Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...

was ruled at various times either by

duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...

s and

prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...

s (10th to 14th centuries) or by kings (11th to 18th centuries). During the latter period, a tradition of free election of monarchs made it a uniquely electable position in Europe (16th to 18th centuries). The first known Polish ruler is Duke

Mieszko I Mieszko I (; – 25 May 992) was the first ruler of Poland and the founder of the first independent Polish state, the Duchy of Poland. His reign stretched from 960 to his death and he was a member of the Piast dynasty, a son of Siemomysł and ...

, who adopted

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...

under the authority of Rome in the year 966. He was succeeded by his son,

Bolesław I the Brave Bolesław I the Brave ; cs, Boleslav Chrabrý; la, Boleslaus I rex Poloniae (17 June 1025), less often known as Bolesław the Great, was Duke of Poland from 992 to 1025, and the first King of Poland in 1025. He was also Duke of Bohemia betw ...

, who greatly expanded the boundaries of the Polish state and ruled as the first king in 1025. The following centuries gave rise to the mighty

Piast dynasty The House of Piast was the first historical ruling dynasty of Poland. The first documented Polish monarch was Duke Mieszko I (c. 930–992). The Piasts' royal rule in Poland ended in 1370 with the death of king Casimir III the Great. Branch ...

, consisting of both kings such as

Mieszko II Lambert Mieszko II Lambert (; c. 990 – 10/11 May 1034) was King of Poland from 1025 to 1031, and Duke from 1032 until his death. He was the second son of Bolesław I the Brave, but the eldest born from his third wife Emnilda of Lusatia. He was pro ...

Przemysł II Przemysł II ( also given in English and Latin as ''Premyslas'' or ''Premislaus'' or in Polish as '; 14 October 1257 – 8 February 1296) was the Duke of Poznań from 1257–1279, of Greater Poland from 1279 to 1296, of Kraków from 1290 to 1291 ...

Władysław I the Elbow-high Władysław is a Polish given male name, cognate with Vladislav. The feminine form is Władysława, archaic forms are Włodzisław (male) and Włodzisława (female), and Wladislaw is a variation. These names may refer to: Famous people Mononym * W ...

and dukes like

Bolesław III Wrymouth Bolesław III Wrymouth ( pl, Bolesław III Krzywousty; 20 August 1086 – 28 October 1138), also known as Boleslaus the Wry-mouthed, was the duke of Lesser Poland, Silesia and Sandomierz between 1102 and 1107 and over the whole of Poland between ...

. The dynasty ceased to exist with the death of

Casimir III the Great Casimir III the Great ( pl, Kazimierz III Wielki; 30 April 1310 – 5 November 1370) reigned as the King of Poland from 1333 to 1370. He also later became King of Ruthenia in 1340, and fought to retain the title in the Galicia-Volhynia Wars. He w ...

in 1370. In the same year, the

Capetian House of Anjou The Capetian House of Anjou or House of Anjou-Sicily, was a royal house and cadet branch of the direct French House of Capet, part of the Capetian dynasty. It is one of three separate royal houses referred to as ''Angevin'', meaning "from Anjou" ...

became the ruling house with

Louis I Louis I may refer to: * Louis the Pious, Louis I of France, "the Pious" (778–840), king of France and Holy Roman Emperor * Louis I, Landgrave of Thuringia (ruled 1123–1140) * Ludwig I, Count of Württemberg (c. 1098–1158) * Louis I of Blois ...

as king of both Poland and

Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia a ...

. His daughter,

Jadwiga Jadwiga (; diminutives: ''Jadzia'' , ''Iga'') is a Polish feminine given name. It originated from the old German feminine given name ''Hedwig'' (variants of which include ''Hedwiga''), which is compounded from ''hadu'', "battle", and ''wig'', "fig ...

, later married Jogaila, the pagan

Grand Duke of Lithuania The monarchy of Lithuania concerned the monarchical head of state of Lithuania, which was established as an absolute and hereditary monarchy. Throughout Lithuania's history there were three ducal dynasties that managed to stay in power—House ...

, who in 1386 was baptized and crowned as

Władysław II Jagiełło Jogaila (; 1 June 1434), later Władysław II Jagiełło ()He is known under a number of names: lt, Jogaila Algirdaitis; pl, Władysław II Jagiełło; be, Jahajła (Ягайла). See also: Names and titles of Władysław II Jagiełło. w ...

, thus creating the

Jagiellonian dynasty The Jagiellonian dynasty (, pl, dynastia jagiellońska), otherwise the Jagiellon dynasty ( pl, dynastia Jagiellonów), the House of Jagiellon ( pl, Dom Jagiellonów), or simply the Jagiellons ( pl, Jagiellonowie), was the name assumed by a cad ...

and a personal union between Poland and

Lithuania Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...

. During the reign of

Casimir IV Jagiellon Casimir IV (in full Casimir IV Andrew Jagiellon; pl, Kazimierz IV Andrzej Jagiellończyk ; Lithuanian: ; 30 November 1427 – 7 June 1492) was Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1440 and King of Poland from 1447, until his death. He was one of the ...

and

Sigismund I the Old Sigismund I the Old ( pl, Zygmunt I Stary, lt, Žygimantas II Senasis; 1 January 1467 – 1 April 1548) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1506 until his death in 1548. Sigismund I was a member of the Jagiellonian dynasty, the ...

, culture flourished and cities developed. This era of progress, also known as the

Polish Renaissance The Renaissance in Poland ( pl, Renesans, Odrodzenie; literally: the Rebirth) lasted from the late 15th to the late 16th century and is widely considered to have been the Golden Age of Polish culture. Ruled by the Jagiellonian dynasty, the Crown ...

, continued until the

Union of Lublin The Union of Lublin ( pl, Unia lubelska; lt, Liublino unija) was signed on 1 July 1569 in Lublin, Poland, and created a single state, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, one of the largest countries in Europe at the time. It replaced the pe ...

under

Sigismund II Augustus Sigismund II Augustus ( pl, Zygmunt II August, lt, Žygimantas Augustas; 1 August 1520 – 7 July 1572) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, the son of Sigismund I the Old, whom Sigismund II succeeded in 1548. He was the first ruler ...

, which unofficially marked the end of the

Polish Golden Age The Polish Golden Age was the Renaissance period in Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, roughly corresponding to the period of rule of the King Sigismund I the Old and his son, Sigismund II Augustus, the last of the Jagiellonian Dynasty monar ...

. After the death of the last Jagiellonian king, the united

Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and, after 1791, as the Commonwealth of Poland, was a bi-confederal state, sometimes called a federation, of Crown of the Kingdom of ...

became an

elective monarchy An elective monarchy is a monarchy ruled by an elected monarch, in contrast to a hereditary monarchy in which the office is automatically passed down as a family inheritance. The manner of election, the nature of candidate qualifications, and the ...

with mostly foreigners elected as monarchs such as

Henry III of France Henry III (french: Henri III, né Alexandre Édouard; pl, Henryk Walezy; lt, Henrikas Valua; 19 September 1551 – 2 August 1589) was King of France from 1574 until his assassination in 1589, as well as King of Poland and Grand Duke of ...

, who witnessed the introduction of the

Golden Liberty Golden Liberty ( la, Aurea Libertas; pl, Złota Wolność, lt, Auksinė laisvė), sometimes referred to as Golden Freedoms, Nobles' Democracy or Nobles' Commonwealth ( pl, Rzeczpospolita Szlachecka or ''Złota wolność szlachecka'') was a pol ...

system and

Stephen Báthory Stephen Báthory ( hu, Báthory István; pl, Stefan Batory; ; 27 September 1533 – 12 December 1586) was Voivode of Transylvania (1571–1576), Prince of Transylvania (1576–1586), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1576–1586) ...

, a capable military commander who strengthened the nation. The meaningful rule of the

Vasa dynasty The House of Vasa or Wasa Georg Starbäck in ''Berättelser ur Sweriges Medeltid, Tredje Bandet'' pp 264, 275, 278, 291–296 & 321 ( sv, Vasaätten, pl, Wazowie, lt, Vazos) was an early modern royal house founded in 1523 in Sweden. Its mem ...

initially expanded the Commonwealth as the arts and crafts developed, as well as trade and commerce. King

Sigismund III Vasa Sigismund III Vasa ( pl, Zygmunt III Waza, lt, Žygimantas Vaza; 20 June 1566 – 30 April 1632 N.S.) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1587 to 1632 and, as Sigismund, King of Sweden and Grand Duke of Finland from 1592 to ...

, a talented but somewhat despotic ruler, involved the country in many wars, which subsequently resulted in the successful capture of

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...

and the loss of

Livonia Livonia ( liv, Līvõmō, et, Liivimaa, fi, Liivinmaa, German and Scandinavian languages: ', archaic German: ''Liefland'', nl, Lijfland, Latvian and lt, Livonija, pl, Inflanty, archaic English: ''Livland'', ''Liwlandia''; russian: Ли ...

