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{{underconstruction}}

{{Infobox royalty
{{Infobox royalty
| name = Leszek I the White
| name = Leszek I the White
Line 4: Line 6:
| predecessor = [[Casimir II the Just]]
| predecessor = [[Casimir II the Just]]
| successor = [[Władysław III Spindleshanks]]
| successor = [[Władysław III Spindleshanks]]
| image = Jan Matejko, Leszek Biały.jpg
| image = Leszek_Bialy.jpg
| caption = 19th century portrait by [[Jan Matejko]]
| caption = 19th century portrait by [[Jan Matejko]].
| reign = 1194–1198<br>1199–1202<br>1206–1210<br>1211–1227
| reign = 1194–1198<br>1199–1202<br>1206–1210<br>1211–1227
| coronation =
| coronation =
Line 26: Line 28:
|}}
|}}


'''Leszek I the White''' ({{lang-pl|Leszek Biały}}) (c. 1186–1227), also listed by some sources as '''Leszek II the White''',<ref name=2C>Malcolm Barber, ''The Two Cities'', [http://books.google.com/books?id=-fd59-dhrNQC&pg=RA1-PA368&lpg=RA1-PA368&dq=Leszek+I+the+White&source=web&ots=SjMGZBkjf7&sig=1OHOHsP7hboaSWWBoymandQK6HM&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=9&ct=result p.368]</ref> was Prince of [[Sandomierz]] and [[List of Polish monarchs|High Duke of Poland]] from 1194 until his death, except for the short periods following his deposition as Polish ruler. Both his uncle, Duke [[Mieszko III the Old]], and his cousin, [[Władysław III Spindleshanks]], from the [[Duchy of Greater Poland|Greater Polish]] branch of the royal [[Piast dynasty]] contested Leszek's right to be senior duke during this era.<ref name=2C/> Leszek was crowned in 1202. Other sources give a complicated picture of Leszek's rule, where between 1198 and 1210 there were three points of Leszek's removal from the throne. He is considered in this plan to have been ousted in 1198, restored in 1199, ousted in 1202 and restored again in 1206 and then ousted a third time in 1210 and restored in 1211. The third ousting involved putting Duke [[Mieszko IV Tanglefoot]] of the [[Silesian Piasts]] in as the chief ruler of Poland. {{citation needed|date=January 2014}}
'''Leszek I the White''' ({{lang-pl|Leszek Biały}}); ca. 1185/87<ref>K. Jasiński: ''Rodowód Piastów małopolskich i kujawskich'', Poznań–Wrocław 2001, pp. 23-25. Older historiography, leaded by O. Balzer: ''Genealogia Piastów'', Kraków 2005, pp. 459-460 (1st ed. 1895), stated that he was born between 1186-1187.</ref> – 24 November 1227), also listed by some sources as '''Leszek II the White''',<ref name=2C>Malcolm Barber, ''The Two Cities'', [http://books.google.com/books?id=-fd59-dhrNQC&pg=RA1-PA368&lpg=RA1-PA368&dq=Leszek+I+the+White&source=web&ots=SjMGZBkjf7&sig=1OHOHsP7hboaSWWBoymandQK6HM&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=9&ct=result p.368]</ref> was Prince of [[Sandomierz]] and [[List of Polish monarchs|High Duke of Poland]] during 1194-1198, 1199, 1206-1210 and 1211-1227. During the early stages of his reign his uncle Duke [[Mieszko III the Old]], and cousin [[Władysław III Spindleshanks]], from the [[Duchy of Greater Poland|Greater Polish]] branch of the royal [[Piast dynasty]] contested Leszek's right to be High Duke.<ref name=2C/>

Leszek was the third or fourth<ref>The existence of a third son of Casimir II named Odon is controversial; however, recent historiography believes that it could be a real person. K. Jasiński: ''Rodowód Piastów małopolskich i kujawskich'', Poznań–Wrocław 2001, p. 247.</ref> son of [[Casimir II the Just]] and his wife [[Helen of Znojmo]].


