Władysław Odonic

Władysław Odonic's seal, dated from 1231.

Władysław (also named Włodzisław) Odonic (nicknamed Plwacz) (Polish: Władysław (Włodzisław) Odonic (Plwacz); b. ca. 1190 - d. 5 June 1239), was a Duke of Kalisz during 1207-1217, Duke of Poznań during 1216-1217, in 1223 ruler over Ujście, from 1225 ruler over Nakło, Duke of all Greater Poland during 1229-1234, and since 1234 until his death ruler over only the north and east of the Warta river (some historians believed that shortly before his death, he lost Ujście and Nakło).

He was the eldest son of Odon, Duke of Kalisz, by his wife Viacheslava, daughter of Yaroslav Vladimirovich "Osmomysl", Prince of Halych. Władysław probably received his name after either his paternal uncle Władysław III Spindleshanks or his ancestor Władysław I Herman.

The nickname "Plwacz" (English: the Spitter) was already given to him in the 13th century chronicles. It's unknown if he was named in that way for a disease who affected his throat or because he had bad manners. Another nickname used in the contemporary sources was "Odonic", a corruption of his patronymic Odowic ("son of Odon"); here is also unknown why the sources persisted in the erroneus form instead to used the correct.

Life

Early Years

Duke Odon of Kalisz died on 20 April 1194. Władysław (then only a four years old child) and his siblings were placed under the care of his paternal uncle Władysław III Spindleshanks (half-brother of Odon), who acted as regent over the south of Greater Poland (Duchy created to Odon by his father in 1182). The Duchy of Kalisz was directly annexed by his grandfather Mieszko III the Old to his domains.

First War against Władysław III Spindleshanks

In 1206 Władysław was declared an adult and began to claim the government of his domains. For him was especially hard to accept the surrender of the Duchy of Kalisz (which the young prince believed to be part of his rightful heritage) by his uncle to Henry I the Bearded, Duke of Wrocław, in exchange of Lubusz.

Unable to reach a favorable agreement with his uncle, Władysław decided to declared the open war against Władysław III Spindleshanks. His attempt to overthrow the High Duke was strongly supported by part of the Greater Poland nobility and the Archbishop of Gniezno Henryk Kietlicz, who also wanted to obtain more independence and benefits for the Church.

Duke of Kalisz

However, despite the efforts of both Władysław and Archbishop Kietlicz (who even launched an anathema against the High Duke), the rebellion was short-lived and unsuccessfully. Both were banished from the country; Władysław took refuge in Wrocław in the court of Henry I the Bearded, who, despite his good relations with Władysław III Spindleshanks, decided to fully supported the rebel prince. One year later, in 1207, Henry I the Bearded gave to Władysław the Duchy of Kalisz, but with the condition that, in case he could recover the south Greater Poland lands, Kalisz returns to Silesia.

Congress of Głogów. Attempt to reconcile with Władysław III Spindleshanks

Despite these gesturesevents, Henry I the Bearded refused to support militarily Władysław, trying to reconcile both princes through diplomatic channels. In 1208 was arranged a meeting in Głogów, where the Duke of Wrocław and the Bishops of Lubusz and Poznań discovered that the resolution of this situation was a difficult task. The meeting ended with a partial success, because Władysław III Spindleshanks managed to reach an agreement with the Archbishop Kietlicz, who could return to Gniezno, and the promise of restitution of all his goods, in exchange for lifting the anathema. However, Władysław was left with nothing.

Close cooperation with the Church

In June 1210, was organizated at Borzykowa a meeting between local Bishops and princes, in order to solve the problematic issue of the Pope Innocent III Bull, who restored the idea of a unificated Seniorate Province. Then, was formed a coalition between Władysław, Leszek I the White (High Duke of Poland since 1206) and Konrad I of Masovia against the politics of Władysław III Spindleshanks and Mieszko I Tanglefoot, Duke of Opole-Racibórz. Also, during the meeting were confirmed the privileges obtained by the Polish church at Łęczyca in 1180, included that of exemption from secular tribunals.