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

. His son,

Władysław IV Vasa Władysław IV Vasa; lt, Vladislovas Vaza; sv, Vladislav IV av Polen; rus, Владислав IV Ваза, r=Vladislav IV Vaza; la, Ladislaus IV Vasa or Ladislaus IV of Poland (9 June 1595 – 20 May 1648) was King of Poland, Grand Duke of ...

, fiercely defended the Commonwealth's borders and continued the policy of his father until his death, unlike

John II Casimir John II Casimir ( pl, Jan II Kazimierz Waza; lt, Jonas Kazimieras Vaza; 22 March 1609 – 16 December 1672) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1648 until his abdication in 1668 as well as titular King of Sweden from 1648 ...

whose tragic rule resulted in his

abdication Abdication is the act of formally relinquishing monarchical authority. Abdications have played various roles in the succession procedures of monarchies. While some cultures have viewed abdication as an extreme abandonment of duty, in other societ ...

. The election of

John III Sobieski John III Sobieski ( pl, Jan III Sobieski; lt, Jonas III Sobieskis; la, Ioannes III Sobiscius; 17 August 1629 – 17 June 1696) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1674 until his death in 1696. Born into Polish nobility, Sobie ...

to the Polish throne proved to be beneficial for the Commonwealth. A brilliant military tactician, John III led the coalition forces to victory at Vienna in 1683 and he partially recaptured land from the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

. However, the years that followed were not as successful. The long and ineffective rule of the

Wettin dynasty The House of Wettin () is a dynasty of German kings, prince-electors, dukes, and counts that once ruled territories in the present-day German states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. The dynasty is one of the oldest in Europe, and its orig ...

(

Augustus II the Strong Augustus II; german: August der Starke; lt, Augustas II; in Saxony also known as Frederick Augustus I – Friedrich August I (12 May 16701 February 1733), most commonly known as Augustus the Strong, was Elector of Saxony from 1694 as well as K ...

and

Augustus III Augustus III ( pl, August III Sas, lt, Augustas III; 17 October 1696 5 October 1763) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1733 until 1763, as well as Elector of Saxony in the Holy Roman Empire where he was known as Frederick Aug ...

) placed the Commonwealth under the influence of

Saxony Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a landlocked state of ...

and the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...

. Additional feuds with rebel nobility (

szlachta The ''szlachta'' (Polish: endonym, Lithuanian: šlėkta) were the noble estate of the realm in the Kingdom of Poland, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth who, as a class, had the dominating position in the ...

) and most notably Stanislaus I Leszczyński and

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

diminished the influence of Poland-Lithuania in the region, which led to the

partitions Partition may refer to: Computing Hardware * Disk partitioning, the division of a hard disk drive * Memory partition, a subdivision of a computer's memory, usually for use by a single job Software * Partition (database), the division of a ...

that occurred under King Stanislaus II Augustus, yet another enlightened, but ineffective monarch. The last true sovereign of Poland was Frederick Augustus I as

Duke of Warsaw Poland was ruled at various times either by dukes and princes (10th to 14th centuries) or by kings (11th to 18th centuries). During the latter period, a tradition of free election of monarchs made it a uniquely electable position in Europe (16th ...

, who throughout his political career attempted to rehabilitate the Polish state. Following the

Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...

, many sovereigns claimed the title of Polish king, duke or ruler, notably German, Russian and Austrian emperors. The

monarchy A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, is head of state for life or until abdication. The political legitimacy and authority of the monarch may vary from restricted and largely symbolic (constitutional monarchy) ...

was abolished and a parliamentary republican authority was established when Poland was re-constituted as a sovereign state in 1918.

Legendary

Most of the legendary Polish rulers appear for the first time in chronicles from the 13th century and their existence has not been determined. , - , , Chronica Polonorum, Lech

, Unknown , Unknown , Unknown , Legendary founder of the

Polish nation Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, who share a common history, culture, the Polish language and are identified with the country of Poland in Cen ...

according to folktales, tribal leader ,

Lechites Lechites (, german: Lechiten), also known as the Lechitic tribes (, german: Lechitische Stämme), is a name given to certain West Slavic tribes who inhabited modern-day Poland and eastern Germany, and were speakers of the Lechitic languages. Dist ...

(Tribe) , - ,
also Krak or Grakch
, Chronica Polonorum I 5

, , Unknown , , Legendary founder of

Kraków Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...

(Tribe) , - ,
, Monarch-emp

,
Son of Krakus I , Unknown , , Succession ,

(Tribe) , - ,

, Lech II

,
Son of Krakus I, brother of

Krakus II Krakus II ( lat, Gracchus; pl, Krak) was a mythological ruler of Poland. He was the successor of and son of the alleged founder of the City of Kraków, Krakus I, and he was the younger brother of Lech II, according to Wincenty Kadłubek. He tie ...

, Unknown , , Succession ,

(Tribe) , - ,
also Wąda
, Chronica Polonorum Vanda

,
Daughter of Krakus, sister of Krakus II and Lech II , Unknown , , Succession ,

(Tribe) , - , Duke

also Leszek

, LestekPrim1581

,

, Unknown ,

, Birth name Przemysław, defeated the Hungarians and was crowned

Elected ,

Goplans The Goplans or Goplanes ( la, Glopeani, pl, Goplanie) was an early West Slavic tribe that inhabited the central parts of the Kujawy region, with their probable seat at Kruszwica. They might have been named after the Lake Gopło; Kmietowicz belie ...

and

Polans Polans may refer to two Slavic tribes: * Polans (eastern) The Polans (, ''Poliany'', ''Polyane'', pl, Polanie), also Polianians, were an East Slavic tribe between the 6th and the 9th century, which inhabited both sides of the Dnieper river ...

(Tribes) , - , Duke

, LestekBis1581

,
Presumed son of Leszko I, Alleged progenitor of the

Popielids The Popielids ( pl, Popielidzi) were a legendary ruling dynasty of either the Polans, Goplans or both tribes, founded by Leszko II. They supposedly ruled the lands of Poland prior to the start of the Piast dynasty. Two Polish families claim desc ...

dynasty , Unknown , , Succession ,

, - , Duke

, LestekTri1581

,
Presumed son of

Leszko II Leszko II (''Leszek, Lestek, Lestko'') was a legendary ruler of Poland, firstly mentioned by Wincenty Kadłubek Wincenty Kadłubek ( 1150 – 8 March 1223) was a Polish Catholic prelate and professed Cistercian who served as the Bishop of K ...

, Unknown , , Succession ,

, - , Duke

, Chronica Polonorum, Pompilius I

,
Presumed son of

Leszko III Leszko III (or Leszek, Lestek, Lesco) was a legendary ruler of Poland, firstly mentioned by Wincenty Kadłubek. Alleged son of Leszko II, father of Popiel I and grandfather of Popiel II. Hypothesis If we would like today to again review the ...

, Unknown , , Succession ,

, - , Duke

, PopielBis1581

,
Presumed son of

Popiel I Popiel I was a legendary ruler of Poland, member of the Popielids dynasty. According to the legends reported by Wincenty Kadłubek in his '' Chronica seu originale regum et principum Poloniae'', he was the son of Leszko III. Father of Popiel II ...

, NN, A German Princess , , A legendary ruler dethroned by Piast. He appears (without the number) in the oldest Polish chronicle, ''

Gesta principum Polonorum The ''Gesta principum Polonorum'' (; "''Deeds of the Princes of the Poles''") is the oldest known medieval chronicle documenting the history of Poland from the legendary times until 1113. Written in Latin by an anonymous author, it was most lik ...

'' from the early 12th century

Succession ,

, - ,
, Piast

,
Son of Chościsko ,

Rzepicha Rzepicha (pronounced ) (also Rzepka) was the wife of the semi-legendary Piast the Wheelwright (founder of the Piast dynasty) and the mother of Siemowit. She is mentioned in Gallus Anonymus' Polish Chronicle (''Cronicae et gesta ducum sive princip ...

, , Legendary founder of the Piast dynasty. He appears in the oldest Polish chronicle, ''

'' from the early 12th century ,

Piast The House of Piast was the first historical ruling dynasty of Poland. The first documented Polish monarch was Duke Mieszko I (c. 930–992). The Piasts' royal rule in Poland ended in 1370 with the death of king Casimir III the Great. Branche ...

Semi-legendary

The three direct predecessors of Mieszko I are known only from the account of

Gallus Anonymus ''Gallus Anonymus'' ( Polonized variant: ''Gall '') is the name traditionally given to the anonymous author of ''Gesta principum Polonorum'' (Deeds of the Princes of the Poles), composed in Latin between 1112 and 1118. ''Gallus'' is generally rega ...