==Life==
==Life==

⚫
Leszek was the eldest surviving son of [[Casimir II the Just]] and his wife [[Helen of Znojmo]]. Still a minor upon his father's death in 1194, he and his younger brother [[Konrad I of Masovia|Konrad]] made claims to the territories of [[Sandomierz]] and [[Duchy of Masovia|Masovia]] ruled by their mother as [[regent]], while Leszek as the first-born son also succeeded his father in the [[Seniorate Province]] at [[Kraków]]. In 1205 Leszek defeated the [[Rus' people|Rus']] army of Prince [[Roman the Great]] at the [[Battle of Zawichost]] in [[Lesser Poland]]. In 1207, Leszek placed Poland under the vasselage of the Pope, at that point [[Innocent III]]. This put Poland clearly in the camp of pro-Papal territories in opposition to the power of the [[Holy Roman Emperor]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=PJA9AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA28&lpg=PA28&dq=Leszek+I+the+White&source=web&ots=0Jv1OntSC0&sig=gK1MnnZbUtCbFoyhaZAcHUAIhew&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result|first1=Oskar |last1=Halecki |first2= Antony |last2=Polonsky |title=A History of Poland |page= 28|publisher=Routledge and Kegan-Paul |isbn=710086474 |isbn=9780710086471}}</ref>
===Struggle for the succession===

When Casimir II died on 5 May 1194, Leszek was only nine or ten-years-old. The regency was exercised by his mother Helen, who counted with the help of Mikołaj Gryfita, voivode of Kraków and Fulko, [[Archbishop of Kraków|Bishop of Kraków]].

However, Leszek's uncle Mieszko III the Old -who previously was ruler of Kraków (during 1173-1177) and was deposed after a national rebellion against him- refused to accept this, and with the help of powerful Lesser Poland families, decided to reconquer Kraków (according to [[Wincenty Kadłubek]], the former High Duke say: ''Poor Kingdom!, a child is the ruler'').

The war began in 1195. On the side of Leszek and his youngest brother [[Konrad I of Masovia|Konrad]] fought the nobility of [[Kraków]], Sandomierz, and probably the Rurikid [[Roman the Great|Roman, Prince of Vladimir-in-Volhynia]]. Mieszko III the Old was able to negociated with his Silesian relatives, [[Mieszko IV Tanglefoot|Mieszko Tanglefoot]], Duke of [[Racibórz]] and his nephew [[Jarosław, Duke of Opole]], who promised to send food to him during the campaign.

An extremely bloody battle took place on 13 September 1195 at Mozgawa (Mozgawą) near [[Jędrzejów]]. In the first phase of the battle (in which the Greater Poland armies -personally commanded by Mieszko III and his son [[Bolesław of Kuyavia|Bolesław]]- faced with the forces of voivode Mikołaj and Prince Roman) was inconclusive and ended with the withdrawal of Mieszko III, distraught after the death of his son during the fight. The supporters of Leszek and Konrad decided not to organized the persecution and returned to Kraków, because the casualties are great and among the injured was Prince Roman. But this wasn't the end of the battle, because soon arrive to the troops of Sandomierz leaded by the voivode Goworek, who attacked the army Silesian army of Mieszko Tanglefoot and Jarosław of Opole, who also arrived late to the battlefield. This second phase of the battle was decisively won by the Silesians, but with the escape of Mieszko III to Greater Poland, his allied decided also for a retreat, taking with him the captured voivode Goworek, who regained his freedom a few months later the payment of a ransom.

