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No sources of contemporary rulers provided information about his nickname. Only in sources related with the [[Teutonic Order]] from 1335 he is nicknamed ''Kynast''.<ref>K. Jasiński: ''Genealogia Piastów wielkopolskich''. Potomstwo Władysława Odonica, [in:] ''Nasi Piastowie'' (Kronika Miasta Poznania, nr 2/95), Poznań 1995, p. 53.</ref> In current historiography he is sometimes nicknamed ''Posthumus'' (pl: ''Pogrobowiec''),<ref>For example Z. Boras: ''Przemysław II. 700-lecie koronacji'', Międzychód 1995, p. 14</ref> but this wasn't universally accepted.
No sources of contemporary rulers provided information about his nickname. Only in sources related with the [[Teutonic Order]] from 1335 he is nicknamed ''Kynast''.<ref>K. Jasiński: ''Genealogia Piastów wielkopolskich''. Potomstwo Władysława Odonica, [in:] ''Nasi Piastowie'' (Kronika Miasta Poznania, nr 2/95), Poznań 1995, p. 53.</ref> In current historiography he is sometimes nicknamed ''Posthumus'' (pl: ''Pogrobowiec''),<ref>For example Z. Boras: ''Przemysław II. 700-lecie koronacji'', Międzychód 1995, p. 14</ref> but this wasn't universally accepted.


Przemysl II was born on 14 October 1257 in [[Poznań]]. Thanks to the Chronicle of Greater Poland is known that he was born in the morning, because according to the text, at a time when Dowager Duchess Elisabeth gave birth to a son, the canons of the city sang morning.<ref>''Kronika wielkopolska'', Warsaw 1965, vol. 119, pp. 260-261: "''In the same year (ie in 1257) was born the son of Przemysl the Good Duke of Greater Poland, in Poznań, on Sunday morning, the feast of the martyr Saint Callixtus ([[Pope Callixtus I]]). And when the canons and vicars of Poznań sang morning prayers at the end of the ninth lesson came and told the news for the birth of a boy. So immediately momentous voice began to sing the Te Deum laudamus - because of the morning the Office, as with joy at the birth of a boy - to praise God that so much grace deigned to comfort the Polish''"</ref> At the news of the birth, the local clergy chanted the ''Te Deum laudamus''.<ref>B. Nowacki: ''Przemysł II, książę wielkopolski, król Polski 1257–1295'', Poznań 1995, p. 43.</ref>
Przemysl II was born on 14 October 1257 in [[Poznań]]. Thanks to the Chronicle of Greater Poland is known that he was born in the morning, because according to the text, at a time when Dowager Duchess Elisabeth gave birth to a son, the canons of the city sang morning.<ref>''Kronika wielkopolska'', Warsaw 1965, vol. 119, pp. 260-261: "''In the same year (ie in 1257) was born the son of Przemysl the Good Duke of Greater Poland, in Poznań, on Sunday morning, the feast of the martyr Saint Callixtus ([[Pope Callixtus I]]). And when the canons and vicars of Poznań sang morning prayers at the end of the ninth lesson came and told the news for the birth of a boy. So immediately momentous voice began to sing the Te Deum laudamus - because of the morning the Office, as with joy at the birth of a boy - to praise God that so much grace deigned to comfort the Polish''".</ref> At the news of the birth, the local clergy chanted the ''Te Deum laudamus''.<ref>B. Nowacki: ''Przemysł II, książę wielkopolski, król Polski 1257–1295'', Poznań 1995, p. 43.</ref>


The prince was born nearly four and a half months after the death of his father, so he was posthumous. Shortly after the birth, he was baptized by the [[List of Bishops of Poznań|Bishop of Poznań]], [[Bogufał III of Czerniejewo]].
The prince was born nearly four and a half months after the death of his father, so he was posthumous. Shortly after the birth, he was baptized by the [[List of Bishops of Poznań|Bishop of Poznań]], [[Bogufał III of Czerniejewo]].

