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 populou ...

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 r ...

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. ...

s (10th to 14th centuries) or by kings (11th to 18th centuries). During the latter period, a tradition of

free election An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy has oper ...

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 Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting of another, usually a child, from that person's biological or legal parent or parents. Legal adoptions permanently transfer all rights and responsibilities, along with filiation, from ...

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 popula ...

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 betwe ...

, 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 or Władysław I the Elbow-high and dukes like Bolesław III Wrymouth. The dynasty ceased to exist with the death of Casimir III the Great 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 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, Cr ...

. 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'', "figh ...

, 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— Ho ...

, 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. ...

, 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 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, 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 per ...

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. 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 t ...

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 Li ...

, who witnessed the introduction of the Golden Liberty system and Stephen Báthory, 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 memb ...

initially expanded the Commonwealth as the arts and crafts developed, as well as trade and commerce. King Sigismund III Vasa, 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 countries, Nordic c ...

. His son, Władysław IV Vasa, 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. 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, Sobi ...

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 (

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 German, 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 ...

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 ...

) 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 ...

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, 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 Fre ...

, 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 monar ...

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 according to folktales, tribal leader , Lechites (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, Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland un ...

, Lechites (Tribe) , - ,
, Monarch-emp

,
Son of Krakus I , Unknown , , Succession , Lechites (Tribe) , - ,

, Lech II

,
Son of Krakus I, brother of Krakus II , Unknown , , Succession , Lechites (Tribe) , - ,
also Wąda
, Chronica Polonorum Vanda

,
Daughter of Krakus, sister of Krakus II and Lech II , Unknown , , Succession , Lechites (Tribe) , - , Duke

also Leszek

, LestekPrim1581

,

, Unknown ,

, Birth name Przemysław, defeated the Hungarians and was crowned

Elected , Goplans and Polans (Tribes) , - , Duke

, LestekBis1581

,
Presumed son of Leszko I, Alleged progenitor of the Popielids dynasty , Unknown , , Succession , Popielids , - , Duke

, LestekTri1581

,
Presumed son of Leszko II , Unknown , , Succession , Popielids , - , 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 , Popielids , - , Duke

, PopielBis1581

,
Presumed son of Popiel I , 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 , Popielids , - ,
, Piast

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

'' from the early 12th century , Piast

Semi-legendary

The three direct predecessors of Mieszko I are known only from the account of Gallus Anonymus, 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 cent ...

and Rzepicha , Unknown , 9th century , Named the Duke of the Polans after his father, Piast the Wheelwright, refused to take the place of legendary Duke Popiel

Elected , Piast , , - , Duke

also Leszek or Lestko
9th century

10th century , Walery Eljasz-Radzikowski, Leszek s

, 880
Presumed son of Siemowit , Unknown , 950 , Named the Duke of the Polans after succeeding his father

Succession , Piast , , - , Duke

also Ziemomysł
Latin: Zemomislaus
10th century

/960 , Walery Eljasz-Radzikowski, Ziemomysl

,
Presumed son of Lestek , Unknown , 960 , Named the Duke of the Polans after succeeding his father

Succession , Piast ,

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

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 Joh ...

Aged about 62 , First Christian ruler of Poland

Succession , Piast , - , 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 Doubravka of Bohemia , Hunilda, daughter of Rikdag

Judith of Hungary

Emnilda of Lusatia Emnilda ( pl, Emnilda słowiańska; – 1017), was a Slavic noblewoman and Duchess of Poland from 992 by her marriage with the Piast ruler Bolesław I the Brave. Ancestry She was a daughter of Dobromir, a Slavic ruler who in a 1013 entry wa ...

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 , Piast , - , King

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

Son of

and

, Richeza of Lotharingia, 4 children , 10/11 May 1034

Aged about 44 , Crowned king

Succession

Deposed as a result of the Pagan Rebellion , Piast , - , Duke
Bezprym
10311032 ''( years)'' , Bezprym

Son of Bolesław I the Brave and Judith of Hungary , Unknown ,
Aged about 46 , Country divided, ruler of a Duchy

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

Son of Bolesław I the Brave and

, Unknown ,
Aged about 33 , Country divided, ruler of a Duchy

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

Son of

and

, Richeza of Lotharingia, 4 children , 10/11 May 1034

Aged about 44 , Restored as duke , Piast , - , 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 me ...

