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Jan IV of Oświęcim (Polish: Jan IV oświęcimski; b. 1426/1430 – d. by 21 February 1497), was a Duke Oświęcim during 1434-1456 (until 1445 with his brothers as co-rulers) and Duke of Gliwice from 1465 to 1482.

He was the third son of of Duke Casimir I of Oświęcim by his first wife Anna, daughter of Duke Henry VIII of Żagań.

Life

At the time of his father's death in 1434 Jan IV was still a minor, so was placed under the care of his older brother Wenceslaus I.

In 1441, Wenceslaus I agreed to became a vassal of the King of Poland in exchange for the rights to govern the Duchy of Zator (it would be given to them in 1440 and in 1441 Wacław would officially become a vassal). This step was also followed by Jan IV and his brother Przemysław.

On 19 January 1445 was made the formal division of the Duchy between Casimir I's sons. Despite the fact that he was the youngest brother, Jan IV received Oświęcim, the capital of the Duchy, and the towns of Kęty, Żywiec and half of Gliwice.

Since the beginning of his reign Jan IV joined in adventurous politics with his Silesian cousin. One of his first decisions was not recognized the purchase of Siewierz by the Bishop of Kraków, Zbigniew Oleśnicki. This has led to increased tensions between him and the Polish nobles, even resulting in some border wars (common for that period in medieval Europe). The struggle for Siewierz lasted until 1447, when Jan IV finally accepted the ownership of the Bishop.

In 1448 it seemed that the Jan IV's anti-Polish politics were definitively ended when he signed a a border agreement with Kingdom of Poland: however, soon their relations worsened. In 1452, and for unknown reasons, Duke Przemysław of Toszek attack Siewierz. The Polish troops, under the command of Piotr Szafraniec, used this as an excuse to attack Jan IV, and sieged his castle of Barwałd. The Duke of Oświęcim saved his lands only after the payment of 2,000 fines to Piotr Szafraniec. But Jan IV, after this humiliating conditions, refused to surrendered, and with the plague over the Poland, he looted Polish borderlands, advanced over Lesser Poland and even approached Kraków, the Polish capital itself, on a daring raid.

The reaction of the Polish King wasn't wait too much. In 1453, a large Polish army under the command of the Starost Jan Szczekocki and the Chamberlain Jan Kuropatwa, invaded his Duchy in retribution. Unable to faced the powerful Polish army, was defeated and on 25 January he decided to capitulated. The Polish King give to him two choices: the vassalization or selling of the Duchy.

Despite his defeat, Jan IV doesn't change his conduct and soon after he began the siege of Oświęcim, then under the hands of Jan z Czyżowa. This expedition was unsuccessfully, so Jan IV withdrew to the Wolek Castle, from where he conducted trips to the Lesser Poland area.

Eventually, Jan IV accepted that he lost all chances for victory, and in 1454 he finally agreed to sell his Duchy to the Kingdom of Poland for 20,000 groszes.

Jan IV briefly joined the Prussian Confederation army as a mercenary during the Thirteen Years' War (one of the Polish-Teutonic Wars). However, the Polish king, Casimir IV Jagiellon, delayed full payment of promised amount for the Duchy and he returned to his homeland with mercenaries and allies from Prussia; stirring up resentment. Eventually, in 1458, the Polish king decided to pay him fully to stop the troubles (he would finish the payment in 1462). In 1460, after the death of Bolko V Husyta, Duke of Opole, Jan tried to claim his domain, but was defeated by brother of Bolko, Mikołaj I Opolski. In 1462, with money from the Polish king, he bought Gliwice with its castle from his brother, Przemysław Toszecki, as well as nearby Ujazd from the bishops of Wrocław and he became the duke of Gliwice in 1465.

In 1471, he supported the election of Vladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary to the throne of Bohemia, incurring the wrath and raiding from his contender, Matthias Corvinus of Hungary. In 1475 Matthias captured Jan, forcing him to give up half of his lands and later, vassalizing him. In 1482, Jan sold the rest of his lands in Gliwice; in 1484 he inherited lands after his brother Przemysław—but almost immediately they were confiscated by Matthias, who claimed more dubious rights to them—but backed them with a much larger army.

