Bolesław V the Chaste

Bolesław V the Chaste
19th century portrait by Jan Matejko.
High Duke of Poland
Reign	1243–1279
Predecessor	Konrad I (of Masovia)
Successor	Leszek II ("the Black")
Duke of Sandomierz
Reign	1232–1279
Predecessor	Boleslaus I of Masovia
Successor	Leszek II the Black
Born	21 June 1226 Stary Korczyn
Died	7 December 1279 Kraków
Burial	Church of St. Francis of Assisi, Kraków
Spouse	Kinga of Hungary
House	House of Piast
Father	Leszek I ("the White")
Mother	Grzymisława

Bolesław V the Chaste (Polish: Bolesław Wstydliwy; 21 June 1226 – 7 December 1279), was a Duke of Sandomierz in Lesser Poland from 1232 and High Duke of Poland from 1243 until his death, as the last male representant of the Piast Lesser Poland branch.

Life

Birth and nickname

Bolesław V was born on 21 June 1226 at Stary Korczyn, as the third child and only son of Leszek I the White by his wife Grzymisława, a Rurikid princess of disputed parentage.

Named after his great-grandfather Bolesław III Wrymouth, the V numeral was assigned to him in the Poczcie królów Polskich. His nickname "Chaste" (Latin: Pudicus), appeared relatively early and was already mentioned in the Roczniku franciszkańskim krakowskim. It was given to him by his subjects because of the vows of chastituy that Bolesław V and his wife Kinga of Hungary jointly taken; for this reason, their marriage was never consummated. The marital chastity and lack of mistresses by the Prince resulted from his exceptional devotion and mortification, and was evidently influenced by his closest female relatives.

Childhood

Death of Leszek I. Adoption by Władysław III Spindleshanks

On 24 November 1227, during the Congress of Gąsawa, Bolesław V's father Leszek I the White was killed. Like his own father and grandfather before him, he was orphaned at young age. After Leszek I's death many people wanted the custody of his only son. The nobility of Kraków wanted that the regency must be exercised by the Dowager Duchess Grzymisława, jointly with the local voivode and Bishop; however, this was contrary with the treaty of mutual inheritance signed in 1217 between Leszek and Władysław III Spindleshanks, under which was agreed that in the event of the death of one of them, the other will be took the government of his domains and custody of his minor children.

On 6 December 1227 Casimir I of Kuyavia -who probably represented his father at the funeral of Leszek I-, advanced his claims over the custody of Bolesław V and his inheritance as his closest male relative. Due to the lack of response, in the first half of March 1228 Konrad I of Masovia came to Skaryszew to negociate with Grzymisława and the local nobility to assuming the guardianship of his nephew during his minority. The nobility, especially the Gryfici among them, preferred the rule of Władysław III Spindleshanks, but at that point he was in the middle of his fight against his nephew Władysław Odonic and was unable to claim his rights. Konrad I then appeared in the northern part of Kraków, but at side were only the Topór and Sztarza families, and for this his attempt to take the Seniorate failed. According to Kazimierz Krotowski, the absence from Lesser Poland was the cause of the Prussian invasion to Masovia. On 5 May 1228 was organizated at Cienia a meeting between Władysław III Spindleshanks and a delegation of Kraków nobles, who included Bishop Iwo Odrowąż, voivode Marek Gryfita, Pakosław Awdaniec the Old, voivode of Sandomierz and Mściwój, castellan of Wiślica. Under the terms of the meeting, Władysław III agreed with the adoption of Bolesław V, making him his successor over Kraków and Greater Poland. After the meeting, Władysław III arrived to Kraków, where Grzymisława formally gave him the rule of the city. The Dowager Duchess and her son received the Duchy of Sandomierz, where she exercised the regency.

Shortly after Władysław Odonic escaped from prison and the fight for Greater Poland was reanuded. Władysław III Spindleshanks was forced to leave Kraków. Then, the local nobility, with the consent of Grzymisława called Henry I the Bearded to Kraków, but to rule only as a Governor. In the summer of 1228 Konrad I of Masovia attacked Kraków, but was defeated at the Battle of Skałą by Henry I's son Henry II the Pious. However, a year later Konrad I captured Henry I the Bearded and occuped Sieradz-Łęczyca and later Sandomierz, depriving Grzymisława from power, despite resistance of the local nobility. In 1230 Władysław III Spindleshanks, with the help of Henry I, made an unsuccessful attempt to recover his lands. Eventually he died one year later in exile in Racibórz.