, who wrote the oldest Polish chronicle, ''

'' at the beginning of the 12th century. Though their historicity was once debatable, now historians tend to consider them actually existing rulers. , - , Duke

also Ziemowit

9th century , Walery Eljasz-Radzikowski, Ziemowit

, 9th century
Presumed son of

Piast the Wheelwright Piast the Wheelwright ( 740/741? – 861 AD; Latin: ''Past Ckosisconis'', ''Pazt filius Chosisconisu''; Polish: ''Piast Chościskowic'', ''Piast Kołodziej'' , ''Piast Oracz'' or ''Piast'') was a semi-legendary figure in medieval Poland (9th cen ...

and

, Unknown , 9th century , Named the

Duke of the Polans Poland was ruled at various times either by dukes and princes (10th to 14th centuries) or by kings (11th to 18th centuries). During the latter period, a tradition of free election of monarchs made it a uniquely electable position in Europe (16th ...

after his father, Piast the Wheelwright, refused to take the place of legendary Duke

Popiel Prince Popiel ІІ (or Duke Popiel) was a legendary 9th-century ruler of two proto- Polish tribes, the Goplans and West Polans. He was the last member of the Popielids, a mythical dynasty before the Piasts. According to the chroniclers Gall ...

Elected ,

, , - , Duke

also Leszek or Lestko
9th century

10th century , Walery Eljasz-Radzikowski, Leszek s

, 880
Presumed son of

Siemowit Siemowit (Polish pronunciation: �ɛˈmɔvit also Ziemowit �ɛˈmɔvit was, according to the chronicles of Gallus Anonymus, the son of Piast the Wheelwright and Rzepicha. He is considered to be the first ruler of the Piast dynasty.K. Jasiński, ...

, Unknown , 950 , Named the

after succeeding his father

Succession ,

, , - , Duke

also Ziemomysł
Latin: Zemomislaus
10th century

/960 , Walery Eljasz-Radzikowski, Ziemomysl

,
Presumed son of

Lestek Lestek (also Leszek, Lestko) was the second duke of Polans, and son of Siemowit, born c. 870–880, mentioned in the oldest Polish chronicle, ''Gesta principum Polonorum'' by Gallus Anonimus. The dukes of Polans were the foundation of the Piast ...

, Unknown , 960 , Named the

after succeeding his father

Succession ,

House of Piast

, - , Duke

Latin: ''Misico, dux Wandalorum''
960

25 May 992
''( years)'' , Mieszko1

Son of semi-legendary

Siemomysł Siemomysł or Ziemomysł (died ) was the third duke of Polans of the Piast dynasty, and the father of Poland's first Christian ruler, Mieszko I. He was listed by Gallus Anonymous in his ''Gesta principum Polonorum'' and was the son of Lestek, ...

Doubravka of Bohemia Doubravka of Bohemia, Dobrawa ( cs, Doubravka Přemyslovna, pl, Dobrawa, Dąbrówka; ca. 940/45 – 977) was a Bohemian princess of the Přemyslid dynasty and by marriage Duchess of the Polans. She was the daughter of Boleslaus I the Cruel, ...

2 children

Oda of Haldensleben Oda of Haldensleben (c. 955/60 – 1023) was Duchess of the Polans by marriage to Mieszko I of Poland. Life Oda was the eldest child of Dietrich of Haldensleben, Margrave of the North March. She grew up in the monastery of Kalbe, near to Milde ...

3 children , 25 May 992

Poznań Poznań () is a city on the River Warta in west-central Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business centre, and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint John ...

Aged about 62 , First Christian ruler of Poland

Succession ,

, - , King

also Boleslaus I the Great
pl, Bolesław I Chrobry (Wielki)
9921025 (as duke)

18 April 102517 June 1025 (as king)
''( years)'' , Bolek

Son of

and

, Hunilda, daughter of Rikdag

Judith of Hungary Judith of Hungary ( pl, Judyta węgierska; b. Esztergom, ca. 969 - d. Kraków?, ca. 988) was a Hungarian princess and member of the House of Arpad. She was briefly married to the Piast duke of Poland, Bolesław the Brave. According to some sourc ...

Emnilda of Lusatia

Oda of Meissen Oda of Meissen, also named Ode, Old High German form for ''Uta'' or ''Ute'' ( pl, Oda Miśnieńska, german: Oda von Meißen; born c. 996 – died 31 October or 13 November after 1025), was a Saxon countess member of the Ekkehardiner dynasty. She ...

, 17 June 1025

Aged about 58 , First crowned king

Succession ,

, - , King

25 December 10251031
''( years)'' , Matylda wrecza mieszkowi II ksiege liturgiczna

Son of

and Emnilda of Lusatia ,

Richeza of Lotharingia Richeza of Lotharingia (also called ''Richenza'', ''Rixa'', ''Ryksa''; born about 995/1000 – 21 March 1063) was a member of the Ezzonen dynasty who became queen of Poland as the wife of Mieszko II Lambert. Her Polish marriage was arranged to s ...

, 4 children , 10/11 May 1034

Aged about 44 , Crowned king

Succession

Deposed as a result of the Pagan Rebellion ,

, - , Duke

Bezprym Bezprym ( hu, Veszprém; 986–1032) was the duke of Poland from 1031 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Bolesław the Brave, but was deprived of the succession by his father, who around 1001 sent him to Italy in order to become a mon ...

10311032 ''( years)'' , Bezprym

Son of Bolesław I the Brave and

, Unknown ,
Aged about 46 , Country divided, ruler of a Duchy

Usurped ,

, - , Duke
Otto
10321033 ''( years)'' , Monarch-emp

Son of Bolesław I the Brave and Emnilda of Lusatia , Unknown ,
Aged about 33 , Country divided, ruler of a Duchy

Usurped ,

, - , Duke

Dytryk Dytryk (''Theoderick'') (born after 992 - died after 1032) – factual or titular district Duke of Poland. Grandson of Mieszko I and his second wife Oda of Haldensleben Oda of Haldensleben (c. 955/60 – 1023) was Duchess of the Polans by marriage ...

also Dietrich and Theoderick
10321033 ''( years)'' , Monarch-emp

Son of

Lambert Mieszkowic Lambert Mieszkowic (c. 981 – after 992/95), was a Polish prince of the House of Piast. He was the fourth son of Mieszko I of Poland, the third born from his second marriage with Oda, daughter of Dietrich of Haldensleben, Margrave of the North Ma ...

Mieszko Mieszkowic Mieszko Mieszkowic (979/984 – aft. 992/95), was a Polish prince, and a member of the House of Piast. He was the second son of Mieszko I of Poland, but eldest born from Mieszko's second marriage to Oda, daughter of Dietrich of Haldensleben, Margr ...

, Unknown ,
Aged about 41 , Country divided, ruler of a Duchy

Usurped ,

, - , Duke
Mieszko II Lambert
10331034
''( years)'' , Matylda wrecza mieszkowi II ksiege liturgiczna

Son of

and Emnilda of Lusatia ,

, 4 children , 10/11 May 1034

Aged about 44 , Restored as duke ,

, - , Duke

Bolesław the Forgotten Bolesław the Forgotten () or the Cruel (; before 1016 – 1038/39) was a semi-legendary King of Poland of the Piast dynasty from 1034 until his death in 1038 or 1039. He was allegedly the first-born son of Mieszko II Lambert. Sources which m ...

pl, Bolesław Zapomniany
10341038/1039
''( years)'' , Monarch-emp

, before 1016

Presumed son of

, Unknown , 1038/1039 , Semi-legendary, existence disputed ,

, - , Duke

Casimir I the Restorer Casimir I the Restorer (; 25 July 1016 – 28 November 1058), a member of the Piast dynasty, was the duke of Poland from 1040 until his death. Casimir was the son of Mieszko II Lambert and Richeza of Lotharingia. He is known as the Restorer beca ...

pl, Kazimierz I Odnowiciel
1034/10401058
''( years)'' , Casimir I the Restorer

, 25 July 1016

Son of

and

, Maria Dobroniega, 5 children , 19 March 1058

Aged 41 , Made prince in 1034, returned from abroad in 1040

Restoration ,

, - , King

Bolesław II the Generous Bolesław II the Bold, also known as the Generous ( pl, Bolesław II Szczodry ; ''Śmiały''; c. 1042 – 2 or 3 April 1081 or 1082), was Duke of Poland from 1058 to 1076 and third King of Poland from 1076 to 1079. He was the eldest son of Duk ...

pl, Bolesław II Szczodry (Śmiały)
10581076 (as duke)
26 December 10761079 (as king)
''( years)'' , Bolesław II Śmiały by Aleksander Lesser

, 1042

Son of

and Maria Dobroniega , Wyszesława, 1 son , 2/3 April 1081

or Ossiach
Aged about 39 , Crowned king in 1076

Deposed and exiled in 1079 after slaying Saint Stanislaus ,

, - , Duke

Władysław I Herman Władysław I Herman ( 1044 – 4 June 1102) was the duke of Poland from 1079 until his death. Accession Władysław was the second son of the Polish duke Casimir the Restorer and Maria Dobroniega of Kiev. As the second son, Władysław was not ...