Married twice, in his last years he retired to his wife's estate in Karniów, Jan is best remembered as the last Duke of Oświęcim and the male representative of his of his line of Silesian Piasts.

References

Template:Pl icon Jan (Janusz) IV Oświęcimski (Gliwicki) (genealogy, heraldics, timeline)

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+'''Jan IV of Oświęcim''' ({{lang-pl|'''Jan IV oświęcimski'''}}; b. 1426/1430 – d. by [[21 February]] [[1497]]), was a Duke [[Oświęcim]] during 1434-1456 (until 1445 with his brothers as co-rulers) and Duke of [[Gliwice]] from 1465 to 1482.
+He was the third son of of Duke [[Casimir I of Oświęcim]] by his first wife Anna, daughter of Duke [[Henry VIII the Sparrow|Henry VIII of Żagań]].
-'''Jan '''(or''' Janusz''')''' IV Oświęcimski''' ('''of Oświęcim''', or ''' Gliwicki''' - '''of Gliwice''') (between 1426 and 1430 – around 1496) was the [[duke of Oświęcim]] from 1445 to 1456 and [[duke of Gliwice]] from 1465 to 1482.
+==Life==
+At the time of his father's death in 1434 Jan IV was still a minor, so was placed under the care of his older brother [[Wenceslaus I of Zator|Wenceslaus I]].
-He was the son of [[Kazimierz I Oświęcimski]] and [[Anna Żagańska]]. When his father died around 1433/1434 he was underage and his lands were governed by his brother, [[Wacław I Zatorski]]. In 1438, Jan, Wacław, and their brother [[Przemysław Toszecki|Przemysł]] agreed to became [[vassal]]s of the [[King of Poland]] in exchange for the rights to govern the [[Duchy of Zator]] (it would be given to them in 1440 and in 1441 Wacław would officially become a vassal).
+In 1441, Wenceslaus I agreed to became a vassal of the [[King of Poland]] in exchange for the rights to govern the [[Duchy of Zator]] (it would be given to them in 1440 and in 1441 Wacław would officially become a vassal). This step was also followed by Jan IV and his brother [[Przemysław of Toszek|Przemysław]].
+On [[19 January]] [[1445]] was made the formal division of the Duchy between Casimir I's sons. Despite the fact that he was the youngest brother, Jan IV received [[Oświęcim]], the capital of the Duchy, and the towns of [[Kęty]], [[Żywiec]] and half of [[Gliwice]].
-On [[January 19]], [[1445]], the territories governed by Wacław were partitioned between the brothers. Jan became the duke of Oświęcim, ruling the [[duchy of Oświęcim]], which included the towns of [[Oświęcim]], [[Kęty]], [[Żywiec]] and half of [[Gliwice]]. Although in 1447 he signed a border agreement with [[Kingdom of Poland (1385–1569)|Kingdom of Poland]], soon their relations worsened, as together with his brothers he opposed the Polish bishop and cardinal [[Zbigniew Cardinal Oleśnicki]] who took control of [[Duchy of Siewierz]]. This has led to increased tensions between him and the Polish nobles, even resulting in some border wars (common for that period in medieval Europe). In 1452, Jan looted Polish borderlands and even approached [[Kraków]], the  Polish capital itself, on a daring raid. In 1453, a large Polish army invaded his Duchy in retribution, and Jan was given a choice—[[vassal]]ization or selling of the Duchy. Defeated, in 1454 he agreed to sell the Duchy to Kingdom of Poland for 20,000 [[grosz]]es.
+Since the beginning of his reign Jan IV joined in adventurous politics with his Silesian cousin. One of his first decisions was not recognized the purchase of [[Siewierz]] by the [[Bishop of Kraków]], [[Zbigniew Oleśnicki]]. This has led to increased tensions between him and the Polish nobles, even resulting in some border wars (common for that period in medieval Europe). The struggle for Siewierz lasted until 1447, when Jan IV finally accepted the ownership of the Bishop.