Władysław III's will named Henry I his heir over Kraków and Greater Poland. In 1231, with the support of the Gryfici family, Henry I obtained the rule over Sandomierz, after Grzymisława (who feared for the future of the inheritance of her infant son) surrender the regency. During 1231-1232 Henry I fought against Konrad for Lesser Poland; by the autumn of 1232 Henry I finally managed to obtain the control over Lesser Poland. Konrad I only could kept Łęczyca-Sieradz.

Imprisonment by Konrad I of Masovia

In 1233 Konrad I of Masovia captured Grzymisława and her son after personally robbed and beat them. Bolesław V and his mother where imprisoned firstly in Czersk and then in Sieciechów. The humiliations to the Dowager Duchess continued there, including a slap in the face by Konrad I.

Henry I the Bearded decided to rescue the imprisoned prince and his mother; shortly after Bolesław V and Grzymisława managed to escape from the monastery of Sieciechów with the help of voivode Klemens z Ruszczy and Mikołaj z Galli, who was in charge of the prisoners. Both Klemens and Mikołaj brided the guards, who are busy drinking, and didn't pay attention to the prisoners, who, disguised, left the walls of the monastery. Jan Długosz described the events as follows:

When one night the guards after drunk and feast forgotten his duties, abandoned their posts and quietly during the night Duke Bolesław and his mother secretly leave the monastery.

For safety reasons, Henry I the Bearded hid Bolesław V and his mother in the fortress of Skała near the valley of Prądnik river. Grzymisława then renounced on behalf of her son his rights over Kraków to Henry I. In 1234 the war between Henry I and Konrad for Lesser Poland broke out. In August of that year and thanks to Archbishop Pełka was signed the Treaty of Luchani, under which Bolesław V received Sandomierz and gave several castles to Henry I. In June 1235, Pope Gregory IX approved the Treaty of Luchani; however, shortly after Konrad I of Masovia invaded Sandomierz, and as a result of the invasion Bolesław V lost the district of Radom.

Henry I the Bearded died in 1238, and his son Henry II the Pious succeeded him; like his father, he took the regency of Bolesław V and his Duchy of Sandomierz. In 1239, the 13-years-old Bolesław V met in Wojnicz his bride, the 5-years-old Princess Kinga (also known as Kunigunda), daughter of King Béla IV of Hungary. In this meeting was signed their marriage contract. Kinga spent her first years in Sandomierz with her future mother-in-law, until the formal wedding must be perfomed (in 1247). On 9 July of that year also took place a meeting in Przedbórz between Bolesław V and Konrad I, where the Masovian ruler agreed to renounce his claims over Sandomierz. Was at this point that Bolesław V began his personal government.

Capture of Kraków by Konrad I of Masovia

In 1241 took place the first Mongol invasion to Poland. In January, they took Lublin and Zawichost. Bolesław V, with his mother and child-bride, fled to Hungary at the side of his older sister Salomea, wife of the Hungarian Prince Coloman, leaving his lands without defense. On 13 February the Mongols conquered and burned Sandomierz, and on 11 March he refused to participate in the Battle of Chmielnik. One month later, on 9 April, took place the Battle of Legnica, in which the army commanded by Henry II the Pious was defeated, and the prince himself was killed. After the defeat of the Hungarian army at the Battle of the Sajó River two days later (11 April) -where Prince Coloman was seriously injured and died shortly after- Bolesław V and his family (including Salomea, now a widow) fled to Moravia, and then finally returned to Poland.