10794 June 1102
''( years)'' , Władysław I Herman by Aleksander Lesser

, 1044

Son of

and Maria Dobroniega , Przecława

Judith of Bohemia Judith of Bohemia (c. 1056/58 – 25 December 1086), also known as Judith Přemyslid, was a member of the Přemyslid dynasty and duchess of Poland by marriage. She was a daughter of Duke Vratislaus II of Bohemia and Adelaide of Hungary, and was m ...

Judith of Swabia Judith of Swabia ( hu, Sváb Judit, pl, Judyta Szwabska, Judyta Salicka; Summer 1054 – 14 March ca. 1105?), a member of the Salian dynasty, was the youngest daughter of Emperor Henry III from his second marriage with Agnes of Poitou. By her t ...

, 24 June 1102

Płock Płock (pronounced ) is a city in central Poland, on the Vistula river, in the Masovian Voivodeship. According to the data provided by GUS on 31 December 2021, there were 116,962 inhabitants in the city. Its full ceremonial name, according to the ...

Aged about 58 , Succeeded brother after his exile ,

, - , Duke

Zbigniew Zbigniew () is a Polish masculine given name, originally Zbygniew . This West Slavic name is derived from the Polish elements ''Zby-'' (from ''zbyć, zbyć się, or pozbyć się'', meaning "to dispel", "to get rid of") and ''gniew'', meaning "ang ...

11021107
''( years)'' , Zbigniew

Son of

and Przecława (?) , Unknown , 8 July 1113
Aged about 40 , Succession ,

, - , Duke

also Boleslaus III
pl, Bolesław III Krzywousty
11071138
''( years)'' , Boleslav III of Poland

, 20 August 1086

Son of

and

Zbyslava of Kiev Zbyslava of Kiev (russian: Сбыслава Святополковна, pl, Zbysława kijowska; 1085/90 – c. 1114), was a Kievan Rus' princess member of the Rurikid dynasty and by marriage Duchess of Poland. She was the daughter of Sviatop ...

Salomea of Berg Salomea of Berg (german: Salome von Berg, pl, Salomea z Bergu; – 27 July 1144) was a German noblewoman and, by marriage with Prince Bolesław III Wrymouth in 1115, High Duchess of Poland until her husband's death in 1138. Life Salomea was th ...

, 28 October 1138

Sochaczew Sochaczew () is a town in central Poland, with 38,300 inhabitants (2004). In the Masovian Voivodeship (since 1999), formerly in Skierniewice Voivodeship (1975–1998). It is the capital of Sochaczew County. Sochaczew has a narrow-gauge railway ...

Aged 52 , Succession

His death led to the

fragmentation of Poland The period of rule by the Piast dynasty between the 10th and 14th centuries is the first major stage of the history of the Polish state. The dynasty was founded by a series of dukes listed by the chronicler Gall Anonymous in the early 12th cen ...

Fragmentation of Poland (1138–1320)

, - , High Duke
Władysław II the Exile
pl, Władysław II Wygnaniec
11381146
''( years)'' , Władysław II Wygnaniec by Aleksander Lesser

, 1105

Son of

and

Agnes of Babenberg Agnes of Babenberg ( pl, Agnieszka austriacka; 1108/13 – 24/25 January 1163) was a scion of the Franconian House of Babenberg and by marriage High Duchess of Poland and Duchess of Silesia. Family and personality Agnes was a daughter of Leo ...

, 5 children , 30 May 1159

Altenburg Altenburg () is a city in Thuringia, Germany, located south of Leipzig, west of Dresden and east of Erfurt. It is the capital of the Altenburger Land district and part of a polycentric old-industrial textile and metal production region betw ...

Aged 54 , Succession

Deposed and exiled ,

, - , High Duke

Bolesław IV the Curly Bolesław IV the Curly (; 1122 – 5 January 1173), a member of the Piast dynasty, was Duke of Masovia from 1138 and High Duke of Poland from 1146 until his death. Early life Bolesław was the third son of Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth of Polan ...

pl, Bolesław IV Kędzierzawy
11461173
''( years)'' , Bolesław IV Kędzierzawy by Aleksander Lesser

Son of

and

, Viacheslava of Novgorod, 3 children , 5 January 1173
Aged about 51 , Succeeded exiled half-brother ,

, - , High Duke

Mieszko III the Old Mieszko III the Old (c. 1126/27 – 13 March 1202), of the Piast dynasty, was Duke of Greater Poland from 1138 and High Duke of Poland, with interruptions, from 1173 until his death. He was the fourth and second surviving son of Duke Bolesła ...

pl, Mieszko III Stary
11731177
''( years)'' , Mieszko stary

Son of

and

Elisabeth of Hungary Elizabeth of Hungary (german: Heilige Elisabeth von Thüringen, hu, Árpád-házi Szent Erzsébet, sk, Svätá Alžbeta Uhorská; 7 July 1207 – 17 November 1231), also known as Saint Elizabeth of Thuringia, or Saint Elisabeth of Thuringia, ...

Eudoxia of Kiev , 13 March 1202

Kalisz (The oldest city of Poland) , image_skyline = , image_caption = ''Top:'' Town Hall, Former "Calisia" Piano Factory''Middle:'' Courthouse, "Gołębnik" tenement''Bottom:'' Aerial view of the Kalisz Old Town , image_flag = POL Kalisz flag.svg ...

Aged about 75 , Succession

Deposed by brother in 1177 ,

, - , High Duke

Casimir II the Just Casimir II the Just ( pl, Kazimierz II Sprawiedliwy; 28 October 1138 – 5 May 1194) was a Lesser Polish Duke of Wiślica from 1166–1173, and of Sandomierz after 1173. He became ruler over the Polish Seniorate Province at Kraków and thereby Hig ...

pl, Kazimierz II Sprawiedliwy
11771190
''( years)'' , Casimir II of Poland

Son of

and

Helen of Znojmo Helena of Znojmo ( cs, Helena Znojemská; pl, Helena znojemska; c. 1141–1202/1206), was a Bohemian princess, a member of the Přemyslid dynasty. She was the daughter of Duke Conrad II of Znojmo and his Serbian wife Maria of Rascia (daughter of ...

, 7 children , 5 May 1194

Aged about 56 , Usurped power from brother ,

, - , Mieszko III the Old
11901190 , Mieszko stary

, – , – , – , Usurped ,

, - , Casimir II the Just
11901194 , Casimir II of Poland

, – , – , – , Usurped ,

, - , High Duke

Leszek I the White Leszek the White ( pl, Leszek Biały; c. 1184/85 – 24 November 1227) was Prince of Sandomierz and High Duke of Poland in the years 1194–1198, 1199, 1206–1210, and 1211–1227. During the early stages of his reign, his uncle Duke Mieszko I ...

pl, Leszek Biały
11941198
''( years)'' , Jan Matejko, Leszek Biały

, /1185

Son of

and

, Grzymisława of Luck, 2 children , 24 November 1227

Marcinkowo Górne Marcinkowo Górne is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Gąsawa, within Żnin County, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-central Poland. It lies approximately west of Gąsawa, south of Żnin, and south-west of Bydgoszcz. ...

Aged about 43 , Succession ,

, - , Mieszko III the Old
11981199 , Mieszko stary

, – , – , – , Usurped ,

, - , Leszek I the White
11991199 , Jan Matejko, Leszek Biały

, – , – , – , Restored ,

, - , Mieszko III the Old
11991202 , Mieszko stary

, – , – , – , Usurped ,

, - , High Duke

Władysław III Spindleshanks : ''This article refers to the 12th-century Polish monarch. For the 15th-century Jagiellon monarch, see Władysław III of Poland, and for other monarchs with similar names see Ladislaus III (disambiguation)''. Władysław III Spindleshanks ( pl, W ...

pl, Władysław III Laskonogi
12021206
''( years)'' , Jan Matejko, Władysław Laskonogi

Son of

and Eudoxia of Kiev ,

Lucia of Rügen Lucia of Rügen (died 12 February between 1208 and 1231), was the daughter of Jaromar I, Prince of Rügen and his wife Hildegard, daughter of Canute V of Denmark and Helena of Sweden. In 1186, Lucia married Władysław III Spindleshanks, younges ...