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

, before 1016

Presumed son of

, Unknown , 1038/1039 , Semi-legendary, existence disputed , Piast , - , Duke
Casimir I the Restorer
pl, Kazimierz I Odnowiciel
1034/10401058
''( years)'' ,

, 25 July 1016

Son of

and Richeza of Lotharingia , Maria Dobroniega, 5 children , 19 March 1058

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

Restoration , Piast , - , King
Bolesław II the Generous
pl, Bolesław II Szczodry (Śmiały)
10581076 (as duke)
26 December 10761079 (as king)
''( years)'' , Bolesław II Śmiały by Aleksander Lesser

, 1042

Son of Casimir I the Restorer and Maria Dobroniega , Wyszesława, 1 son , 2/3 April 1081

Ossiach Ossiach ( sl, Osoje) is a municipality in the Feldkirchen District in the Austrian state of Carinthia. The small settlement is mainly known for Ossiach Abbey. Geography It is located at the southern shore of Lake Ossiach, on the slope of the sm ...

Aged about 39 , Crowned king in 1076

Deposed and exiled in 1079 after slaying Saint Stanislaus , Piast , - , 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 Casimir I the Restorer and Maria Dobroniega , Przecława

Judith of Bohemia

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
Aged about 58 , Succeeded brother after his exile , Piast , - , 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 , Piast , - , Duke
Bolesław III Wrymouth
also Boleslaus III
pl, Bolesław III Krzywousty
11071138
''( years)'' , Boleslav III of Poland

, 20 August 1086
Płock

Son of

and Judith of Bohemia , Zbyslava of Kiev

Salomea of Berg , 28 October 1138
Sochaczew
Aged 52 , Succession

His death led to the fragmentation of Poland , Piast

Fragmentation of Poland (1138–1320)

, - , High Duke

Władysław II the Exile : ''This article refers to the 12th century Polish monarch. For the 14th century founder of the Jagiellon dynasty, see Jogaila, and for other monarchs with similar names, see Ladislaus II (disambiguation).'' Vladislaus II the Exile ( pl, Władys ...

pl, Władysław II Wygnaniec
11381146
''( years)'' , Władysław II Wygnaniec by Aleksander Lesser

, 1105

Son of Bolesław III Wrymouth and Zbyslava of Kiev ,

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 Le ...

, 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 , Piast , - , 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 Bolesław III Wrymouth and Salomea of Berg ,

Viacheslava of Novgorod Viacheslava of Novgorod (russian: Вячеслава новгородская, pl, Wierzchosława Nowogrodzka; c. 1125 – 15 March by 1162?), was a Kievan Rus' princess member of the House of Rurik and by marriage Duchess of Masovia and Kuyavia ...

, 3 children , 5 January 1173
Aged about 51 , Succeeded exiled half-brother , Piast , - , 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 Bolesław III Wrymouth and Salomea of Berg , Elisabeth of Hungary

Eudoxia of Kiev Eudoxia Iziaslavna of Kiev (russian: Евдокия Изяславна, pl, Eudoksja Izjasławówna, italic=no; c. 1131 – c. 1187), was a Kievan Rus' princess member of the Rurikid dynasty and by marriage Duchess of Greater Poland and since 11 ...

, 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 , Piast , - , 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 Hi ...

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

Son of Bolesław III Wrymouth and Salomea of Berg , Helen of Znojmo, 7 children , 5 May 1194

Aged about 56 , Usurped power from brother , Piast , - , Mieszko III the Old
11901190 , Mieszko stary

, – , – , – , Usurped , Piast , - , Casimir II the Just
11901194 , Casimir II of Poland

, – , – , – , Usurped , Piast , - , High Duke
Leszek I the White
pl, Leszek Biały
11941198
''( years)'' , Jan Matejko, Leszek Biały

, /1185

Son of

and Helen of Znojmo , Grzymisława of Luck, 2 children , 24 November 1227
Marcinkowo Górne
Aged about 43 , Succession , Piast , - , Mieszko III the Old
11981199 , Mieszko stary

, – , – , – , Usurped , Piast , - , Leszek I the White
11991199 , Jan Matejko, Leszek Biały

, – , – , – , Restored , Piast , - , Mieszko III the Old
11991202 , Mieszko stary

, – , – , – , Usurped , Piast , - , 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

, Lucia of Rügen, 2 children , 3 November 1231
Aged about 64 , Usurped , Piast , - , Leszek I the White
12061210 , Jan Matejko, Leszek Biały

, – , – , – , Restored , Piast , - , High Duke
Mieszko IV Tanglefoot
pl, Mieszko IV Plątonogi
12101211
''( years)'' ,

Son of

and

, Ludmila, 5 children , 16 May 1211
Aged about 81 , Usurped , Piast , - , Leszek I the White
12111227
''( years)'' , Jan Matejko, Leszek Biały

, – , – , – , Restored

Murdered in 1227 , Piast , - , Władysław III Spindleshanks
12271229 , Jan Matejko, Władysław Laskonogi

, – , – , – , Usurped , Piast , - , High Duke
Konrad I of Masovia
12291232
''( years)'' , Konrad I Mazowiecki

, /1188

Son of

and Helen of Znojmo ,

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 , Piast , - , 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 P ...