The withdrawal of Mieszko III the Old during the Battle of Mozgawą allowed Leszek (or more properly, his regents) to maintain himself in power during the next years. The formal resignation of Leszek over Kraków took place in 1198, when Mieszko III finally regained power over the [[Seniorate Province]] through an agreement with Helen of Znojmo. On behalf of her eldest son, the Dowager Duchess and Regent obtained the recognition of his rights over Lesser Poland and received [[Kujavia]] in exchange (according to historians, Mieszko III and his son Bolesław taken over the government of Kuyavia after the death of [[Leszek, Duke of Masovia|Duke Leszek]] in 1186)

This time (with a short interruption in 1199), Mieszko III managed to remained in control over Kraków until his death on 13 March 1202.

Probably some time earlier (in 1200) Leszek and Konrad, who have reached their majority and began to rule personally, decided to divided their domains. Konrad received Masovia and Kuyavia, while Leszek retained only Sandomierz, probably with the hope to reconquer the Seniorate with the adyacent land of [[Sieradz]]-[[Łęczyca]].

After the death of Mieszko III, the reinstalment of Leszek was proposed. Surprisingly, his former ally Mikołaj Gryfita, fearing the loss of political influence, demanded the dismissal of Leszek closest collaborator, Goworek. The Sandomierz voivode, ready to step down in order to obtain Kraków for his master, agreed, but Leszek, unwilling to discarted him, strongly refused this request. In view of this impasse, Mikołaj Gryfita invited the youngest and only surviving son of Mieszko III, [[Władysław III Spindleshanks]] to be the new ruler of Kraków.

It's unkown how long was the ruler of Władysław III over Kraków. According to some historians, ended a few months after the death of his father, in the autumn of 1202; according to others (and this version seems more likely) until 1206 or even 1210. In any case, after the death of Mikołaj Gryfita, the Kraków nobility invited Leszek to reasume the government, without any conditions.

===Intervention in Kievan Rus'===

⚫
In 1205 Leszek defeated the [[Rus' people|Rus']] army of Prince [[Roman the Great]] at the [[Battle of Zawichost]] in [[Lesser Poland]]. In 1207, Leszek placed Poland under the vasselage of the Pope, at that point [[Innocent III]]. This put Poland clearly in the camp of pro-Papal territories in opposition to the power of the [[Holy Roman Emperor]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=PJA9AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA28&lpg=PA28&dq=Leszek+I+the+White&source=web&ots=0Jv1OntSC0&sig=gK1MnnZbUtCbFoyhaZAcHUAIhew&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result|first1=Oskar |last1=Halecki |first2= Antony |last2=Polonsky |title=A History of Poland |page= 28|publisher=Routledge and Kegan-Paul |isbn=710086474 |isbn=9780710086471}}</ref>


After that Leszek cooperated closely with Archbishop Henry Kietlicz in implementing the reforms of Innocent III.<ref name="Halecki">Halecki and Polonsky. ''Poland''. p. 29</ref> Leszek battled [[Hungary]] over control of [[Halich Rus]] but was not able to extend his rule into that land.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://artyzm.com/matejko/poczet/e_bialy.htm|title=Leszek the White|publisher=artyzm.com}}</ref> Leszek did come to an agreement on eastern expansion with Hungary by which a Hungarian prince would marry one of Leszek's daughters and be set up as a vassal of Hungary with obvious benefits to Poland as well. However, [[Daniel of Galicia]], the son of the late Roman the Great, was able to come to power in Galicia in 1214 and Polish designs in those areas, that were closely connected with attempts to spread Catholicism eastward, were thwarted.<ref name="Halecki"/> In a rather famous anecdote, Leszek once explained to the [[Pope]] that Polish knights could not participate in his [[Crusade]] because there was no [[mead]] or [[beer]] to be had in [[Palestine]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.beer100.com/history/meadhistory.htm|title=Mead History|publisher=beer100.com}}</ref>
After that Leszek cooperated closely with Archbishop Henry Kietlicz in implementing the reforms of Innocent III.<ref name="Halecki">Halecki and Polonsky. ''Poland''. p. 29</ref> Leszek battled [[Hungary]] over control of [[Halich Rus]] but was not able to extend his rule into that land.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://artyzm.com/matejko/poczet/e_bialy.htm|title=Leszek the White|publisher=artyzm.com}}</ref> Leszek did come to an agreement on eastern expansion with Hungary by which a Hungarian prince would marry one of Leszek's daughters and be set up as a vassal of Hungary with obvious benefits to Poland as well. However, [[Daniel of Galicia]], the son of the late Roman the Great, was able to come to power in Galicia in 1214 and Polish designs in those areas, that were closely connected with attempts to spread Catholicism eastward, were thwarted.<ref name="Halecki"/> In a rather famous anecdote, Leszek once explained to the [[Pope]] that Polish knights could not participate in his [[Crusade]] because there was no [[mead]] or [[beer]] to be had in [[Palestine]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.beer100.com/history/meadhistory.htm|title=Mead History|publisher=beer100.com}}</ref>