, 2 children , 3 November 1231
Aged about 64 , Usurped ,

, - , Leszek I the White
12061210 , Jan Matejko, Leszek Biały

, – , – , – , Restored ,

, - , High Duke

Mieszko IV Tanglefoot Mieszko IV Tanglefoot ( pl, Mieszko IV Plątonogi) (c. 1130 – 16 May 1211) was Duke of Kraków and High Duke of Poland from 9 June 1210 until his death one year later. He was also Duke of Silesia from 1163 to 1173 (with his brother as co-ruler) ...

pl, Mieszko IV Plątonogi
12101211
''( years)'' ,

Son of Władysław II the Exile and

, Ludmila, 5 children , 16 May 1211
Aged about 81 , Usurped ,

, - , Leszek I the White
12111227
''( years)'' , Jan Matejko, Leszek Biały

, – , – , – , Restored

Murdered in 1227 ,

, - , Władysław III Spindleshanks
12271229 , Jan Matejko, Władysław Laskonogi

, – , – , – , Usurped ,

, - , High Duke

Konrad I of Masovia Konrad I of Masovia (ca. 1187/88 – 31 August 1247), from the Polish Piast dynasty, was the sixth Duke of Masovia and Kuyavia from 1194 until his death as well as High Duke of Poland from 1229 to 1232 and again from 1241 to 1243. Life Konrad was ...

12291232
''( years)'' , Konrad I Mazowiecki

, /1188

Son of

and

Agafia of Rus Agafia Svyatoslavna of Rus (between 1190 and 1195 – after 31 August 1247/2 June 1248) was Princess of Masovia by her marriage and was a member of the Rurikid dynasty. Life Agafia was the daughter of Svyatoslav III Igorevich and his wife Yarosl ...

, 10 children , 31 August 1247
Aged about 60 , Usurped ,

, - , High Duke

Henry I the Bearded Henry the Bearded ( pl, Henryk (Jędrzych) Brodaty, german: Heinrich der Bärtige; c. 1165/70 – 19 March 1238) was a Polish duke from the Piast dynasty. He was Duke of Silesia at Wrocław from 1201, Duke of Kraków and High Duke of all Pol ...

pl, Henryk I Brodaty
12321238
''( years)'' , Jan Matejko, Henryk I Brodaty

, /1188

Głogów Głogów (; german: Glogau, links=no, rarely , cs, Hlohov, szl, Głogōw) is a city in western Poland. It is the county seat of Głogów County, in Lower Silesian Voivodeship (since 1999), and was previously in Legnica Voivodeship (1975–1998) ...

Son of

Bolesław I the Tall Bolesław I the Tall ( pl, Bolesław I Wysoki) (born 1127 – died Leśnica (now part of Wrocław), 7 or 8 December 1201) was Duke of Wroclaw from 1163 until his death in 1201. Early years He was the eldest son of Władysław II the Exile by ...

and Christina (?) ,

Hedwig of Andechs Hedwig of Silesia ( pl, Święta Jadwiga Śląska), also Hedwig of Andechs (german: Heilige Hedwig von Andechs, la, Hedvigis; 1174 – 15 October 1243), a member of the Bavarian comital House of Andechs, was Duchess of Silesia from 1201 and ...

, 7 children , 19 March 1238

Krosno Odrzańskie Krosno Odrzańskie (german: Crossen an der Oder) is a city on the east bank of Oder River, at the confluence with the Bóbr. The town in Western Poland with 11,319 inhabitants (2019) is the capital of Krosno Odrzańskie County, Krosno County. I ...

Aged about 73 , Usurped ,

, - , High Duke

Henry II the Pious Henry II the Pious ( pl, Henryk II Pobożny; 1196 – 9 April 1241) was Duke of Silesia and High Duke of Poland as well as Duke of South-Greater Poland from 1238 until his death. Between 1238 and 1239 he also served as regent of Sandomierz and ...

pl, Henryk II Pobożny
12381241
''( years)'' , Henryk II Pobożny (Hedwig Codex)

Son of

Henry the Bearded Henry the Bearded ( pl, Henryk (Jędrzych) Brodaty, german: Heinrich der Bärtige; c. 1165/70 – 19 March 1238) was a Polish duke from the Piast dynasty. He was Dukes of Silesia, Duke of Silesia at Wrocław from 1201, Seniorate Province, Duke ...

and

, Anne of Bohemia, 10 children , 9 April 1241

Legnickie Pole Legnickie Pole (in 1945–1948 ''Dobre Pole'', german: Wahlstatt) is a village in Legnica County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It is the seat of the administrative district ( gmina) called Gmina Legnickie Pole. It lies ...

Aged about 45 , Succession

Killed at the Battle of Legnica ,

, - , High Duke

Bolesław II the Horned Bolesław II the Horned ( pl, Bolesław II Rogatka), known also as Bolesław II the Bald ( pl, Bolesław II Łysy) (c. 1220/5 – 26/31 December 1278), a member of the Silesian Piasts, was High Duke of Poland briefly in 1241 and Duke of Silesia at ...

pl, Bolesław II Rogatka
12411241 , Monarch-emp

, /1225

Son of

and Anne of Bohemia , Hedwig of Anhalt, 7 children
Euphemia of Pomerania
Sophia of Dyhrn , 26 December 1278

Legnica Legnica (Polish: ; german: Liegnitz, szl, Lignica, cz, Lehnice, la, Lignitium) is a city in southwestern Poland, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the Kaczawa River (left tributary of the Oder) and the Czarna Woda (Kaczawa), Czarna Woda ...

, Succession

Deposed ,

, - , High Duke

12411243
''( years)'' , Konrad I Mazowiecki

, /1188

Son of

and

, 10 children , 31 August 1247
Aged about 60 , Usurped ,

, - , High Duke

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

pl, Bolesław V Wstydliwy
12431279
''( years)'' , Jan Matejko, Bolesław Wstydliwy

, 21 June 1226

Stary Korczyn Stary Korczyn is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Nowy Korczyn, within Busko County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, in south-central Poland. It lies approximately west of Nowy Korczyn, south of Busko-Zdrój, and south of the r ...

Son of

and Grzymisława of Luck ,

Kinga of Poland Kinga of Poland (also known as Cunegunda; pl, Święta Kinga, hu, Szent Kinga) (5 March 1224– 24 July 1292) is a saint in the Catholic Church and patroness of Poland and Lithuania. Biography She was born in Esztergom, Kingdom of Hungary ...

, no children , 7 December 1279

Aged 52 , Restored as rightful Duke ,

, - , High Duke

Leszek II the Black Leszek II the Black (c. 1241 – 30 September 1288), was a Polish prince of the House of Piast, Duke of Sieradz since 1261, Duke of Łęczyca since 1267, Duke of Inowrocław in the years 1273-1278, Duke of Sandomierz and High Duke of Poland from ...

pl, Leszek Czarny
12791288
''( years)'' , Leszek Czarny by Aleksander Lesser

Brześć Kujawski Brześć Kujawski (Polish pronunciation: ; or ''Kujawisch Brest''; often anglicized to Kuyavian Brest) is a town in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship of Poland. Once a royal seat of Kuyavia, the town has been the seat of one of two small du ...

Son of

Casimir I of Kuyavia Casimir I of Kuyavia ( pl, Kazimierz I kujawski) (c. 1211 – 14 December 1267) was a Polish prince and a member of the House of Piast. He was Duke of Kujawy after 1233, ruler over Ląd from 1239-1261, ruler over Wyszogród after 1242, Duke of S ...

and

Constance of Wrocław Constance of Wrocław ( pl, Konstancja wrocławska) (c.1221–27 – 21 or 23 February 1257) was a princess of Silesia and the duchess of Kuyavia. She was a member of the Polish House of Piast and mother of Leszek the Black and Ziemomysł of Kuyav ...

Gryfina of Halych Gryfina, or Agrippina (c. 1248between 1305 and 1309) was a Princess of Kraków by her marriage to Leszek II the Black in 1265; she later became a nun and abbess. Family Gryfina was the daughter of Rostislav Mikhailovich (1225–1262), Prince of H ...

, 30 September 1288

Aged about 47 , Succession ,

, - , High Duke

Henryk IV Probus Henryk IV Probus (Latin for ''the Righteous'') ( pl, Henryk IV Probus or ''Prawy''; german: Heinrich IV. der Gerechte) ( – 23 June 1290) was a member of the Silesian branch of the royal Polish Piast dynasty. He was Duke of Silesia at Wro ...

English: ''Henry the Righteous''
pl, Henryk IV Prawy
12881290
''( years)'' , Henryk IV Probus by Aleksander Lesser

, /1258

Son of

Henry III the White Henry III the White ( pl, Henryk III Biały) ( – 3 December 1266), a member of the Silesian Piasts, was Duke of Silesia at Wrocław from 1248 until his death, as co-ruler with his brother Władysław. Life He was the third son of the Polish hi ...

and Judith of Masovia ,

Constance of Opole Constance may refer to: Places *Konstanz, Germany, sometimes written as Constance in English *Constance Bay, Ottawa, Canada *Constance, Kentucky *Constance, Minnesota *Constance (Portugal) * Mount Constance, Washington State People *Constance ...

