Konrad III Rudy

Konrad III Rudy
Duke of Masovia
Born	1448
Died	28 October 1503 (aged 54–55)
Noble family	House of Piast
Spouse(s)	Anna Radziwiłł
Issue	with Anna Radziwiłł: Janusz III Mazowiecki Stanisław Mazowiecki Anna of Masovia Sophia of Masovia with Dorota from Warsaw: Stanisław Unknown with Anna Łoska: Hieronim
Father	Bolesław IV Warszawski
Mother	Barbara

Konrad III the Red (pl: Konrad III Rudy; 1447/48 – 28 October 1503) was a Polish prince member of the House of Piast in the Masovian branch. He was a Duke of Czersk, Liw, Warsaw, Nur, Łomża, Ciechanów, Różan, Zakroczym and Wyszogród during 1454-1471 jointly with his brothers (under regency until 1462), Duke of Płock, Wizna, Płońsk and Zawkrze during 1462-1471, and after the division of the paternal domains in 1471, sole ruler over Czersk and Liw, over Wyszogród during 1474-1489 and again in 1495, over Zakroczym since 1484, over Nur since 1488 and over Warsaw since 1489.

He was the third son of Bolesław IV of Warsaw and Barbara Olelkovna of Slutsk-Kapy, a Lithuanian princess, (granddaughter of Vladimir Olgerdovich). The premature death of his two older brothers during 1453-1454 left him as the eldest surviving son of his family.

Life

After the death of his father on 10 September 1454, Konrad III and his younger siblings where place under the guardianship of their mother Barbara and Paweł Giżycki, Bishop of Płock. The regency ended in 1462, when Konrad III atained his majority and became in the legal guardian of his younger brothers.

At the beginning of 1462 arrived the news of the deaths of the neighboring Dukes of Płock, Siemowit VI and Władysław II without heirs. Konrad III, as the closest male relative and hoping to reunited the whole Masovian lands, immediately assumed the title of Duke of Płock. Unfortunately, King Casimir IV also put his claims over the lands, under the excuse of being the Polish sovereign they had to reverted to the crown. He soon occupied Belz, Rawa Mazowiecka and Gostynin, who where formally added to the Kingdom; however, the Thirteen Years' War and the fear of an intervention of the Teutonic Knights, united with the dissaproval of the Masovian nobility over the too aggressive politics of the Casimir IV, forced him to accept temporarily the rule of Konrad III over Płock, Płońsk and Zawkrze —although the major support of Konrad III was Princess Catherine of Płock, aunt of the late Dukes, whose energetic attitude played a major part in the conflict.

The formal recognition of Konrad III as Duke of Płock, however, didn't ended his struggle with the Polish Kingdom for this land. In November 1462 the Duke was obliged to presented himself at Piotrków Trybunalski, where he appeared before the royal court led by the Voivode of Kalisz, Stanisław Ostroróg. The verdict of the court could be easily predicted and on 25 November the outraged Duke left the place of the meeting, where was confirmed the incorporation of Rawa Mazowiecka, Gostynin and Belz to the crown, and also stipulated that all the inheritance of of Siemowit VI and Władysław II shared the same fate. For unknown reasons, despite confirmations of a judgment in the following years, Casimir IV didn't exercise his rights over Płock, who remained in the hands of the Piast princes (however, in 1476 Konrad III was forced to accept the annexation by the crown of the town of Sochaczew, who belonged to Anna of Oleśnica, widow of Władysław I, as a part of her Qprawa wdowia).

Not wanting to put in risk his whole inheritance if he losed the royal favor, Konrad III decided to support the crown during his war against the Teutonic Order, sending auxiliary troops in 1464 during the siege of Działdowo.

The majority of his younger brothers forced Konrad III to made a division of their paternal domains on 3 April 1471. As the older brother, he choose first and decided to take Czersj and Liw. This wasn't the final distribution, because in 1474 Konrad III was able to obtain the district of Wyszogród from his brother Casimir III and ten years later (1484) he also took Zakroczym from his other brother Bolesław V.

On 27 April 1488 Bolesław V, Duke of Warsaw and Nur died without issue. According to earlier agreements, Konrad III inherited Warsaw; however, for unknown reasons, the local townspeople refused to accept him, and called his youngest brother Janusz II to be their ruler. One year later, Konrad III made an agreement with Janusz II, and gave to him Wyszogród in exchange of Warsaw, and in this way the whole inheritance of Bolesław V remained in the hands of Konrad III.

Mazovia constant threat from the Jagiellonian dynasty prince tried to limit the contacts with countries hostile to Poland - of the Teutonic Knights, and even Moscow . But to no avail, because when 16 February 1495 Janusz II died and his lease is claimed by the Polish king John Albert , Conrad III remained the same.

However, initially the Prince did not give up and ahead of the Crown forces cast instantly lock in Plock. John Albert, in contrast to his father, but he would not let go and when, in August 1495 Polish troops came to Plock, Conrad III realizing the impossibility to resist, give up the struggle. The successful incorporation of the king of the land of Plock, however, was not enough and ordered in February 1495 report to the prince to Piotrkow, where he was further humiliated by receiving him as hereditary possessions most of the area of this region. Only in the land of Czersk Piastowie have hereditary rule, the rest of the district was after the death of Konrad be incorporated into the crown.

In Piotrkow also limited opportunities Konrad internal policy, because from now on every nobleman province could conflict with the Duke case to refer to the decision of the king. The decision in 1501 r. almost deprived Conrad III of power, when the senate in the kingdom gave judgment authorizing him to receive land in perpetuity wielding for the wrongs inflicted by someone named Radzymińskiemu prince. Only the death of John Albert and the ensuing chaos caused that this idea has not been realized.

Konrad III Rudy died on 28 October 1503 in Osieck and was buried in the collegiate church of St. John in Warsaw.

Marriages and Issue

married to Anna Radziwiłł, they had: Janusz (1503–1526), Stanisław (1500–1524), Anna (1498–1557). By his wife he had another daughter, Sophia who married Stephen VII Báthory.

He had three illegitimate sons:

With Dorota from Warsaw:

• Stanisław
• Unknown

With Anna Łoska:

• Hieronim

References

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