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

, /1188
Głogów

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 h ...

and Christina (?) , Hedwig of Andechs, 7 children , 19 March 1238
Krosno Odrzańskie
Aged about 73 , Usurped , Piast , - , High Duke
Henry II the Pious
pl, Henryk II Pobożny
12381241
''( years)'' , Henryk II Pobożny (Hedwig Codex)

,
Głogów

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 Duke of Silesia at Wrocław from 1201, Duke of Kraków and High Duke of all P ...

and Hedwig of Andechs ,

Anne of Bohemia Anne of Bohemia (11 May 1366 – 7 June 1394), also known as Anne of Luxembourg, was Queen of England as the first wife of King Richard II. A member of the House of Luxembourg, she was the eldest daughter of Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor and ...

, 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 a ...

Aged about 45 , Succession

Killed at the

Battle of Legnica The Battle of Legnica ( pl, bitwa pod Legnicą), also known as the Battle of Liegnitz (german: Schlacht von Liegnitz) or Battle of Wahlstatt (german: Schlacht bei Wahlstatt), was a battle between the Mongol Empire and combined European forces t ...

, Piast , - , High Duke
Bolesław II the Horned
pl, Bolesław II Rogatka
12411241 , Monarch-emp

, /1225
Głogów

Son of Henry II the Pious and

, 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. Between 1 June 197 ...

, Succession

Deposed , Piast , - , High Duke
Konrad I of Masovia
12411243
''( years)'' , Konrad I Mazowiecki

, /1188

Son of

and Helen of Znojmo ,

, 10 children , 31 August 1247
Aged about 60 , Usurped , Piast , - , High Duke
Bolesław V the Chaste
pl, Bolesław V Wstydliwy
12431279
''( years)'' , Jan Matejko, Bolesław Wstydliwy

, 21 June 1226
Stary Korczyn

Son of Leszek I the White 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 , Piast , - , High Duke
Leszek II the Black
pl, Leszek Czarny
12791288
''( years)'' , Leszek Czarny by Aleksander Lesser

,
Brześć Kujawski

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 Si ...

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 Kuyavi ...

, Gryfina of Halych , 30 September 1288

Aged about 47 , Succession , Piast , - , High Duke
Henryk IV Probus
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 * Constan ...

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, r ...

Aged about 32 , Succession , Piast

Attempt at restoration (1295–1296)

, - , King
Przemysł II
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 and Elisabeth of Wrocław , Ludgarda of Mecklenburg

Richeza of Sweden

Margaret of Brandenburg , 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 , Piast

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 dea ...

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 Rostis ...

, Judith of Habsburg

Elisabeth Richeza of Poland , 21 June 1305

Aged 33 , Crowned himself King of Poland in 1300 , Přemyslid , - , ''(Uncrowned)''
Wenceslaus III of Bohemia
pl, Wacław III Czeski
13051306
''(1 year)'' , Vaclav3 pecet

, 6 October 1289

Son of Wenceslaus II and Judith of Habsburg ,

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 t ...

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) * Ladis ...

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 and ...

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 thre ...

, 6 children , 2 March 1333

Aged about 73 , Reunited the Kingdom of Poland after fragmentation

Crowned King in 1320 , Piast , - , King
Casimir III the Great
pl, Kazimierz III Wielki
25 April 1333

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

, 30 April 1310
Kowal

Son of Władysław I the Elbow-high 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

Christina Rokiczana

Hedwig of Sagan , 5 November 1370

Aged 60 , Succession

Strengthened Poland's position in Europe

Died without a male heir

Last monarch from the Piast Dynasty , Piast

House of Anjou

, - , King
Louis
pl, Ludwik Węgierski
17 November 1370

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

Coa Hungary Country History Lajos I (1370)

, 5 March 1326
Visegrád

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 , Margaret of Bohemia

Elizabeth of Bosnia , 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 **Duke ...

, - , King
Hedwig
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 Elizabeth of Bosnia ,

(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 beco ...

'' 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 urba ...

Son of

Algirdas Algirdas ( be, Альгерд, Alhierd, uk, Ольгерд, Ольґерд, Olherd, Olgerd, pl, Olgierd; – May 1377) was the Grand Duke of Lithuania. He ruled the Lithuanians and Ruthenians from 1345 to 1377. With the help of his br ...

and

Uliana of Tver Uliana Alexandrovna of Tver (russian: Юлиания Александровна Тверская; – 17 March 1391) was a daughter of Prince Alexander of Tver and Anastasia of Halych (daughter of Yuri I of Galicia). She was the second wif ...

