cousin, King Borijov the wise of Bohemia was elected Kaiser of the Holy Roman Emperor. The family also included the Dukes of Moravia and Tuscany, a half-dozen counts scattered across central Europe, not to mention various alliances through the marriages of their womanfolk.
When Borijov died in 1137, the succession laws of the Kingdom of Bohemia passed the throne to the eldest male of the Premyslid dynasty, King Zdik. Zdik lost no time in fashioning a new crown for the dual kingdom, and, in honor of his Bohemian heritage, christened it the Kingdom of Bohemia and Poland. But it proved an empty title. The nobles of Bohemia were too fearful of reprisals from the new Kaiser, Gerhard II von Julichgau, to swear allegiance to their new King. The only vassal to go over to Bohemia was Borijov’s grandson, Olrich, the Count of Znojmo and he was soon brought to heel.
Some of the Premyslids in 1148:
When Zdik died, his Kingdoms were divided because of the differing laws of the dual countries. As the eldest Premyslid, the Kingdom of Bohemia passed to Zdik’s uncle Duke Budivoj of Scalovia, while the Kingdom of Poland fell to his eldest son, BoleslawIII.
Furious that neither of his father’s two kingdoms had passed to him, Boleslav’s brother Zdik was not content with the Duchy of Kudavia and laid claim to Poland. He was backed in this endeavour by a strong alliance: his nephew, Count Zwietopolk of Plock, Duke Borivoj of Mazovia, and Boruvoj’s brother-in-law, Duke Boguvil Swidnica of Silesia. Things looked grim for King Boleslav, until in 1148, Zdik’s wife, the Duchess of Volhynia died after a long illness. Possibly believing his father had secretly poisoned his, daughter, or perhaps thinking Boleslawwould prevail in the end and wanting to be on the women’s side, Zdik’s own son, Svatopluk, turned against him after inheriting the Duchy of Volhynia. Meanwhile, taking advantage of the chaos in Poland, Kaiser Gerhard II laid claim to Bohemia and made war on King Budivoj in 1050. The Premyslids were in complete disarray.
Central Poland in 1148:
Bohemia was soon overcome, but the war for control of Poland dragged on for several years. For a time, the King seemed to have the advantage over his brother, but in 1151, he made a disastrous mistake. When his kinsmen Olrich, the Count of Znojmo declared independence from the Holy Roman Empire, Boleslawagreed to support him. While his support was token and he did not suffer too great a loss when the count was forced to surrender, the sense that Poland was a kingdom in grave trouble was noted on the other side of the Baltic.
In 1153, Queen Maria of Norway laid claim to Poland. Norway had long held a beach head in central Europe, from an old crusade against the pagans by Olaf III. But most of Maria’s lands were poor and cold, and she craved the fertile farmlands of the south. Most thought her claim spurious: yes, she was the granddaughter of Swietsolava Piast, from whom King Zdik the Just had inherited his throne, but her mother had been Swietoslava’s daughter. It was absurd to claim the throne through the maternal side, while the male line was still strong, but she had the armies to back her up. By 1159, Maria had backed up her claim to the throne with an army, and the Polish rebels recognized her as Queen. Boleslawrefused to give allegiance, instead remaining as an independent Duke of “lesser” Poland. Though Premyslids still held a number of duchies in central Europe, their preeminence appeared to be a thing of the past.
Norway, 1163: