Wladyslaw I
Wladyslaw I, sometimes referred to as Władysław the Elbow-high or Ladislaus the Short, was king of Poland.
Contents
History
In 1288, the death of his brother Leszek II led to a succession war for the duchy of Krakow. The main claimants were Boleslaw II, duke of Mazovia, and Henryk IV, duke of Wroclaw. Wladyslaw I, who had inheritied the duchy of Kuyavia from his brother, supported the former.
When Boleslaw II renounced his claim in 1289, his supporters rallied around Wladyslaw I instead.
In 1290, Henryk IV died and his claims were inherited by Przemysl II. While he was able to hold Krakow itself, he was not able to assert authority throughout the duchy. He would shortly sell the duchy to Wenceslaus II, king of Bohemia. Throughout all of these title transfers, Wladyslaw I continued to lead a rebellion.
Two years later, Wladyslaw I participated in secret negotiations with Przemysl II and Casimir II in Kalisz. They agreed on a scheme to reunite the kingdom of Poland and a succession order amongst themselves. This was further cemented with a marriage between Wladyslaw I and Jadwiga, a cousin of Przemysl II.
Przemysl II was crowned king in 1295, but was assassinated in the next year. By 1299, Wladyslaw I was forced to flee Poland; Wenceslaus II was made king of Poland in 1300.
In 1304, Wladyslaw I returned and re-established his rebellion. Wenceslaus II died in 1305, leaving Wenceslaus III with three kingdoms to divide his attention, two of which were in rebellion. Wenceslaus III was then assassinated in 1306. Wladyslaw I took much of the old duchy of Krakow, Sandomierz, and Pomerania. Henry III, duke of Glogow, took much of Greater Poland.
Waldemar, margrave of Brandenburg, invaded Pomerania in 1307. Wladyslaw I hired the Teutonic Knights to defend the duchy, but instead they conquered it for themselves. At the same time, the city of Krakow revolted over taxes. this revolt was put down within a year.
Reign
Henry III died in 1310 and split Greater Poland among his sons. The local nobility rebelled shortly thereafter. Because Wladyslaw I put down the revolt in Krakow, the nobility believed that he would back their economic interests over those of the cities. Wladyslaw I was welcomed into Poznan in August 1314 and adopted the title of prince.
John made claims to the kingdom of Poland as well. Land wars would continue for decades, by the end of which Silesia was vassalized to Bohemia.
On January 20, 1320, Wladyslaw I was crowned in Krakow; Pope John XXII justified this coronation as being the creation of a new kingdom, separate from that of Przemysl II which John claimed.
Wladyslaw I established alliances with the neighboring kingdoms through marriages; his daughter Elizabeth married Charles I; his son Casimir III married a daughter of Gediminas, duke of Lithuania.
Wladyslaw I died on March 2, 1333.
Legacy
While the reunification of Poland would not be achieved under Wladyslaw I, major steps towards it were made.
Wladyslaw I pressed claims against Teutonic Knights in a papal court for their conquest of Pomerania. The papacy would use the suspended judgement against the knighthood to control it indirectly.