Bolko II of Ziębice

Bolko II of Ziębice (Polish: Bolko II Ziębicki; b. 1 February 1300 - d. 11 June 1341), was a Duke of Jawor-Lwówek-Świdnica-Ziębice during 1301-1312 (with his brothers as co-rulers), of Świdnica-Ziębice during 1312-1322 (with his brother as co-ruler), and sole Duke of Ziębice since 1322 until his death.

He was the fourth son of Bolko I the Strict, Duke of Jawor-Lwówek-Świdnica-Ziębice, by his wife Beatrix, daughter of Otto V the Long, Margrave of Brandenburg-Salzwedel. He was named after his oldest brother Bolko, who died just two days after his own birth, on 30 January 1300.

Life

At the time of his father's death in 1301 Bolko II had only almost two-years-old, and therefore he and his siblings was placed under the care of their mother and the guardianship of their maternal uncle Herman, Margrave of Brandenburg-Salzwedel until 1305, when the older brother Bernard asumed the government and the tutelage of his brothers. The fear of the fragmentation of the Duchy were the cause that Bolko II was initially destined to the Church career. This may indicate the fact that was obtained by him the Prebendary of the relevant Wroclaw Chapter. These plans, however, were strong resisted by Bolko II, who in 1322 finally received from his brother Bernard the district of Ziębice as independent Duchy.

In 1322 the Bolko along with his older brother Bernard took part in the expedition against the cross in the interest of the Teutonic Knights against Lithuania.

On the threshold of his reign Ziębickie prince fell in conflict with the church. The reason for the continued financial difficulties were the prince, avoidance of fees świętopietrza, invasions and draining on goods in the monastery and Henrykowie Kamieniec Ząbkowickim. Szala przepełniła bitterness in 1329, when the Prince attacked the people and the papal legate Peter ograbili from Alwerni. In view of the fact that attempts to intervene with the king of the Polish pope, Czech and Silesian princes do not have the result Bolko II was finally coated accursed church by the Bishop of Wrocław Nankiera. Kara Church was removed only after the payment of legatowi respectively klasztorom and high compensation.

In 1335 dominion Bolek II was attacked by the Moravian Margrave Charles Luksemburczyka. This is because duke Ziębickie still refused to pay tribute to lennego from his duchy, which was just increased in 1335, led this way because the shortest route from Prague to the most important city of Wroclaw in Silesia, in the meantime taken over by the Czechs. Karol Luxembourgish ignored ziębickiego Piasta determined, and sent him against the too small force, which has managed to overcome Bolkowie, taking the occasion of 150 major captive knights. Bolko but failed to halt the destruction of the rulers of the Czech principality made by his army. There also was able to take advantage of the fact captivity knights of Czech, which will slow as a very small ransom. This lack of consistency in the operation led to the recognition of Prince ziębickiego by the chronicler of Czarnków by Janko "pomieszanego to mind."

The war in 1335 finally ended with a full victory Piastowicza. Suddenly, however, in June 1336 on a voluntary basis Bolko II ruled that it lennikiem Czech ruler. The reasons for this state of affairs in fact sees the withdrawal of the Silesian Duchy of Poland by King Casimir the Great, which led to the prince Ziębickie lost hope of building an effective power of the Czech. Another important reason was to give life Bolkowie II reign Kłodzko earth. As confirmed by the act lennym treated Bolko II undertook that after the extinction of his descendants duchy Ziębickie goes under the direct rule of King of Bohemia.

Bolko II struggled under continuing financial problems because of their rozrzutności. In 1337, he was forced to pledge Karol Luksemburskiemu Ząbkowic Śląskich, and shortly thereafter in 2300 for an amount of fines and Strzelin arc. Finally free from the liens remained only the capital of the Duchy Ziębice. Despite rozrzutności II Bolko care about the economic development of their estate, which enjoyed a relatively high popularity among city dwellers.

Bolko II was married from 1322 onwards with unknown origin of gūta (deceased in 1342 onwards). From this marriage came the son, later prince Ziębickie Nicholas and Margaret klaryska in Strzelinie.

Prince Ziębickie died in the capital of his duchy 11 June 1341 and was buried in a monastery in Henrykowie, where he kept his tombstone.