Revision as of 03:42, 8 February 2015

Leszek I the White
19th century portrait by Jan Matejko.
High Duke of Poland
Reign1194–1198
1199–1202
1206–1210
1211–1227
PredecessorCasimir II the Just
SuccessorWładysław III Spindleshanks
Duke of Sandomierz
Reign1194–1227
PredecessorCasimir II the Just
SuccessorWładysław III Spindleshanks
Duke of Masovia
Reign1194–1200
PredecessorCasimir II the Just
SuccessorKonrad I
Bornc. 1186
Died24 November 1227 (age c. 41)
Gąsawa, Kujawy, Poland
SpouseGrzymisława of Luck
IssueSalomea
Bolesław V the Chaste
Helena (married Vasylko Romanovich of Halych, son of Roman the Great)
HouseHouse of Piast
FatherCasimir II the Just
MotherHelen of Znojmo

Leszek I the White (Polish: Leszek Biały); ca. 1185/87[1] – 24 November 1227), also listed by some sources as Leszek II the White,[2] was Prince of Sandomierz and High Duke of Poland during 1194-1198, 1199, 1206-1210 and 1211-1227. During the early stages of his reign his uncle Duke Mieszko III the Old, and cousin Władysław III Spindleshanks, from the Greater Polish branch of the royal Piast dynasty contested Leszek's right to be High Duke.[2]

Leszek was the third or fourth[3] son of Casimir II the Just and his wife Helen of Znojmo.

Life

Struggle for the succession

When Casimir II died on 5 May 1194, Leszek was only nine or ten-years-old. The regency was exercised by his mother Helen, who counted with the help of Mikołaj Gryfita, voivode of Kraków and Fulko, Bishop of Kraków.

However, Leszek's uncle Mieszko III the Old -who previously was ruler of Kraków (during 1173-1177) and was deposed after a national rebellion against him- refused to accept this, and with the help of powerful Lesser Poland families, decided to reconquer Kraków (according to Wincenty Kadłubek, the former High Duke say: Poor Kingdom!, a child is the ruler).

The war began in 1195. On the side of Leszek and his youngest brother Konrad fought the nobility of Kraków, Sandomierz, and probably the Rurikid Roman, Prince of Vladimir-in-Volhynia. Mieszko III the Old was able to negociated with his Silesian relatives, Mieszko Tanglefoot, Duke of Racibórz and his nephew Jarosław, Duke of Opole, who promised to send food to him during the campaign.

An extremely bloody battle took place on 13 September 1195 at Mozgawa (Mozgawą) near Jędrzejów. In the first phase of the battle (in which the Greater Poland armies -personally commanded by Mieszko III and his son Bolesław- faced with the forces of voivode Mikołaj and Prince Roman) was inconclusive and ended with the withdrawal of Mieszko III, distraught after the death of his son during the fight. The supporters of Leszek and Konrad decided not to organized the persecution and returned to Kraków, because the casualties are great and among the injured was Prince Roman. But this wasn't the end of the battle, because soon arrive to the troops of Sandomierz leaded by the voivode Goworek, who attacked the army Silesian army of Mieszko Tanglefoot and Jarosław of Opole, who also arrived late to the battlefield. This second phase of the battle was decisively won by the Silesians, but with the escape of Mieszko III to Greater Poland, his allied decided also for a retreat, taking with him the captured voivode Goworek, who regained his freedom a few months later the payment of a ransom.