==Under the tutelage of his uncle Bolesław the Pious (1257-1273)==
===Childhood===
At the time of is birth, Przemysł II was the nominal ruler of the Duchy of Poznań. The guardianship of him and the duchy, probably alongside with his mother Elisabeth,<ref>However, it did not encompass the proper Governorship of the Duchy of Poznan, contenting herself with the direct rule over only her ''oprawą wdowią'', the village of [[Modrze]]. T. Jurek: ''Elżbieta'' [in:] ''Piastowie Leksykon Biograficzny'', edited by S. Szczura and K. Ożóga, Kraków 1999, p. 414.</ref> was taken by his uncle Duke [[Bolesław the Pious]] and his wife, the Hungarian princess [[Yolanda of Poland|Jolenta-Helena]]. In consecuence the prince remained at the court in Poznań, where his mother raised him. On 16 January 1265 Dowager Duchess Elisabeth died at her estate in Modrzu, and since then the total care of the orphan Przemysł II and her sisters was held by their uncle and aunt.

About the education given to Przemysł II exist very little information. Diplomatic sources have retained only the names of two of his teachers: Dragomir and Przybysław.<ref>Their names appeared on a document granted by Bolesław the Pious on 8 November 1267. This document is also the first mention of the Przemysł II. See Codex diplomaticus Poloniae, vol. I, nr 52 and A. Swieżawski: ''Przemysł. Król Polski'', Warsaw 2006, pp. 92-93.</ref> It's assumed (although without any direct evidence) that the prince had some knowledge of at least Latin in speech and writing.<ref>Indirect proof may be indicated that these skills were inherited from his father by his father Przemysł I. ''Kronika wielkopolska'', ed. B. Kürbis, translation by K. Abgarowicz, introduction and commentaries by B. Kürbisówna, Warsaw 1965, vol. 118, pp. 257-260.</ref>


Before 1277, he became a duke of Poznań, and after the death of his uncle [[Boleslaw the Pious]] in 1279, he became the [[Dukes of Greater Poland|duke of whole of Greater Poland]]. Przemysł held a secret meeting and according to the [[Treaty of Kępno]] (1282), he was co-ruler with [[Mestwin II]], duke of [[Pomerelia]] or Eastern [[Pomerania]]. In 1283 that meeting place, the later [[Kępno]] received from Przemysł city rights under the name of ''Langenfort/vort''. In 1294 Przemysł became the successor at [[Gdańsk]]. In 1287 this alliance had been extended to duke [[Boguslaw IV of Pomerania|Boguslaw IV]] of [[Western Pomerania]].
Before 1277, he became a duke of Poznań, and after the death of his uncle [[Boleslaw the Pious]] in 1279, he became the [[Dukes of Greater Poland|duke of whole of Greater Poland]]. Przemysł held a secret meeting and according to the [[Treaty of Kępno]] (1282), he was co-ruler with [[Mestwin II]], duke of [[Pomerelia]] or Eastern [[Pomerania]]. In 1283 that meeting place, the later [[Kępno]] received from Przemysł city rights under the name of ''Langenfort/vort''. In 1294 Przemysł became the successor at [[Gdańsk]]. In 1287 this alliance had been extended to duke [[Boguslaw IV of Pomerania|Boguslaw IV]] of [[Western Pomerania]].

Revision as of 21:32, 21 June 2014

Przemysł II
19th century portrait by Jan Matejko.
High Duke of Poland
Tenure1290–1291
PredecessorHenry IV Probus
SuccessorWenceslaus II of Bohemia
King of Poland
Tenure1295–1296
Coronation26 June 1295 at Gniezno Cathedral
PredecessorBolesław II the Bold
SuccessorWenceslaus II of Bohemia
Duke of Greater Poland
Tenure1279–1296
PredecessorBolesław the Pious
SuccessorWładysław I the Elbow-high
Born(1257-10-14)14 October 1257
Poznań, Kingdom of Poland
Died8 February 1296(1296-02-08) (aged 38)
Rogoźno, Kingdom of Poland
Burial
at Archcathedral Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul, Poznań
SpouseLudgarda of Mecklenburg
Ryksa of Sweden
Margaret of Brandenburg
IssueRyksa Elisabeth
HousePiast dynasty
FatherPrzemysł I of Greater Poland
MotherElisabeth of Wrocław