After the death of Henry II the Pious, his eldest son Bolesław II the Bald took the title of High Duke; however, he didn't appeared to Kraków, where the government was exercised by Klemens z Ruszczy in his behalf. Konrad I of Masovia took this opportunity, and despite the strong resistance of the knights and nobility, he finally entered in Kraków on 10 July 1241. A few months later, the fortress of Skała, held by Klemens z Ruszczy, capitulated. Despite his success, Konrad I didn't gained the support of the local nobility, who in 1243 appointed Bolesław V as their new ruler. On 25 May of that year took place the Battle of Suchodoły, where the Lesser Poland and Hungarian troops, under the command of Klemens z Ruszczy, defeated the Masovian troops of Konrad I, and with this victory, Bolesław V regained the goverment over Kraków. Now at the age of 17, he was the High Duke of Poland; however, he remained under the strong influence of his mother until her death. Later that year, Konrad I tried to regain the control over Kraków and attacked Bolesław V, but was again defeated.

Adulthood

Fight against Konrad I of Masovia

Konrad I of Masovia until his death attempted to realize his ambition to become in High Duke and ruler of Kraków. In 1246, together with his son Casimir and supported by Lithuanian and Opole troops, attacked again Lesser Poland. In the Battle of Zaryszów the troops of Bolesław V were defeated. The Duke of Kraków lost Lelów, but Kraków and Sandomierz managed to resist. Due to lack of funds for the war forced Bolesław V to take some properties of his wife Kinga, who where paid only on 2 March 1257 during a meeting at Nowy Korczyn, when she received the district of Stary Sącz. In the autumn of 1246 was brought the final solution to the conflict when Bolesław V retook Lelów. Konrad I of Masovia died on 31 August 1247, but his son Casimir I continued the fight.

During 1254-1255 Bolesław V sought the release of Siemowit I of Masovia and his wife Pereyaslava, who were captured by his brother Casimir I. They are finally released in the spring of 1255 after lenghty negociations. In 1258 Bolesław the Pious started a long and destructive war against Casimir I and his ally Swantopolk II for the castellanie of Ladzka. Bolesław V joined in the Greater Poland coalition against the Duke of Kuyavia.

Between 29 September-6 October 1259 Bolesław V together with Bolesław the Pious sacked Kujawy. A peace treaty was finally concluded on 29 November 1259. In 1260, Casimir I took over the fortress of Lelów. On 12 December during a meeting at Przedbórz, Bolesław V mediated in the dispute between Casimir I and Siemowit I, which ended with a treaty between them.

After his refusal to participate in the Battle of Chmielnik in 1241 during the Mongol invasion of Poland, the city of Kraków was destroyed but then rebuilt after the Mongols withddrew, and mainly settled by German immigrants in the course of the Ostsiedlung. The new city was vested with Magdeburg rights and rebuilt on a regular grid pattern (the "location" of 1257). During his rule there was a second Tatar raid of the Golden Horde against Poland in 1259, when the lands were devastated and Sandomierz, Kraków and other cities were plundered by the invading forces led by Nogai Khan. Bolesław also had to deal with the claims of his Upper Silesian cousin Duke Władysław ("of Opole"), culminating in an armed conflict in 1273. Władysław was defeated, but the prestige of the title of High Duke was severely eroded. As Bolesław had no heirs, he bequested the Seniorate Province to his nephew Leszek II ("the Black"), the eldest son of his cousin Duke Casimir I of Kuyavia.

Ancestry

Family of Bolesław V the Chaste

16. Władysław I ("Herman") 8. Bolesław III ("Wrymouth") 17. Judith of Bohemia 4. Casimir II ("the Just") 18. Henry, Count of Berg 9. Salomea of Berg 19. Adelaide of Mochental 2. Leszek I ("the White") 20. Lutold of Znojmo 10. Conrad II of Znojmo 21. Ida of Austria 5. Helen of Znojmo 22. Uroš I of Rascia 11. Maria of Rascia 23. Anna Diogenissa 1. Bolesław V, "the Chaste" 24. Iziaslav II of Kiev 12. Yaroslav II of Kiev 25. Liubava of Hohenstaufen 6. Ingvar of Kiev 26. Vladislaus II of Bohemia 13. a Przemyslid princess, sometimes called Richeza 27. Gertrude of Babenberg 3. Grzymislawa of Luck

See also

• History of Poland (966–1385)