The withdrawal of Mieszko III the Old during the Battle of Mozgawą allowed Leszek (or more properly, his regents) to maintain himself in power during the next years. The formal resignation of Leszek over Kraków took place in 1198, when Mieszko III finally regained power over the Seniorate Province through an agreement with Helen of Znojmo. On behalf of her eldest son, the Dowager Duchess and Regent obtained the recognition of his rights over Lesser Poland and received Kujavia in exchange (according to historians, Mieszko III and his son Bolesław taken over the government of Kuyavia after the death of Duke Leszek in 1186)

This time (with a short interruption in 1199), Mieszko III managed to remained in control over Kraków until his death on 13 March 1202.

Probably some time earlier (in 1200) Leszek and Konrad, who have reached their majority and began to rule personally, decided to divided their domains. Konrad received Masovia and Kuyavia, while Leszek retained only Sandomierz, probably with the hope to reconquer the Seniorate with the adyacent land of Sieradz-Łęczyca.

After the death of Mieszko III, the reinstalment of Leszek was proposed. Surprisingly, his former ally Mikołaj Gryfita, fearing the loss of political influence, demanded the dismissal of Leszek closest collaborator, Goworek. The Sandomierz voivode, ready to step down in order to obtain Kraków for his master, agreed, but Leszek, unwilling to discarted him, strongly refused this request. In view of this impasse, Mikołaj Gryfita invited the youngest and only surviving son of Mieszko III, Władysław III Spindleshanks to be the new ruler of Kraków.

It's unkown how long was the ruler of Władysław III over Kraków. According to some historians, ended a few months after the death of his father, in the autumn of 1202; according to others (and this version seems more likely) until 1206 or even 1210. In any case, after the death of Mikołaj Gryfita, the Kraków nobility invited Leszek to reasume the government, without any conditions.

Intervention in Kievan Rus'

In 1205 Leszek defeated the Rus' army of Prince Roman the Great at the Battle of Zawichost in Lesser Poland. In 1207, Leszek placed Poland under the vasselage of the Pope, at that point Innocent III. This put Poland clearly in the camp of pro-Papal territories in opposition to the power of the Holy Roman Emperor.[4]

After that Leszek cooperated closely with Archbishop Henry Kietlicz in implementing the reforms of Innocent III.[5] Leszek battled Hungary over control of Halich Rus but was not able to extend his rule into that land.[6] Leszek did come to an agreement on eastern expansion with Hungary by which a Hungarian prince would marry one of Leszek's daughters and be set up as a vassal of Hungary with obvious benefits to Poland as well. However, Daniel of Galicia, the son of the late Roman the Great, was able to come to power in Galicia in 1214 and Polish designs in those areas, that were closely connected with attempts to spread Catholicism eastward, were thwarted.[5] In a rather famous anecdote, Leszek once explained to the Pope that Polish knights could not participate in his Crusade because there was no mead or beer to be had in Palestine.[7]

Marriage and children

In 1207, Leszek married Grzymisława of Luck, the daughter of Grand Prince Ingvar of Kiev, the ruler of Lutsk and its vicinity, a part of Galicia.

Their issue was

Assassination

Main article: Crime in Gąsawa

On 24 November 1227, during a diet of the Polish Piast dukes at Gąsawa, he was assassinated, probably on orders from Duke Swietopelk II of Pomerelia. This was the result of Leszek having attempted to force the Pomeranian duke to submit to his authority.[10] Swietopelk upon Leszek's death declared himself independent from Polish vassalship. His son Bolesław V was still a minor upon his father's death and the rule over Poland remained contested between Leszek's brother Konrad and his Greater Polish cousin Władysław III, until in 1232 Duke Henry I the Bearded of Silesia finally prevailed.