Matilda of Brandenburg , 23 June 1290

Wrocław Wrocław (; german: Breslau, or . ; Silesian German: ''Brassel'') is a city in southwestern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Silesia. It lies on the banks of the River Oder in the Silesian Lowlands of Central Europe, rou ...

Aged about 32 , Succession ,

Attempt at restoration (1295–1296)

, - , King

English: Premislaus II
12901291 (as duke)

12951296 (as king)
''(1 year)'' , Jan Matejko, Przemysł II

, 14 October 1257

Son of

Przemysł I of Greater Poland Przemysł I (4 June 1221 – 4 June 1257), a member of the Piast dynasty, was Duke of Greater Poland from 1239 until his death, from 1241 with his brother Bolesław the Pious as co-ruler. He was able to re-acquire large parts of Greater Poland, r ...

and

Elisabeth of Wrocław Elisabeth of Wrocław ( Polish: Elżbieta wrocławska) (c. 1232 – 16 January 1265), also known as ''Elisabeth of Poland'', was a daughter of Henry II the Pious and his wife, Anna of Bohemia. She was a member of the House of Piast and was Duch ...

, Ludgarda of Mecklenburg

Richeza of Sweden

Margaret of Brandenburg Margaret of Brandenburg-Salzwedel (german: Margareta, pl, Małgorzata; born ca. 1270 – died 1 May 1315) was a German noblewoman member of the House of Ascania and by her two marriages Duchess of Greater Poland (during 1293–1296), Queen of P ...

, 8 February 1296

Rogoźno Rogoźno (german: Rogasen) is a town in Poland, in Greater Poland Voivodeship, about 40 km north of Poznań. Its population is 11,337 (2010). It is the seat of the administrative district (gmina) called Gmina Rogoźno. History Rogoźno ...

Aged 38 , Crowned king in 1295

Granted Poland its coat of arms

Assassinated ,

House of Přemyslid

, - , King

Wenceslaus II of Bohemia Wenceslaus II Přemyslid ( cs, Václav II.; pl, Wacław II Czeski; 27 SeptemberK. Charvátová, ''Václav II. Král český a polský'', Prague 2007, p. 18. 1271 – 21 June 1305) was King of Bohemia (1278–1305), Duke of Cracow (1291–1 ...

pl, Wacław II Czeski
12961300 (as High Duke)

13001305 (as King)
''( years)'' , Vaclav2 trun

, 27 September 1271

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

Son of

Ottokar II of Bohemia Ottokar II ( cs, Přemysl Otakar II.; , in Městec Králové, Bohemia – 26 August 1278, in Dürnkrut, Lower Austria), the Iron and Golden King, was a member of the Přemyslid dynasty who reigned as King of Bohemia from 1253 until his deat ...

and

Kunigunda of Slavonia Kunigunda Rostislavna (1245 – 9 September 1285; Czech: ''Kunhuta Uherská'' or ''Kunhuta Haličská'') was Queen consort of Bohemia and its regent from 1278 until her death. She was a member of the House of Chernigov, and a daughter of Rosti ...

Judith of Habsburg Judith of Habsburg (german: Guta; 13 March 1271 – 21 May 1297) was queen of Bohemia and Poland from 1285 until her death as the wife of the Přemyslid king Wenceslaus II. Early life Judith was the youngest daughter of King Rudolf I of Germ ...

Elisabeth Richeza of Poland Elizabeth Richeza of Poland ( cs, Eliška-Rejčka; pl, Ryksa-Elżbieta; 1 September 1288 – 19 October 1335), was a Polish princess member of the House of Piast and by her two marriages Queen consort of Bohemia and Poland and Duchess consor ...

, 21 June 1305

Aged 33 , Crowned himself King of Poland in 1300 , Přemyslid , - , ''(Uncrowned)''

Wenceslaus III of Bohemia Wenceslaus III ( cz, Václav III., hu, Vencel, pl, Wacław, hr, Vjenceslav, sk, Václav; 6 October 12894 August 1306) was King of Hungary and King of Croatia, Croatia between 1301 and 1305, and King of Bohemia and King of Poland, Poland from ...

pl, Wacław III Czeski
13051306
''(1 year)'' , Vaclav3 pecet

, 6 October 1289

Son of

Wenceslaus II Wenceslaus II Přemyslid ( cs, Václav II.; pl, Wacław II Czeski; 27 SeptemberK. Charvátová, ''Václav II. Král český a polský'', Prague 2007, p. 18. 1271 – 21 June 1305) was King of Bohemia (1278–1305), Duke of Cracow (1291–1 ...

and

Viola of Teschen Viola of Teschen, later known as Viola Elizabeth ( pl, Wiola Elżbieta cieszyńska, cs, Viola Alžběta Těšínská) (ca. 1291 – 21 September 1317), was Queen of Bohemia and Poland by marriage to Wenceslaus III of Bohemia. She was daughter ...

, 4 August 1306

Olomouc Olomouc (, , ; german: Olmütz; pl, Ołomuniec ; la, Olomucium or ''Iuliomontium'') is a city in the Czech Republic. It has about 99,000 inhabitants, and its larger urban zone has a population of about 384,000 inhabitants (2019). Located on th ...

Aged 16 , Succession

Uncrowned and assassinated , Přemyslid

House of Piast (restored)

, - , King

Ladislaus the Short Ladislaus ( or according to the case) is a masculine given name of Slavic origin. It may refer to: * Ladislaus of Hungary (disambiguation) * Ladislaus I (disambiguation) * Ladislaus II (disambiguation) * Ladislaus III (disambiguation) * Lad ...

pl, Władysław I Łokietek
13061320
(as High Duke)

20 January 1320

2 March 1333
(as King)
''()'' , Władysław Łokietek

Son of

and

Euphrosyne of Opole Euphrosyne of Opole ( pl, Eufrozyna opolska) (1228/30 – 4 November 1292) was a daughter of Casimir I of Opole and his wife Viola, Duchess of Opole. She was a member of the House of Piast and became Duchess of Kuyavia from her first marriage an ...

Jadwiga of Kalisz Jadwiga of Kalisz ( Polish: ''Jadwiga kaliska'' (''Bolesławówna)''; 1266 – 10 December 1339) was a Queen of Poland by marriage to Ladislaus the Short. She was the mother of the last Piast King of Poland, Casimir III. She was the second of thr ...

, 6 children , 2 March 1333

Aged about 73 , Reunited the

Kingdom of Poland The Kingdom of Poland ( pl, Królestwo Polskie; Latin: ''Regnum Poloniae'') was a state in Central Europe. It may refer to: Historical political entities *Kingdom of Poland, a kingdom existing from 1025 to 1031 *Kingdom of Poland, a kingdom exist ...

after fragmentation

Crowned King in 1320 ,

, - , King

pl, Kazimierz III Wielki
25 April 1333

5 November 1370
''()'' , Kazimierz III sarcophagus figure

, 30 April 1310

Kowal Kowal may refer to: *Kowal (surname) Kowal is a Polish surname meaning "wikt:smith, smith". It may refer to: * Andrzej Kowal (born 1971), Polish volleyball coach * Aneta Kowal (born 1991), American model * Austin Kowal (born 1985), American artis ...

Son of

and

Aldona of Lithuania Aldona (baptized ''Ona'' or ''Anna''; her pagan name, Aldona, is known only from the writings of Maciej Stryjkowski; – 26 May 1339) was Queen consort of Poland (1333–1339), and a princess of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. She was the daught ...

Adelaide of Hesse Adelaide of Hesse ( pl, Adelajda heska) (after 1323 – after May 26, 1371) was queen consort of Poland by marriage to Casimir III of Poland. She was daughter of Henry II, Landgrave of Hesse, and his wife Elisabeth of Thuringia, daughter of F ...

Christina Rokiczana Krystyna Rokiczana (died after 1365) was the third wife of Casimir III the Great, of Poland. Since she was the King's third wife in morganatic marriage, she was not a queen consort. Life Krystyna is mentioned in several historical sources, inc ...

Hedwig of Sagan Hedwig of Sagan ( pl, Jadwiga żagańska; before 1350 – 27 March 1390) was Queen of Poland as the fourth wife of Casimir III. Casimir's lack of male heir spelled the end of the Piast Dynasty in the Kingdom of Poland. After Casimir's death in 1 ...

, 5 November 1370

Aged 60 , Succession

Strengthened Poland's position in Europe

Died without a male heir

Last monarch from the Piast Dynasty ,

House of Anjou

, - , King

Louis Louis may refer to: * Louis (coin) * Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name * Louis (surname) * Louis (singer), Serbian singer * HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy See also Derived or associated terms * Lewis ( ...

pl, Ludwik Węgierski
17 November 1370

10 September 1382
''()'' , Louis I (Chronica Hungarorum)

Coa Hungary Country History Lajos I (1370)

, 5 March 1326

Visegrád Visegrád (; german: Plintenburg; la, Pone Navata or ; sk, Vyšehrad) is a castle town in Pest County, Hungary. It is north of Budapest on the right bank of the Danube in the Danube Bend. It had a population of 1,864 in 2010. The town is the s ...

