Casimir of Bytom

Casimir of Bytom (Polish: Kazimierz bytomski; b. 1253/57 - d. 10 March 1312), was a Duke of Opole during 1282-1284 (with his brother as co-ruler) and Duke of Bytom from 1284 until his death.

He was the second son of Władysław, Duke of Opole-Racibórz, by his wife Euphemia, daughter of of Władysław Odonic, Duke of Greater Poland.

Life

Little is known about Casimir's first years of life. By 1264 he was knighted by King Ottokar II of Bohemia and with this began his politic activities with his father.

After the death of his father in 1282, Casimir inherited the Duchy of Opole with his brother Bolko I as co-rulers. The common rule between them lasted until 1284, when they decided to made the formal division of their domains: Casimir took the towns of Bytom (the main city and now capital of his Duchy), Koźle, Toszek, Gliwice and Siewierz.

About the independent rule of Casimir, there are little notices. Certainly at the end of the 1280s he and his brothers Mieszko I and Przemysław supported the Bishop of Wrocław, Thomas II Zaremba in his conflict with Henry IV Probus, the powerful Duke of Wrocław —their other brother Bolko I unexpectedly supported Henry IV—. The causes of the bad relations between Władysław Opolski's sons and the Duke of Wrocław possibly started when Henry IV repudiated his wife Constance (sister of the Opole-Racibórz brothers) and send her back home. The reasons for this repudiation are disputed among the historians, but probably was for the suspected Constance's infertility.

Poor relations with Henryk Probusem brought about a much greater evil. 10 January 1289 onwards Kazimierz Bytomski as the first of the princes of Silesia by the Prague paid tribute to Lenny Wacławowi II. Also in relation to the fact that we do not have direct Kazimierza arguments which led him to such a radical step. In any event, the trace of hole made by Prince bytomskiego soon jumped on his brothers (some historians think that this could be the breach of the duchy by the army, and Henry IV Probusa Boleslaw II of Mazovia in the walk of Krakow, see password: Battle of Siewierz).

In subsequent years we see as a faithful ally Kazimierza Wenceslas II in its policy in Poland, although close cooperation with Prague has not shown him any profit (eg can determine the presence of Casimir during trips to the Czech Sieradz in 1292 on whether the coronation in Prague in 1297 onwards).

In 1303 Kazimierz decided to separate out their own sons dorastającym districts, which further contributed to reduce the significance of the already small państewka (Senior Bolesław was the Toszek and younger Władysław Kozle).

After 1306 break occurs according lenne from Czech, as a result of extinction for Wacławie III dynasty Przemyślidów. From that moment we see a change in the foreign policy of Kazimierz, which is more closely associated with the new prince of Cracow Wladyslaw Łokietkiem. This is even expressed through the wedding yet in 1306 daughter of Mary with the king Casimir the Hungarian Charles Robert, which will surely greatly increase the prestige of the Duchy.

In politics we see the internal Casimir Church as a guardian. Especially upodobał the bożogrobców with Miechowa, which has given many privileges. He was also the defense principality building quite considerable size in the castle town of Bytom and surrounding walls. Revenue at its investment-intensive build on the developed silver mines in Bytom.

Kazimierz died 10 March 1312. It is not known where he was buried, you can only assume that this has been at the monastery in rodowym in Czarnowąsach in Opole, generously supported by the Casimir.