Przemysł II (also given in English and Latin as Premyslas or Premislaus, Polish: Przemysł or less properly Przemysław) (14 October 1257 – 8 February 1296), was the Duke of Poznań during 1257-1279, of Greater Poland during 1279-1296, of Kraków during 1290-1291 and Pomerania during 1294-1296, and then King of Poland from 1295 until his death. After a long period of polish High Dukes, and two nominal kings, he was the first to obtain the hereditary title of King, and for Poland the rank of Kingdom.

Member of the Greater Poland branch of the House of Piast as the only son of Duke Przemysł I and the Silesian princess Elisabeth, he was born posthumously; for this reason he was brought up at the court of his uncle Bolesław the Pious and received her own district to rule, the Duchy of Poznań, only in 1273. Six years later, after the death of his uncle, he also took the Duchy of Kalisz.

In the first period of his government, Przemysł II was involved only the regional affairs, firstly in close colaboration and then competing with the Duke of Wrocław, Henryk IV Probus. This policy caused the rebellion of the prominent family Zaremba and the temporary loss of Wieluń.

Working with the Archbishop of Gniezno, Jakub Świnka, he sought the unification of the principalities of the Piast dynasty. Unexpectedly, in 1290, under the will of Henryk IV Probus, he managed to obtain the Duchy of Wrocław; however, not having sufficient support from the local nobility (who supported other member of the Piast dynasty, Władysław I the Elbow-high) and faced with the increasing threats of King Wenceslaus II of Bohemia, Przemysł II finally decided to step down from Lesser Poland, which was then under the rule of Přemyslid dynasty.

In 1293, thanks to the mediation of Archbishop Jakub Świnka, he joined into a close alliance with the Kuyavia princes: Elbow-high and Casimir II of Łęczyca. This alliance was anti-Czech, and his goal was to recover Krakow, then at the hands of King Wenceslaus II.

After the death of Duke Mestwin II in 1294, and according to the Treaty of Kępno signed in 1282, Przemysł II inherited Pomerania. This strengthened his position and allowed his coronation as King of Poland. The ceremony was held on 26 June 1295 in Gniezno, and was performed by his ally Archbishop Jakub Świnka.

Only nine months later, on 8 February 1296, Przemysł II was murdered during a failed kidnapping attempt made by men of the electors of Brandenburg, with some help from the Polish noble families of Nałęcz and Zaremba.

Birth, name and nickname

Przemysł II was the fifth child and only son of Duke Przemysł I of Greater Poland and his wife Elisabeth, daughter of Duke Henry II the Pious of Silesia.

According to the Chronicle of Greater Poland (pl: Kronika wielkopolska),[1] Przemysl II was named after his father, who had died five months before his birth, on 4 June 1257. Form the name of the ruler of Greater Poland in the days of his contemporaries certainly sounded Przemysł (possibly Przemyśl), who could substantially the same as "clever" or "intelligent". However, due to the fact that the word "Przemysł" (en: Industry) means production of a good or service within an economy now, it's reasonable to be considered that his name could be a valid form from Przemysław, especially as this version is undoubtedly more medieval (occurs at the beginning of the 14th century).[2] Another name under which the Duke of Greater Poland was probably known, following the indications of the Roczniku kołbackim,[3] is Peter (pl: Piotr), but Oswald Balzer considered this an obvious mistake.[4] The only one who recognized the name Peter as authentic was K. Górski.[5]

No sources of contemporary rulers provided information about his nickname. Only in sources related with the Teutonic Order from 1335 he is nicknamed Kynast.[6] In current historiography he is sometimes nicknamed Posthumus (pl: Pogrobowiec),[7] but this wasn't universally accepted.