Leszek I the White, wanting to ensure the support of the Church, along with other Piast princes, then gave a Great Privilege, which ensured the integrity of territorial possession of the Bishops (the privilege wasn't signed by Henry I the Bearded and Władysław III Spindleshanks, who later was complied to accept the provisions established there). Mieszko I Tanglefoot wasn't present in Borzykowa; with the support of the Gryfici family, he decided to lead his army and marched against Kraków, where the confusion among the citizens left him in total control over the capital without fighting and became in the new High Duke.

Władysław's policy of full cooperation with the Church resulted in the issue of a Bull by Pope Innocent III on 13 May 1211, in which the Pope declared him under his protection. Also, he actively supported the monastic orders, notably the Cistercians, whose on 29 July 1210 gave lands in the district of Przemęt. On 20 October 1213 was founded a newly Cistercian monastery in Ołobok over Prosna, who was richly furnished by Władysław.

In 1215 Władysław took part in the congress of princes and Bishops in Wolbórz, where the Duke of Kalisz, together with the other Piast rulers (the meeting was also attended by Leszek I the White, Konrad I of Masovia and Casimir I of Opole) agreed to extend the economic and legal benefits for the Church.

Duke of Southern Greater Poland. Conflict with Henry I the Bearded

A year later, Archbishop Kietlicz supported the provisions of the IV Lateran Council, were the papal authority was reforced and the Fifth Crusade was organizated. Also, and with the support of other Polish princes, the Archbishop promoted the surrender of the southern Greater Poland lands to Władysław. Finally, in 1216 Władysław III Spindleshanks gave to his nephew the rule over southern Greater Poland.

However, the receipt of lands near Obra River created a new problem to Władysław. In accordance with the treaty of 1206 between him and Henry I the Bearded, the Duchy of Kalisz had to return to Silesia if Władysław recover his heritage. In addition, the previous excellent relations with the Archbishop Kietlicz also began to deteriorate, and this caused that Władysław managed to get a new protectionist Bull from the Pope (issued on 9 February 1217), this time to protect him against the claims of the local Church hierarchy.

In 1217 the congress in Danków proved to be very dangerous for Władysław, because there his uncle and Leszek I the White signed an agreement for mutual succession, which obviously dissapeared the chances of the younger prince to acquired, by peaceful means, his uncle's inheritance.

Second War against against Władysław III Spindleshanks. Escape from the country

In 1218 he was again ousted from his lands, and escaped to Świętopełk II of Pomerania. With the support of the latter, he began the conquest of Greater Poland, which he completed in 1229. He was behind the murdering of Leszek I the White and the wounding of Henry the Bearded at an assembly of Piast dukes at Gąsawa.

In 1231 Henry attacked him to reinstate Władysław Spindleshanks in Greater Poland, but he was able to push back his forces.

The privileged conceded by Władysław Odonic to the Bishop of Poznań caused a rebellion of the nobility of Poland in 1233. Henry the Bearded took advantage of the situation to gain part of Greater Poland until 1239, year of Władysław Odonic's death. Ujście and Nakło were conquered later by Henry's son, Henry II the Pious.

Władysław Odonic was buried in the Archcathedral Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul, Poznań.

Between (1218-1220) he married Jadwiga of Pomerania, they had four children:

1. Przemysł I of Greater Poland (5 June 1220-4 June 1257), successor of his father, married Elisabeth of Poland, daughter of Henry II the Pious and had issue
2. Boleslaw the Pious (c.1212-14 April 1279) married Jolenta of Poland, had issue
3. Salome of Greater Poland (1225-1271) married Konrad I, Duke of Silesia-Glogau, had issue
4. Euphemia of Greater Poland (d. 15 February aft. 1281), married Władysław Opolski, had issue

See also

• Dukes of Greater Poland
• Piast Dynasty