Zbigniew of Poland

Zbigniew
Duke of Poland
Portrait by Leonard Chodźko.
Reign	1102–1107
Predecessor	Władysław I Herman
Successor	Bolesław III Wrymouth
House	Piast
Father	Władysław I Herman
Mother	Przecława (Prawdzic?)

Zbigniew (b. ca. 1073 — d. 8 July 1113?), Duke of Poland (in Greater Poland, Kuyavia and Masovia) from 1102 until 1107.

Life

Early years

Zbigniew was the first-born son of Prince Władysław of Poland (second son of Duke Casimir I the Restorer) by certain Przecława, who apparently belonged to the Prawdzic clan. The real status of Zbigniew's mother was disputed among historians: some believed that she was only Władysław's mistress and by others they were married but only under pagan rituals and, in consequence, the union wasn't recognized by the Church as a valid marriage. Whatever the truth was, Zbigniew was raised at his father's court enjoying all respects.

Prince Władysław assumed the Polish throne in 1079 after the deposition of his older brother Bolesław II the Bold. In 1080 the now Duke Władysław I married with the Bohemian princess Judith, daughter of Duke Vratislaus II of Bohemia. Soon after his first (although uncanonical) wife Przecława was sent away; according to some sources, she took the veil and died around 1092.

The apparent barrenness of the Duchess encouraged Zbigniew's expectations of succeeded his father despite his illegitimacy; but in 1085 the Barons forced Duke Władysław I to recall Mieszko Bolesławowic (only son of the deposed Bolesław II) from his exile in Hungary. The young prince accepted the overlordship of his uncle and gave up his hereditary claims in exchange for becoming first in line of succession; in addition, he received the district of Kraków.

Removing of Zbigniew's hereditary rights

In 1086, and after six years of marriage, Duchess Judith gave birth a son, the future Bolesław III Wrymouth. This event changed Zbigniew's situation diametrically.

Now with a legitimate son and heir, both Zbigniew and Mieszko positions were threatened by Duke Władysław I. In the case of Mieszko, he was forced to accept him because he was popular among the nobility; however, in 1089 the young prince died under misterious circumstances, probably by poisoning.

In the case of Zbigniew, he began his studies in order to follow the Church career. In 1086 he was named Canon of Kraków in 1086, where he studied under the tutelage of his paternal grandmother, the Dowager Duchess. Zbigniew był jednak jeszcze zbyt młodym, aby otrzymać święcenia kapłańskie [20] . Zbigniew, however, was still too young to be ordained a priest on [20].

W 1087 ojciec Zbigniewa, po przedwczesnej śmierci Judyty czeskiej, wchodzi w związek małżeński z Judytą Marią [21] [22] . In 1087 his father, Zbigniew, after the untimely death of Judith Czech, enter into marriage with Judith Mary [21] [22]. Stosunek Judyty do synów polskiego księcia, podobnie jak to miało miejsce przy poprzednim małżeństwie Hermana - był chłodny, szczególnie do pierworodnego Zbigniewa. Judith relationship to the sons of Polish Prince, as was the case with Herman's previous marriage - he was cool, especially for first-born Zbigniew. To dzięki jej zabiegom w 1089 Władysław odesłał Zbigniewa do Saksonii [23] . It is thanks to her treatment in 1089, Zbigniew Władysław sent to Saxony [23]. Tamże pierworodny syn księcia polskiego został umieszczony w żeńskim klasztorze w Kwedlinburgu [5] , gdzie przeoryszą była siostra Judyty - Adelajda [21] . Ibid firstborn son of Polish prince was placed in a nunnery in Kwedlinburgu [5], where the prioress was the sister of Judith - Adelaide [21]. Fakt ten świadczy o dążeniu do pozbycia się Zbigniewa z kraju, uczynienia go mnichem i pozbawienia praw do sukcesji [24] [25] . This fact testifies to the efforts to get rid of Zbigniew country, making him a monk and deprivation of rights of succession [24] [25]. Pozwoliło to wyeliminować z życia politycznego dwóch pretendentów do tronu polskiego, zabezpieczyć dziedzictwo (prawowitego) małoletniego Bolesława, jak i osłabić rosnącą opozycję wobec Władysława [26] . This allowed to eliminate the political life of two pretenders to the throne of the Polish heritage protected (lawful) a minor Boleslaw, and undermine the growing opposition to Wladyslaw [26].

Return. Fight against Sieciech

In 1093 Zbigniew was abducted from Quedlinburg and brought back to Poland by powerful lords who opposed to Duke Władysław I's all-powerful voivode (Polish: wojewoda) Sieciech. Zbigniew took refuge in Silesia, a stronghold of negative sentiment for both Sieciech and Duke Władysław I. In the absence of Sieciech and Prince Bolesław (who at that time were captured by Hungarians and kept captive), Duke Władysław I then undertook a penal expedition to Silesia, which was unsuccessful; then, he was forced to sign an Act of Legitimization under which he recognized Zbigniew as his son and also given to him the right to succeed to the throne. Following Sieciech and Bolesław’s escape from Hungary an expedition against Zbigniew was mounted by the Count Palatine. It’s aim was to nullify the Act of Legitimization. The contestants met at the Battle of Goplo in 1096, where Sieciech’s forces completely defeated the supporters of Zbigniew, who was taken captured and imprisoned; however, he regained his freedom a year later (1 May 1097) due to the intervention of the bishops. At the same time his rights guaranteed by the Act of Legitimization were returned to him.