Przemysl II was born on 14 October 1257 in Poznań. Thanks to the Chronicle of Greater Poland is known that he was born in the morning, because according to the text, at a time when Dowager Duchess Elisabeth gave birth to a son, the canons of the city sang morning.[8] At the news of the birth, the local clergy chanted the Te Deum laudamus.[9]

The prince was born nearly four and a half months after the death of his father, so he was posthumous. Shortly after the birth, he was baptized by the Bishop of Poznań, Bogufał III of Czerniejewo.

Under the tutelage of his uncle Bolesław the Pious (1257-1273)

Childhood

At the time of is birth, Przemysł II was the nominal ruler of the Duchy of Poznań. The guardianship of him and the duchy, probably alongside with his mother Elisabeth,[10] was taken by his uncle Duke Bolesław the Pious and his wife, the Hungarian princess Jolenta-Helena. In consecuence the prince remained at the court in Poznań, where his mother raised him. On 16 January 1265 Dowager Duchess Elisabeth died at her estate in Modrzu, and since then the total care of the orphan Przemysł II and her sisters was held by their uncle and aunt.

About the education given to Przemysł II exist very little information. Diplomatic sources have retained only the names of two of his teachers: Dragomir and Przybysław.[11] It's assumed (although without any direct evidence) that the prince had some knowledge of at least Latin in speech and writing.[12]

Before 1277, he became a duke of Poznań, and after the death of his uncle Boleslaw the Pious in 1279, he became the duke of whole of Greater Poland. Przemysł held a secret meeting and according to the Treaty of Kępno (1282), he was co-ruler with Mestwin II, duke of Pomerelia or Eastern Pomerania. In 1283 that meeting place, the later Kępno received from Przemysł city rights under the name of Langenfort/vort. In 1294 Przemysł became the successor at Gdańsk. In 1287 this alliance had been extended to duke Boguslaw IV of Western Pomerania.

According to the last will of Henry IV Probus, duke of Silesia and high-duke of Poland, he inherited in 1290 the provinces of Kraków and Sandomierz (both were called Lesser Poland), but soon ceded them to Wenceslaus II, King of Bohemia. As he was the strongest Polish duke of the time, possessed the royal insignia from Kraków, and had support of the clergy for the unification of Poland, he was crowned king of Poland in 1295 by the archbishop of Gniezno, Jakub Świnka, and five other bishops.

In 1296, he was kidnapped by men of the electors of Brandenburg, with some help from the Polish noble families of Nałęcz and Zaremba, and murdered on 8 February in Rogoźno by Jakub Kaszuba.[13] His kingship was short but the revived kingdom survived for the next 500 years.

According to medieval chronicles, he murdered his first wife Ludgarda because she could not bear him children. Ludgarda foresaw his intentions, and beseeched him to spare her life and send her away. He declined and is said to have had her strangled.

Marriages

  1. 1273 Ludgarda, daughter of Henry I the Pilgrim, Duke of Mecklenburg; no children
  2. 1285 Rikissa, daughter of King Valdemar of Sweden; one daughter: Ryksa Elizabeth (1286–1335), married King Wenceslaus II of Bohemia in 1300, secondly King Rudolph I of Bohemia in 1306
  3. 1293 Margaret of Brandenburg, daughter of Albert II, Margrave of Brandenburg; no children

Gallery

  • The Death of King Przemysł II in Rogoźno by Jan Matejko.
    The Death of King Przemysł II in Rogoźno by Jan Matejko.
  • Assassination of King Przemysł II of Poland
    Assassination of King Przemysł II of Poland
  • Przemysł II seal 'Premisl II Dei Gracia Regis Poloniae Domini Pomeraniae[14]
    Przemysł II seal
    'Premisl II Dei Gracia Regis Poloniae Domini Pomeraniae[14]
  • Przemysł II by Aleksander Lesser
    Przemysł II by Aleksander Lesser