Cultural Remembrance

An opera about him Leszek biały was performed in 1809. It had been written by Józef Elsner.[11]

Gallery
  • Leszek Biały (Leszek I, "the White")
    Leszek Biały (Leszek I, "the White")
  • Statue of Leszek in Marcinkowo Górne
    Statue of Leszek in Marcinkowo Górne
  • Leszek Biały (Leszek I, "the White") Statue
    Leszek Biały (Leszek I, "the White") Statue
  • Leszek Biały (Leszek I, "the White") Statue 1227, 1927, 1973
    Leszek Biały (Leszek I, "the White") Statue 1227, 1927, 1973
  • Seal of Leszek Biały (Leszek I, "the White"), Front
    Seal of Leszek Biały (Leszek I, "the White"), Front
  • Seal of Leszek Biały (Leszek I, "the White"), Back
    Seal of Leszek Biały (Leszek I, "the White"), Back

Ancestry

Leszek the White
Born: ~1186 Died: 24 November 1227
Preceded by Duke of Sandomierz
1194–1227 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Duke of Masovia
1194–1200 		Succeeded by
Preceded by High Duke of Poland
1194–1198 		Succeeded by
Preceded by High Duke of Poland
1199–1202 		Succeeded by
Preceded by High Duke of Poland
1206–1210 		Succeeded by
Preceded by High Duke of Poland
1211–1227 		Succeeded by
Family of Leszek the White
16. Casimir I the Restorer
8. Władysław I Herman
17. Maria Dobroniega of Kiev
4. Bolesław III Wrymouth
18. Vratislaus II of Bohemia
9. Judith of Bohemia
19. Adelaide of Hungary
2. Casimir II the Just
20. Poppo, Count of Berg
10. Henry, Count of Berg
21. Sophia
5. Salomea of Berg
22. Diepold II, Count of Cham
11. Adelaide of Mochental
23. Liutgarde of Zähringen
1. Leszek I the White
24. Conrad I, Duke of Bohemia
12. Lutold of Znojmo
25. Wilpirk of Tenling
6. Conrad II of Znojmo
26. Leopold II, Margrave of Austria
13. Ida of Austria
27. Ida of Formbach-Ratelnberg
3. Helen of Znojmo
28. Vukan of Rascia
14. Uroš I of Rascia
7. Maria of Rascia
30. Constantine Diogenes
15. Anna Diogenissa
31. Theodora Komnene

Sources

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Leszek I of Poland.
  1. ^ K. Jasiński: Rodowód Piastów małopolskich i kujawskich, Poznań–Wrocław 2001, pp. 23-25. Older historiography, leaded by O. Balzer: Genealogia Piastów, Kraków 2005, pp. 459-460 (1st ed. 1895), stated that he was born between 1186-1187.
  2. ^ a b Malcolm Barber, The Two Cities, p.368
  3. ^ The existence of a third son of Casimir II named Odon is controversial; however, recent historiography believes that it could be a real person. K. Jasiński: Rodowód Piastów małopolskich i kujawskich, Poznań–Wrocław 2001, p. 247.
  4. ^ Halecki, Oskar; Polonsky, Antony. "A History of Poland". Routledge and Kegan-Paul. p. 28. ISBN 9780710086471.
  5. ^ a b Halecki and Polonsky. Poland. p. 29
  6. ^ "Leszek the White". artyzm.com.
  7. ^ "Mead History". beer100.com.
  8. ^ Coloman of Galicia-Lodomeria profile, thepeerage.com
  9. ^ Template:MLCC
  10. ^ Halecki and Polonsky. Poland. p. 29.
  11. ^ "Leszek bialy (Leszek the White), opera in 2 acts". answers.com.

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