Son of

Charles I of Hungary Charles I, also known as Charles Robert ( hu, Károly Róbert; hr, Karlo Robert; sk, Karol Róbert; 128816 July 1342) was King of Hungary and Croatia from 1308 to his death. He was a member of the Capetian House of Anjou and the only son of ...

and

Elizabeth of Poland Elizabeth of Poland ( hu, Erzsébet, pl, Elżbieta; 1305 – 29 December 1380) was Queen of Hungary by marriage to Charles I of Hungary, and regent of Poland from 1370 to 1376 during the reign of her son Louis I. Life Early life She was a memb ...

, Margaret of Bohemia

Elizabeth of Bosnia Elizabeth of Bosnia ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=/, Elizabeta Kotromanić, Елизабета Котроманић; hu, Kotromanics Erzsébet; pl, Elżbieta Bośniaczka; – January 1387) was queen consort of Hungary and Croatia, as well ...

, 10 September 1382
Nagyszombat (Trnava)
Aged 56 , Succeeded his uncle, Casimir III, to the Polish throne ,

Anjou Anjou may refer to: Geography and titles France * County of Anjou, a historical county in France and predecessor of the Duchy of Anjou **Count of Anjou, title of nobility *Duchy of Anjou, a historical duchy and later a province of France **Duk ...

, - , King

Hedwig Hedwig may refer to: People and fictional characters * Hedwig (name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Grzegorz Hedwig (born 1988), Polish slalom canoeist * Johann Hedwig, (1730–1799), German botanist * Romanus Adol ...

pl, Jadwiga
16 October 1384

17 July 1399
''()'' , Jadwiga Andegaweńska seal 1386

, 3 October 137418 February 1374

Buda Buda (; german: Ofen, sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Budim, Будим, Czech and sk, Budín, tr, Budin) was the historic capital of the Kingdom of Hungary and since 1873 has been the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest, on the ...

Daughter of

Louis I of Hungary Louis I, also Louis the Great ( hu, Nagy Lajos; hr, Ludovik Veliki; sk, Ľudovít Veľký) or Louis the Hungarian ( pl, Ludwik Węgierski; 5 March 132610 September 1382), was King of Hungary and Croatia from 1342 and King of Poland from 1370 ...

and

(Jogaila) , 17 July 1399

Aged 25 , Succeeded her father in Poland

Her husband was crowned ''

jure uxoris ''Jure uxoris'' (a Latin phrase meaning "by right of (his) wife"), citing . describes a title of nobility used by a man because his wife holds the office or title ''suo jure'' ("in her own right"). Similarly, the husband of an heiress could becom ...

'' on 4 March 1386 ,

House of Jagiellon

, - , King

lt, Jogaila
4 March 1386

1 June 1434
''()'' , Jogaila (Władysław II)

, /1362

Vilnius Vilnius ( , ; see also other names) is the capital and largest city of Lithuania, with a population of 592,389 (according to the state register) or 625,107 (according to the municipality of Vilnius). The population of Vilnius's functional urb ...

Son of Algirdas, Grand Duke of Lithuania, Algirdas and Uliana of Tver , Hedwig of Poland (Jadwiga)

Anna of Cilli

Elisabeth of Pilica

Sophia of Halshany , 1 June 1434
Gródek Jagielloński, Gródek
Aged 72–82 , Born a pagan

Previously

Crowned co-ruler with wife Hedwig of Poland, Hedwig

Longest-reigning Polish monarch , House of Jagiellon, Jagiellon , - , King
Władysław III of Poland, Władysław III
English: Ladislaus III of Varna
pl, Władysław III Warneńczyk
25 July 1434

10 November 1444
''()'' , Toruń - Władysław III

, 31 October 1424

Son of Jogaila and Sophia of Halshany , Unmarried and childless , 10 November 1444
Varna, Bulgaria, Varna
Aged 20 , Succeeded his father in Poland

Killed at the Battle of Varna

Interregnum until 1447 , House of Jagiellon, Jagiellon , - , King
Casimir IV Jagiellon, Casimir IV
pl, Kazimierz IV Jagiellończyk
25 June 1447

7 June 1492
''()'' , Kazimier Jagajłavič

, 30 November 1427

Son of Jogaila and Sophia of Halshany , Elizabeth of Austria (1436–1505), Elizabeth of Habsburg, 13 children , 7 June 1492
Grodno
Aged 64 , Succession

Previously Grand Duke of Lithuania

Divided the Polish-Lithuanian realm between John I Albert, John and Alexander Jagiellon, Alexander , House of Jagiellon, Jagiellon , - , King
John I Albert
pl, Jan I Olbracht
23 September 1492

17 June 1501
''()'' , PL Gloger-Encyklopedja staropolska ilustrowana T

PL Gloger-Encyklopedja staropolska ilustrowana T

, 27 December 1459

Son of Casimir IV Jagiellon, Casimir IV and Elizabeth of Austria (1436–1505), Elizabeth of Habsburg , Unmarried and childless , 17 June 1501
Toruń
Aged 41 , Succeeded his father in Poland

Laid foundation for the Sejm and Senate of Poland, Senate (Polish Parliament) , House of Jagiellon, Jagiellon , - , King
Alexander Jagiellon, Alexander
pl, Aleksander Jagiellończyk
12 December 1501

19 August 1506
''()'' , Goraj Miracle of Saint Simeon Stylites (detail)

Goraj Miracle of Saint Simeon Stylites (detail)

, 5 August 1461

Son of Casimir IV Jagiellon, Casimir IV and Elizabeth of Austria (1436–1505), Elizabeth of Habsburg , Helena of Moscow, childless , 19 August 1506

Aged 45 , Succeeded his brother in Poland

Previously Grand Duke of Lithuania

Buried in Lithuania , House of Jagiellon, Jagiellon , - , King

pl, Zygmunt I Stary
8 December 1506

1 April 1548
''()'' , Kulmbach Sigismund I the Old

, , 1 January 1467
Kozienice

Son of Casimir IV Jagiellon, Casimir IV and Elizabeth of Austria (1436–1505), Elizabeth of Habsburg , Barbara Zápolya

Bona Sforza of Milan , 1 April 1548

Aged 81 , Succeeded his brother in Poland and Lithuania , House of Jagiellon, Jagiellon , - , King

pl, Zygmunt II August
1 April 1548

7 July 1572
''()'' , Cranach the Younger Sigismund II Augustus

, 1 August 1520

Son of Sigismund I the Old, Sigismund I and Bona Sforza , Elizabeth of Austria (1526–1545), Elizabeth of Austria

Barbara Radziwiłł

Catherine of Austria, Queen of Poland, Catherine of Austria , 7 July 1572
Knyszyn
Aged 51 , Succession

Formation of the

with an

Last male member of the Jagiellonian Dynasty, died heirless , House of Jagiellon, Jagiellon

Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, 1569–1795

, - , King
Henry III of France, Henry
pl, Henryk Walezy
16 May 1573

12 May 1575
''()'' , Henri III - portrait after Jean Decourt - Musée Condé

, 19 September 1551
Château de Fontainebleau, Fontainebleau

Son of Henry II of France, Henry II and Catherine de' Medici , Louise of Lorraine, no children , 2 August 1589
Château de Saint-Cloud, Saint-Cloud
Aged 37 , Elected

Left Poland in June 1574 to succeed his Charles IX of France, brother in France

Interregnum until 1575 , House of Valois, Valois , - , Queen
Anna Jagiellon, Anna
pl, Anna Jagiellonka
15 December 1575

19 August 1587
''(de facto)''
''()''

9 September 1596
''(de jure)''
''()'' , Kober Anna Jagiellon as a widow

, 18 October 1523

Daughter of Sigismund I the Old, Sigismund I and Bona Sforza ,

, no children , 9 September 1596
Warsaw
Aged 72 , Elected co-monarch with

Sole ruler until Báthory's arrival and coronation in May 1576

Ruled after husband's death until her nephew was elected , Jagiellonian Dynasty, Jagiellon , - , King

pl, Stefan Batory
1 May 1576

12 December 1586
''()'' , Riehl Portrait of Stephen Bathory

, 27 September 1533
Șimleu Silvaniei, Szilágysomlyó (Șimleu Silvaniei)

Son of Stephen Báthory of Somlyó and Catherine Telegdi , Anna Jagiellon, no children , 12 December 1586
Grodno
Aged 53 , Elected as co-monarch with Anna Jagiellon