Realm of power

Ancestors

Odon of Poznań
Władysław Odonic
Viacheslava Yaroslavna of Halych
Przemysł I
Mściwój I of Gdańsk
Jadwiga of Pomerania
Zwinisława
Przemysł II
Henry I the Bearded
Henry II the Pious
Hedwig of Andechs
Elisabeth of Wrocław
Ottokar I of Bohemia
Anna of Bohemia
Constance of Hungary

References

  1. ^ Kronika wielkopolska, Warsaw 1965, vol. 119, pp. 260-261.
  2. ^ Especially if is compared with the analogous case of the name Wladyslaw, who in earlier sources is in the form Wlodzislaw, possibly Włodko. See K. Jasinski: Genealogia Piastów wielkopolskich. Potomstwo Władysława Odonica, [in:] Nasi Piastowie (Kronika Miasta Poznania, nr 2/95), Poznań 1995, pp. 39-40.
  3. ^ Rocznik Kołbacki: MGH SS, vol. XIX, p. 716.
  4. ^ O. Balzer: Genealogia Piastów, Kraków 1895, pp. 243-250
  5. ^ K. Górski: Śmierć Przemysła II, Roczniki Historyczne, vol. V, Poznań 1929, p. 198.
  6. ^ K. Jasiński: Genealogia Piastów wielkopolskich. Potomstwo Władysława Odonica, [in:] Nasi Piastowie (Kronika Miasta Poznania, nr 2/95), Poznań 1995, p. 53.
  7. ^ For example Z. Boras: Przemysław II. 700-lecie koronacji, Międzychód 1995, p. 14
  8. ^ Kronika wielkopolska, Warsaw 1965, vol. 119, pp. 260-261: "In the same year (ie in 1257) was born the son of Przemysl the Good Duke of Greater Poland, in Poznań, on Sunday morning, the feast of the martyr Saint Callixtus (Pope Callixtus I). And when the canons and vicars of Poznań sang morning prayers at the end of the ninth lesson came and told the news for the birth of a boy. So immediately momentous voice began to sing the Te Deum laudamus - because of the morning the Office, as with joy at the birth of a boy - to praise God that so much grace deigned to comfort the Polish".
  9. ^ B. Nowacki: Przemysł II, książę wielkopolski, król Polski 1257–1295, Poznań 1995, p. 43.
  10. ^ However, it did not encompass the proper Governorship of the Duchy of Poznan, contenting herself with the direct rule over only her oprawą wdowią, the village of Modrze. T. Jurek: Elżbieta [in:] Piastowie Leksykon Biograficzny, edited by S. Szczura and K. Ożóga, Kraków 1999, p. 414.
  11. ^ Their names appeared on a document granted by Bolesław the Pious on 8 November 1267. This document is also the first mention of the Przemysł II. See Codex diplomaticus Poloniae, vol. I, nr 52 and A. Swieżawski: Przemysł. Król Polski, Warsaw 2006, pp. 92-93.
  12. ^ Indirect proof may be indicated that these skills were inherited from his father by his father Przemysł I. Kronika wielkopolska, ed. B. Kürbis, translation by K. Abgarowicz, introduction and commentaries by B. Kürbisówna, Warsaw 1965, vol. 118, pp. 257-260.
  13. ^ Milliman, Paul (2013). ‘The Slippery Memory of Men’: The Place of Pomerania in the Medieval Kingdom of Poland. Brill. p. 105.
  14. ^ poczet.com, Przemysł II (Pogrobowiec)

Further reading

  • Nowacki, B. Przemysł II.
  • Boras, Z. Poczet piastów wielkopolskich.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Przemysł II of Poland.
Przemysł II
Born: 14 October 1257 Died: 8 February 1296
Regnal titles
Preceded by Duke of Greater Poland
1273–1296 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Duke of Kraków and King of Poland
1290–1291
1295–1296 		Succeeded by

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