Bolesław II the Horned

Bolesław II the Horned

The black crownless eagle of the Silesian Piasts

Bolesław II the Bald known also as the Horned (Polish: Bolesław II Łysy or Rogatka; b. ca. 1220/5 - d. 26/31 December 1278), Duke of Krakow briefly in 1241, of Southern Greater Poland during 1241 - 1247, and Duke of all Silesia-Wroclaw since 1241 until 1248, when was divided between him and his brothers.

He was the eldest son of Henry II the Pious by his wife Anna, daughter of King Ottokar I of Bohemia.

Life

Beginning of his Reign and Fight over the Greater Poland Inheritance (1241-47)

Bolesław, in contrast to his father, doesn't have to wait too much for reign, because on 9 April 1241, during the Battle of Legnica against the Mongols, Duke Henry II was killed after only three years of government. At the time of these tragic events, of the five sons of the Silesian Duke, only Bolesław and his inmediate younger brother Mieszko could be considered adults and capables to ruled without a regency. However, during the first and difficult months of government, their mother Anna would help them. Some sources even speak directly to her regency. Whatever was the case, this "regency" wasn't to too long and even in the same year Bolesław formally began his personal reign, whose beginning wasn't successful. Although the Mongols, after conquest considerable areas of Silesia soon withdrew to Hungary, with any intention to retain that lands permanently, for Bolesław the situation wasn't too easiest. The paternal inheritance included the Southern Greater Poland and Krakow, but soon erupted the revolts from others Piast Dukes who wanted these lands. In Lesser Poland, by July 1241 appeared to eternal pretender to Krakow: Konrad I of Masovia. The war was not yet a defeat, thanks to the effective resistance against the Masovians organized by the Governor of Krakow, Clement of Ruszczy; however, the complete inaction of Bolesław dissapointed the nobility, who quickly found a new candidate for the Krakow throne in Bolesław V the Chaste. In Greater Poland, the situation was not very different. After hear the news of the defeat of Henry II in Legnica, Przemysł I and Bolesław the Pious, decided to retaken the district once belonging to their father Władysław Odonic, their father. The Greater Poland nobility and knighthood strongly supported them, because for them, as a chronicler stated, they were the true heirs of that lands. This time, Bolesław decided to avoid any fight and renounce to all his Greater Poland lands, but obtained in exchange some district as Santok and Międzyrzecz. But the uncompromising attitude of the Greater Poland Dukes and the increasing problems who this caused in the family, ultimately forced Bolesław to resign the lands and with this all his pretentions over Greater Poland, in 1247.

The First Division of Lower Silesia (1248)

Bolesław initially didn't any intended to made a division of his father's Silesian Duchy, and wanted to concentrate all the power in his hands. Certainly, in 1242 years, died unexpectedly his next brother Mieszko, who had received Lubusz as a Duchy, but because he died without issue, his lands reverted to. Bolesław's resistance to share the government with his younger brothers only caused revolts against him; shortly after the young Silesian princes were able to imprison his older brother. These incidents caused in Bolesław, until the end of his life very suspicious to his environment and a further difficults to deal with the government. As an interim of the revolts, Bolesław made an agreement with his brother Henry III the White in 1247, when he was declared co-ruler of Silesia. The cooperation between the brothers wasn't too good and a year later, they decided to made a division of the districts Legnica-Głogów-Lubusz and Wrocław. In addition, the brothers have pledged to offer hospitality to the younger brothers who became priest, Bolesław to Konrad, and Henry to Władysław. Bolesław, as the older brother, had the opportunity to choose his district; he decided to Legnica, because there was found gold in the Kaczawa and Wierzbiak Rivers.

The choice of Legnica can also be dictated by the growing conflict between Bolesław and the powerful Wrocław nobility, a problem who Henry III didn't had; shortly after he could took control over the duchy. But now Bolesław began to regret his choice and tried to recover Wroclaw. Henry III, of course, refused to voluntarily give up his new duchy. The war was only a matter of time.

After his father's death, he became Duke of central Greater Poland (1241 - 1247) and Duke of Silesia (1241 -1248). After the partiton of Silesia, he was Duke of Legnica - Głogów. He sold Lubusz to the bishops of Brandenburg and he lost Głogów in 1249. He was Duke of Neumarkt in Silesia (Środa Śląska) from 1277.

During his rule there was a second Mongol raid against Poland, led by Nogai Khan.

Preceded by: Henryk II the Pious

Duke of Wroclaw

Succeeded by: Henryk III the White Władysław of Salzburg