-Jan briefly joined the [[Prussian Confederation]] army as a [[mercenary]] during the [[Thirteen Years' War]] (one of the [[Polish-Teutonic War]]s). However, the [[Polish king]], [[Casimir IV Jagiellon]], delayed full payment of promised amount for the Duchy and he returned to his homeland with mercenaries and allies from [[Prussia]]; stirring up resentment. Eventually, in 1458, the Polish king decided to pay him fully to stop the troubles (he would finish the payment in 1462). In 1460, after the death of [[Bolko V Husyta]], Duke of Opole, Jan tried to claim his domain, but was defeated by brother of Bolko, [[Mikołaj I Opolski]]. In 1462, with money from the Polish king, he bought [[Gliwice]] with [[castle in Gliwice|its castle]] from his brother, Przemysław Toszecki, as well as nearby [[Ujazd]] from the [[bishop of Wrocław|bishops of Wrocław]] and he became the [[duke of Gliwice]] in 1465.
+In 1448 it seemed that the Jan IV's anti-Polish politics were definitively ended when he signed a a border agreement with [[Kingdom of Poland (1385–1569)|Kingdom of Poland]]: however, soon their relations worsened. In 1452, and for unknown reasons, Duke Przemysław of Toszek attack Siewierz. The Polish troops, under the command of [[Piotr Szafraniec]], used this as an excuse to attack Jan IV, and sieged his castle of [[Barwałd]]. The Duke of Oświęcim saved his lands only after the payment of 2,000 fines to Piotr Szafraniec. But Jan IV, after this humiliating conditions, refused to surrendered, and with the plague over the Poland, he looted Polish borderlands, advanced over [[Lesser Poland]] and even approached [[Kraków]], the Polish capital itself, on a daring raid.
+The reaction of the Polish King wasn't wait too much. In 1453, a large Polish army under the command of the [[Starost]] [[Jan Szczekocki]] and the [[Chamberlain]] [[Jan Kuropatwa]], invaded his Duchy in retribution. Unable to faced the powerful Polish army, was defeated and on [[25 January]] he decided to capitulated. The Polish King give to him two choices: the [[vassal]]ization or selling of the Duchy.
+Despite his defeat, Jan IV doesn't change his conduct and soon after he began the siege of [[Oświęcim]], then under the hands of [[Jan z Czyżowa]]. This expedition was unsuccessfully, so Jan IV withdrew to the [[Wolek Castle]], from where he conducted trips to the Lesser Poland area.
+Eventually, Jan IV accepted that he lost all chances for victory, and in 1454 he finally agreed to sell his Duchy to the Kingdom of Poland for 20,000 [[grosz]]es.
+Jan IV briefly joined the [[Prussian Confederation]] army as a [[mercenary]] during the [[Thirteen Years' War]] (one of the [[Polish-Teutonic War]]s). However, the [[Polish king]], [[Casimir IV Jagiellon]], delayed full payment of promised amount for the Duchy and he returned to his homeland with mercenaries and allies from [[Prussia]]; stirring up resentment. Eventually, in 1458, the Polish king decided to pay him fully to stop the troubles (he would finish the payment in 1462). In 1460, after the death of [[Bolko V Husyta]], Duke of Opole, Jan tried to claim his domain, but was defeated by brother of Bolko, [[Mikołaj I Opolski]]. In 1462, with money from the Polish king, he bought [[Gliwice]] with [[castle in Gliwice|its castle]] from his brother, Przemysław Toszecki, as well as nearby [[Ujazd]] from the [[bishop of Wrocław|bishops of Wrocław]] and he became the [[duke of Gliwice]] in 1465.
 In 1471, he supported the election of [[Vladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary]] to the throne of Bohemia, incurring the wrath and raiding from his contender, [[Matthias Corvinus of Hungary]]. In 1475 Matthias captured Jan, forcing him to give up half of his lands and later, vassalizing him. In 1482, Jan sold the rest of his lands in Gliwice; in 1484 he inherited lands after his brother Przemysław—but almost immediately they were confiscated by Matthias, who claimed more dubious rights to them—but backed them with a much larger army.

Revision as of 00:14, 7 May 2009

Life

References

Further reading