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| W Adys Aw Ii The Exile edit the Wikipedia entry |
ODP's article on w adys aw ii the exile h
- This article refers to the 12th century Polish monarch. For the 14th century founder of the Jagiellon dynasty, see Jogaila, and for other monarchs with similar names, see Ladislaus II (disambiguation).
Władysław II the Exile, (Polish: Władysław II Wygnaniec; b. Kraków, Kingdom of Poland, 1105 – d. Altenburg, Holy Roman Empire, 30 May 1159) was a High Duke of Poland and Duke of Silesia from 1138 until 1146.
He was the eldest son of Bolesław III Wrymouth by his first wife Zbyslava, daughter of Sviatopolk II of Kiev.
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Life
Governor of Silesia
As the eldest son, Władysław's father decided to involved him actively in the government of the country. Some historians believed that Boleslaw III give Władysław the district of Silesia before his own death, in order to create an hereditary fief to his eldest descendants.
Around 1125 Władysław married with Agnes, daughter of Leopold III, Margrave of Austria; this union made him closely connected with the Holy Roman Empire and the Kingdom of Germany: Agnes was a granddaughter of Emperor Henry IV and half-sister of King Conrad III. Thanks to Władysław, Silesia was saved during the wars of 1133-1135 with Bohemia: he stopped the destruction of the major areas of his district after the Bohemian forces crossed the Oder River.
In 1137, during the meeting with the Bohemian rulers in Niemcza, in which was decided several disputed matters, Władysław stood as godfather in the baptism of the youngest son of Duke Sobeslaus I, the future Wenceslaus II.
High Duke of Poland
Boleslaw III died on 28 October 1138. In his will, he divided his country between his sons. As the oldest son, the supreme authority in the country was assigned to Władysław with the title of High Duke (Princeps). In addition to Silesia, he received the Seniorate Province (which included Lesser Poland, eastern Greater Poland and western Kuyavia) and the authority over Pomerania. His half-brothers Boleslaw IV and Mieszko III, received the Masovian Province (composed of Masovia with eastern Kuyavia) and the Greater Poland Province (composed of western Greater Poland) respectively, as hereditary fiefs. In addition, Władysław also received Łęczyca (which was granted by Boleslaw III to his widow Salome of Berg in perpetuity as a widow land and reverted to the Seniorate upon her death) and in the future (when he reached the legal age) he was in the obligation to provide another of his half-brothers, Henry, with the district of Sandomierz (but only for life), which was separate from the Seniorate. The youngest of his half-brothers, Casimir wasn't assigned any province; it is speculated that he was born after Bolesław III's death.
At the time of the death of his father, Władysław was already an adult man, with many years of marriage and at least one surviving son (Boleslaw, born in 1127; the date of birth of the second son, Miesko, is still debatable and varies between 1130 and 1146). Follow the examples of Bolesław I the Brave in 992, Mieszko II Lambert in 1032, and his own father in 1106, the High Duke almost immediately tried to restored the unity of the country. Given his life experience and military leadership, it is expected that in the end, he was successful.
The First Conflicts with the Junior Dukes
The disputes of Władysław with his stepmother Salome and his half-brothers began openly in 1141, when the Dowager Duchess, without the knowledge and consent of the High Duke, commenced to divide the Łęczyca province between her sons. Also, she tried to resolve the marriage of her youngest daughter Agnes and with this to find a suitable ally for her sons. The most appropriate candidate for a son-in-law had to be one of the sons of the Grand Prince of Kiev, Vsevolod II Olgovich. After hearing the news about the events in Łęczyca, Władysław decided to made a quick response, as a result of which the Grand Duke of Kiev, not only broke all his pacts with the Junior Dukes, but, also, arranged the betrothal of his daughter Zvenislava with Władysław's eldest son Boleslaw. The wedding took place one year later, in 1142.
His ties with the Kievan Rus' benefited him during 1142-1143, when Władysław decided to fight against the districts of his brothers. Władysław's victory was beyond dispute, being backed by his alliances with Russia, Bohemia and the Holy Roman Empire.
The Włostowic Affair and the Second part of the Fight with his brothers
During Wladyslaw's reign, the voivode Piotr Włostowic had the greatest and decisive impact. A firm follower of Boleslaw III, he soon acquired an enormous political significance in the country, covering the most important court offices. In his prerogative as Voivode he had the right to appoint officials in local authorities across Poland, including in the areas of the Junior Dukes, which made him the person from which decisions were determined the fate of the state. The increased power of Włostowic developed in deep negative relations with Władysław, and especially with his wife Agnes, who considered Włostowic a traitor.
On 27 July 1144 Salome of Berg, Boleslaw III's widow and Włostowic's bitter enemy, died. In accordance with the will of Boleslaw III, her province of Łęczyca reverted to the Senoriate, so, in agreement with the Junior Dukes, Włostowic planned a coop in order to take the contested district, perhaps as emoluments for the younger Henry. Also in this case, Władysław appealed for aid to his Kievan allies. Without waiting the arrival of food he sent his troops against the forces of Boleslaw IV and Miesko III; unexpectedly, Władysław suffered a defeat. It wasn't until the arrival of the Kievans that the fate of the battle and the war turned to Władysław's side. Immediately, a favorable treaty of peace was made, which permitted Władysław to take full control over Łęczyca; however, he had to give to the Kievan -in exchange for his aid- the Polish castle in Wiźnie.