Soon, Zbigniew gained an unexpected ally in his young half-brother Bolesław, who, after discovered the plans of both Sieciech and Duchess Judith-Sophia of Swabia (second wife of Duke Władysław I) to take the complete control over the country, decided to sided with him. In 1098, both princes prevailed on their father to banish Sieciech and give them separate provinces. The Duke was forced to accept and made the formal division of his domains: he kept control of Masovia and its capital at Plock; also, could retained control of the most important cities i.e. Wrocław, Kraków and Sandomierz. Zbigniew’s province encompassed Greater Poland including Gniezno, Kuyavia, Łęczyca Land and Sieradz Land. Bolesław’s territory included Lesser Poland, Silesia and Lubusz Land.

The division of the country greatly alarmed the Count Palatine, who feared that the disminution of his master's power could undermine his own situation. He then began preparations for a military settlement of the issue and gained the Duke’s support for it. The position of Duke Władysław I was strange because he chose to support Sieciech’s cause instead of his own sons. After hear of the expedition, Zbigniew and Bolesław renewed their alliance, who took place at the Wiec organized in Wrocław by the magnate Skarbmir. There it was decided to remove the current guardian of Bolesław, a noble named Wojslaw (a Sieciech's relative) and arrange an expedition against the Count Palatine. Subsequently in 1099 the troops of both Sieciech and Duke Władysław I faced with the forces of Zbigniew and Bolesław near Zarnowiec by the river Pilica. The Rebel forces were victorious and the humilliated Duke was obliged to permanently remove Sieciech from the position of Count Palatine.

After the definitive defeat of his troops, the Duke was forced to exile Sieciech from the country; he left Poland around 1100/1101. Is known that he took refuge in German lands. However, he eventually returned to Poland, but didn't play any political role again. He may have been blinded.

Duke of Poland

Duke Władysław I died on 4 June 1102. The division of the country was mantained almost exactly as was done in 1098, with the exception that Zbigniew received after his father's death Mazovia with his capital at Plock. The two states created after the division were virtually separated. Both Dukes mantain different internal and foreign politics, and this caused taht some times the brothers were enemies. With his new ally, Duke Borivoj II of Bohemia, Zbigniew invaded Bolesław III's domains. In turn, the young Duke ravaged the Pomeranian border during 1104-1105, who caused the break of the previous alliance between Zbigniew and Pomerania.

In 1106 Bolesław managed to bribe Duke Borivoj II, who sided with him against Zbigniew, and also he formally entered into an alliance with King Coloman of Hungary. During a popular assembly, attended by both princes, were place some restrictions to their rules; however, this created a very unfavorable situation for Bolesław III, who decided to began the civil war in order to obtain the overlordship of Poland. With the help of his Kievan and Hungarian allies, Bolesław attacked Zbigniew’s territory. The allied forces easily took control of most important cities including Kalisz, Gniezno, Spycimierz, taking control of half of Zbigniew’s lands. Defeated, Zbigniew was forced to recognized Bolesław III as High Duke of all Poland, and was allowed to retain Masovia only as a fief.

Exile and Death

Zbigniew never accepted the overlordhip of his younger half-brothers; this was noted when he didn't fulfilled his duty as a vassal and refused to provide military to Bolesław III in a campaign against the Pomeranians in the winter of 1107-1108. Bolesław III, with the help of his Kievan and Hungarian allies, began a final campaign to rid himself of Zbigniew. Their forces attacked Masovia, and quickly forced Zbigniew to surrender. As a punishment, the deposed Duke was banished from the country. From then Bolesław III was the sole lord of the Polish lands.

Zbigniew took refuge firstly in Pomerania and Bohemia; later, he went to the court of the Holy Roman Emperor Henry V, who, in his function as a nominal sovereign of Poland, tried to make as a peacemaker between the brothers. When Bolesław III refused to accept the Imperial intervention, Henry V decided to prepare an expedition against Poland. Zbigniew encouraged the Emperor to the invasion, saying that "only a few Polish take the resistance". But the optimism of the expedition members will soon dissapeared after saw the strong attitude of defenders of Bytom on the Odra River. After saw "the stronghold Bytom so armed and fortified, that Henry turned to Zbigniew with anger and indignation and said: Zbigniew, so that the Polish consider you his master? So willing to leave your brother, and reign for you?!". Zbigniew had to accept the humiliation, and the German were shocked by the incredible bravery of the Bytom citizens. This was the beginning of the Polish-German War, whose apogee was the heroic defense of Głogów in the summer of 1109 before the army of Henry V, who at the end "left Poland, amounting to weddings instead of mourning, the dead corpses instead of tribute" (Battle of Hundsfeld, 24 August 1109). Zbigniew escape to Bohemia. From there, he arranged armed robbery in Silesia. This finally caused a retaliatory expedition against Bohemia by Bolesław III (ca. 1110). As a result of the peace agreements between the Duke Vladislav I of Bohemia and Bolesław III was made an specific transaction: the Bohemian ruler allowed to return home to his brother, Soběslav, exiled in Poland, and the Polish Duke permited the return of Zbigniew to Poland. Zbigniew was received back in Poland and furnished with a grant; however, according to Gallus Anonymus keep up to her brother so arrogant that it attracted the anger and the act, which was Wrymouth regret forever. From the Czech historian Kosmas learn, however, that the work of calculation, Boleslaw, "his brother Zbigniew oath of fidelity and tricks called the third day of being deprived of his eyes." The imprisonment and blinding Zbigniew was probably in 1111 is not known closer to the date of death of the prince.

See also

• History of Poland (966-1385)

References

• Gieysztor, Aleksander (1979). History of Poland. Warsaw: PWN—Polish Scientific Publishers. ISBN 8301003928.
• "Zbigniew". Internetowa encyklopedia PWN (in Polish). Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN. Retrieved 2008-01-17.
• "Zbigniew". WIEM Encyklopedia (in Polish). Retrieved 2008-01-17.