Previously Prince of Transylvania , Báthory family, Báthory , - , King
Sigismund III Vasa, Sigismund III
pl, Zygmunt III Waza
19 August 1587

30 April 1632
''()'' , Rubens Sigismund III Vasa

, 20 June 1566
Gripsholm Castle, Gripsholm

Son of John III of Sweden and Catherine Jagiellon , Anne of Austria, Queen of Poland, Anne of Austria

Constance of Austria , 30 April 1632
Warsaw
Aged 65 , Elected, nephew of Anna Jagiellon

Transferred capital from

to Warsaw

Hereditary King of

until deposition in 1599 , House of Vasa, Vasa , - , King
Władysław IV
also Ladislaus IV
pl, Władysław IV Waza
8 November 1632

20 May 1648
''()'' , Rubens Władysław Vasa

, 9 June 1595
Łobzów

Son of Sigismund III Vasa, Sigismund III and Anne of Austria, Queen of Poland, Anne of Austria , Cecilia Renata of Austria

Marie Louise Gonzaga , 20 May 1648
Merkinė
Aged 52 , Elective succession

Also titular King of Sweden and elected Tsar of Russia (1610–1613) when the Polish army captured Moscow , House of Vasa, Vasa , - , King

pl, Jan II Kazimierz
20 November 1648

16 September 1668
''()'' , Schultz John II Casimir Vasa

, 22 March 1609

Son of Sigismund III Vasa, Sigismund III and Constance of Austria , Marie Louise Gonzaga

Claudine Françoise Mignot (morganatic marriage) , 16 December 1672
Nevers
Aged 63 , Elective succession, succeeded half-brother

Previously a Cardinal (Catholic Church), cardinal

Titular King of Sweden

Abdication, Abdicated , House of Vasa, Vasa , - , King
Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki, Michael I
pl, Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki
19 June 1669

10 November 1673
''()'' , King Michael Korybut Wisniowiecki

Coat of Arms of Michal Korybut Wisniowiecki as king of Poland

, 31 May 1640
Bilyi Kamin, Biały Kamień

Son of Jeremi Wiśniowiecki and Gryzelda Konstancja Wiśniowiecka, Gryzelda Konstancja Zamoyska , Eleonora Maria of Austria, no children , 10 November 1673
Lwów
Aged 33 , Elected

Born into nobility of mixed heritage, the son of a military commander and governor , Wiśniowiecki , - , King

pl, Jan III Sobieski
19 May 1674

17 June 1696
''()'' , Schultz John III Sobieski

Coat of Arms of Jan Sobieski as king of Poland

, 17 August 1629
Olesko Castle, Olesko

Son of Jakub Sobieski and Teofila Zofia Sobieska, Teofila Zofia , Marie Casimire Louise de La Grange d'Arquien, Marie Casimire d'Arquien, 13 children , 17 June 1696
Wilanów Palace, Wilanów
Aged 66 , Elected

Born into nobility

A successful military commander , House of Sobieski, Sobieski , - , King
Augustus the Strong, Augustus II
pl, August II Mocny
15 September 1697

1706
''(1st reign, 9 years)'' , August II the Strong

, 12 May 1670
Dresden

Previously Elector and ruler of

Dethroned by Stanislaus I in 1706 during the Great Northern War , House of Wettin, Wettin , - , King
Stanislaus I
pl, Stanisław I Leszczyński
12 July 1704

8 July 1709
''(1st reign, )'' , Mányoki Stanislaus Leszczyński

Coat of Arms of Stanislaus Leszczynski as king of Poland

, 20 October 1677
Lwów

Son of Rafał Leszczyński (1650–1703), Rafał Leszczyński and Anna Leszczyńska (1660–1727), Anna Jabłonowska , Catherine Opalińska, 2 children , 23 February 1766
Lunéville
Aged 88 , Usurped

Nominated as ruler in 1704, crowned in 1705 and deposed predecessor in 1706

Exiled in 1709 , House of Leszczyński, Leszczyński , - , King
Augustus the Strong, Augustus II
pl, August II Mocny
8 July 1709

1 February 1733
''(2nd reign, )'' , August II (1670-1733)

, 12 May 1670
Dresden

Son of John George III, Elector of Saxony, John George III and Princess Anna Sophie of Denmark , Christiane Eberhardine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth, 1 son by wife , 1 February 1733
Warsaw
Aged 62 , Restored , House of Wettin, Wettin , - , King
Stanislaus I
pl, Stanisław I Leszczyński
12 September 1733

26 January 1736
''(2nd reign, )'' , Portrait of Stanisław I Leszczyński

, 20 October 1677
Lwów

Son of Rafał Leszczyński (1650–1703), Rafał Leszczyński and Anna Leszczyńska (1660–1727), Anna Jabłonowska , Catherine Opalińska, 2 children , 23 February 1766
Lunéville
Aged 88 , Elected

His election sparked the War of the Polish Succession

Deposed by

in 1736 , House of Leszczyński, Leszczyński , - , King
Augustus III
pl, August III Sas
5 October 1733

5 October 1763
''(30 years)'' , , , 17 October 1696
Dresden

Son of

and Christiane Eberhardine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth, Christiane Eberhardine , Maria Josepha of Austria, 16 children , 5 October 1763
Dresden
Aged 66 , Usurped

Proclaimed King of Poland in 1733, crowned in 1734

Dethroned elected predecessor in 1736 , House of Wettin, Wettin , - , King
Stanislaus II Augustus
pl, Stanisław II August
7 September 1764

25 November 1795
''()'' , Vigee Stanislaw Augustus

Coat of Arms of Stanislaus Augustus as king of Poland

, 17 January 1732
Wołczyn

Son of Stanisław Poniatowski (1676–1762), Stanisław Poniatowski and Konstancja Czartoryska (1700–1759), Konstancja Czartoryska , Unmarried , 1 February 1798
Saint Petersburg
Aged 66 , Elected

Born into nobility

Last King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, his reign ended in the Partitions of Poland , House of Poniatowski, Poniatowski

Duchy of Warsaw, 1807–1815

, - , Grand Duke
Frederick Augustus I
pl, Fryderyk August I
9 June 1807

22 May 1815
''()'' , , , 23 December 1750
Dresden

Son of Frederick Christian, Elector of Saxony and Duchess Maria Antonia of Bavaria, Maria Antonia of Bavaria , Amalie of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld,
1 daughter , 5 May 1827
Dresden
Aged 76 , Treaties of Tilsit

Designated as a king of Poland by General Confederation of the Kingdom of Poland, 1812. , House of Wettin, Wettin

Pretenders to the Polish throne

* Vratislaus II of Bohemia (1085–1092) * Rudolf I of Bohemia (1306–1307) * Henry of Bohemia (1307–1310) * John of Bohemia (1310–1335) * Archduke Charles Stephen of Austria (1916–1918) * Kiril, Prince of Preslav (1916–1918)

Modern

* Alexander, Margrave of Meissen (2012–), disputed * Rüdiger, Margrave of Meissen (2012–2022), disputed * Daniel, Margrave of Meissen (2022–), disputed. Son of Rüdiger

Not recognized royal elections

* Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor, Maxmilian II Habsburg (1575–1576), ''See: 1576 Free election'' * Maximilian III, Archduke of Austria, Maxmilian III Habsburg (1587–1589), ''See: 1587 Free election'' * François Louis, Prince of Conti, François Louis de Bourbon (1697), ''See: 1697 Free election''

References

Bibliography

* Duczmal M., Jagiellonowie. Leksykon biograficzny, Kraków 1996. * Dybkowska A., Żaryn J., Żaryn M., Polskie dzieje. Od czasów najdawniejszych po współczesność, wyd. 2, Warszawa 1995. * Józef Andrzej Gierowski, Gierowski J.A., Rzeczpospolita w dobie złotej wolności (1648–1763), Kraków 2001. * Stanisław Grodziski, Grodziski S., Polska w czasach przełomu (1764–1815), Kraków 2001. * Grodziski S., Porównawcza historia ustrojów państwowych, Kraków 1998. * Stanisław Grzybowski, Grzybowski S., Dzieje Polski i Litwy (1506–1648), Kraków 2000. * Morby J.E., Dynastie świata. Przewodnik chronologiczny i genealogiczny, Kraków 1995, s. 261–263. * Jerzy Wyrozumski, Wyrozumski J., Dzieje Polski piastowskiej (VIII w.-1370), Kraków 1999. * Benedykt Zientara, Zientara B., Henryk Brodaty i jego czasy, wyd. 2, Warszawa 1997.

External links

* Górczyk, Wojciech
"Półksiężyc, orzeł, lew i smok. Uwagi o godłach napieczętnych Piastów"
Histmag.org June 14, 2009 {{Poland topics Polish monarchs, Polish history timelines, Monarchs Lists of monarchs, Poland Lists of Polish people, Monarchs Lists of European rulers, Poland lt:Lenkijos karalius