In the meanwhile, more and more worse conflicts between Władysław and Piotr Włostowic continued. The position of the Palatine in the civil war was clearly against the High Duke. This attitude didn't correspond to Wladyslaw's concept of autocracy, and after this episode he thought more and more about the total removal of their brothers from their lands.
By 1145 it seemed that a reconciliation between the High Duke and Włostowic was possible, as evidenced by the fact the invitation to Włostowic's son wedding, made to Władysław by the voivode. At the beginning of the following year the High Duke, however, decided to bet everything on one card: eliminate Włostowic from his way for good. He ordened one of his knights, Dobek, to capture him. Dobek arrived at Włostowic's court in Ołbino, and during the night captured the voivode with his men. Duchess Agnes demanded Włostowic's death, but Władysław decided instead to make an example out of him: he was blinded, muted and sentenced to exile.
Włostowic was respected and had many friends, and his fate caused many people to switch their allegiance to the Junior Dukes. Further, the blinded Włostowic went to Russia, which had so far supported Władysław, and convinced them to break their alliance.
Deposition and Escape to Bohemia
At the beginning of 1146 Władysław finally decided to made the final attack to his half-brothers. Initially, it seemed that victory of the High Duke was only a matter of time, since the he managed to take Masovia without obstacles and forced Boleslaw IV to withdraw to the defense of Poznan. There, unexpectedly, began the disaster to Władysław. The reasons for this must be seen was the insecurity of other districts, where mighty rebellions erupted against Władysław's dictatorial politics. The rebels quickly growing power thanks to the support of the Archbishop of Gniezno, Jakub I ze Żnina, who excommunicated the High Duke -as a punishment for the fate of the voivode Włostowic-, which resulted in an additional series of rebellions. The defeat at the end was thanks not only to the combined forces of Boleslaw IV in Poznan with the troops of the other Junior Dukes, but also by the own Władysław's subjects, who was a total surprise to him. The High Duke was forced to fled abroad; shortly after his wife Agnes and children joined with him, after their unsuccessfully attempts to defend Kraków. The Junior Dukes had a complete success, and Władysław was now under the mercy of his neighbors. Initially, the High Duke and his family stayed in the court of his namesake and ally Vladislaus II in Prague. Władysław never returned to Poland.
Exile in Germany. Unsuccessful expedition of King Conrad III
Soon after his arrival to Bohemia, his brother-in-law King Conrad III of Germany offer to him his hospitality. Władysław shortly after moved to Germany and paid tribute to King Conrad and asked for assistance in regaining the throne.[1] Initially appeared that Władysław regains power over Poland very soon. The expedition against the Junior Dukes for yet launched in 1146, but due to spillages of the Oder River and the pressures on the German king by Albert the Bear and Conrad of Meissen the campaign finally failed.
Władysław of course not lost the hope of changing his fate, but for now he have to accept the postpone his return, particularly when Conrad III made an expedition to the Holy Land. During this time, the former High Duke ruled the Saxon town of Altenburg and his dependencies.
Without waiting for a German aid, Władysław and his wife Agnes went to Rome and asked to the Pope for help, but this attempt was also unsuccessfully.
Death and Legacy
In 1152 King Conrad III died and was succeeded by his nephew Frederick Barbarossa. With this, the hopes of Władysław to return to Poland were reborn. Following the inducements of Władysław and his aunt Agnes, the new Emperor launched a new expedition against Poland in 1157. The campaign was a success but unexpectedly Barbarossa did not restore Władysław to the Polish throne. Bolesław IV was declared the vassal to Frederick Barbarossa and was compelled to pay tribute to him. In compensation, the Emperor forced Bolesław IV to promise the restitution of Silesia to Władysław's sons.[2]
At this time, it appears, Władysław knew that his battle for supremacy in Poland was finally lost. He remained in exile at Altenburg, were he died, two years later.
It wasn't until 1163 that Bolesław IV finally granted the province to Władysław's sons. Subsequently Silesia was divided into as many as 17 separate duchies among his descendants and successors, until the Silesian Piasts died out with George IV William of Legnica in 1675.
Marriage and children
In 1125 Władysław married with Agnes (b. ca. 1108/1113 - d. Altenburg, 24 January 1160/63), daughter of Margrave Leopold III of Austria and Agnes of Germany, who in turn was a daughter of Emperor Henry IV. She was also the half-sister of King Conrad III of Germany.They had five children: [3]
- Bolesław I the Tall (b. 1127 - d. 8 December 1201).
- Mieszko I Tanglefoot (b. ca. 1130 - 16 May 1211).
- Ryksa (b. 1140 - d. 16 June 1185), married firstly in 1152 to Alfonso VII, King of Galicia, Castile and León, secondly in 1162 to Ramon Berenguer II, Count of Provence and thirdly in 1166 with Count Albert of Eberstein.
- Konrad Spindleshanks (b. 1146/57 - d. 17 January 1190).
- Albert (d. young, ca. 1168).
See also
References
- ^ In 1146 Wladislaw accepts imperial souverainty (German)
- ^ SILESIA
- ^ Complete Genealogy of the House of Piast
| Preceded by Bolesław III Wrymouth |
High Duke of Poland 1138–1146 |
Succeeded by Bolesław IV the Curly |
| Preceded by new creation |
Duke of Silesia 1138–1146 |
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