Hedwig of Poland Jadwiga (; 1373 or 137417 July 1399), also known as Hedwig ( hu, Hedvig), was the first woman to be crowned as monarch of the Kingdom of Poland. She reigned from 16 October 1384 until her death. She was the youngest daughter of Louis the Great ...

(Jadwiga)

Anna of Cilli

Elisabeth of Pilica Elizabeth Granowska or Elisabeth Pilecki ( pl, Elżbieta Granowska z Pileckich / Elżbieta z Pilczy; – 12 May 1420 in Kraków) was Queen consort of Poland (1417–1420) as the third wife of Władysław II Jagiełło (Jogaila), Grand Duke of Li ...

Sophia of Halshany Sophia (Sonka) of Halshany or Sophia Holshanska ( be, Соф'я Гальшанская, translit=Sofja Halšanskaja; lt, Sofija Alšėniškė; pl, Zofia Holszańska; – September 21, 1461 in Kraków) was a princess of Halshany and was Queen ...

, 1 June 1434
Gródek
Aged 72–82 , Born a pagan

Previously

Crowned co-ruler with wife Hedwig

Longest-reigning Polish monarch , Jagiellon , - , King
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

, Unmarried and childless , 10 November 1444
Varna
Aged 20 , Succeeded his father in Poland

Killed at the Battle of Varna

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

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

, 30 November 1427

Son of Jogaila and

, Elizabeth of Habsburg, 13 children , 7 June 1492

Grodno Grodno (russian: Гродно, pl, Grodno; lt, Gardinas) or Hrodna ( be, Гродна ), is a city in western Belarus. The city is located on the Neman River, 300 km (186 mi) from Minsk, about 15 km (9 mi) from the Polish b ...

Aged 64 , Succession

Previously Grand Duke of Lithuania

Divided the Polish-Lithuanian realm between

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Secon ...

and Alexander , Jagiellon , - , King

John I Albert John I Albert ( pl, Jan I Olbracht; 27 December 1459 – 17 June 1501) was King of Poland from 1492 until his death in 1501 and Duke of Głogów (Glogau) from 1491 to 1498. He was the fourth Polish sovereign from the Jagiellonian dynasty, the s ...

pl, Jan I Olbracht
23 September 1492

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

, 27 December 1459

Son of Casimir IV and Elizabeth of Habsburg , Unmarried and childless , 17 June 1501

Toruń )'' , image_skyline = , image_caption = , image_flag = POL Toruń flag.svg , image_shield = POL Toruń COA.svg , nickname = City of Angels, Gingerbread city, Copernicus Town , pushpin_map = Kuyavian-Pom ...

Aged 41 , Succeeded his father in Poland

Laid foundation for the

Sejm The Sejm (English: , Polish: ), officially known as the Sejm of the Republic of Poland ( Polish: ''Sejm Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej''), is the lower house of the bicameral parliament of Poland. The Sejm has been the highest governing body of ...

and

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

(Polish Parliament) , Jagiellon , - , King
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 and Elizabeth of Habsburg ,

Helena of Moscow Helena Ivanovna of Moscow (russian: Елена Ивановна; lt, Elena; pl, Helena Moskiewska; 19 May 1476 – 20 January 1513) was daughter of Ivan III the Great, Grand Prince of Moscow, and an uncrowned Grand Duchess of Lithuania and Qu ...

, childless , 19 August 1506

Aged 45 , Succeeded his brother in Poland

Previously Grand Duke of Lithuania

Buried in Lithuania , Jagiellon , - , King

pl, Zygmunt I Stary
8 December 1506

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

, , 1 January 1467

Kozienice Kozienice (; yi, קאזשניץ ''Kozhnits''; german: Koschnitz) is a town in eastern Poland with 21,500 inhabitants (1995). Located four miles from the Vistula, it is the capital of Kozienice County. Even though Kozienice is part of Lesser ...

Son of Casimir IV and Elizabeth of Habsburg , Barbara Zápolya

Bona Sforza Bona Sforza d'Aragona (2 February 1494 – 19 November 1557) was Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania as the second wife of Sigismund I the Old, and Duchess of Bari and Rossano by her own right. She was a surviving member of ...

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city ...

, 1 April 1548

Aged 81 , Succeeded his brother in Poland and Lithuania , 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 and

, Elizabeth of Austria

Barbara Radziwiłł Barbara Radziwiłł ( pl, Barbara Radziwiłłówna, lt, Barbora Radvilaitė; 6 December 1520/23 – 8 May 1551) was Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania as consort of Sigismund II Augustus, the last male monarch of the Jagiellon dyna ...

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

Formation of the

with an

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

Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, 1569–1795

, - , King
Henry
pl, Henryk Walezy
16 May 1573

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

, 19 September 1551

Fontainebleau Fontainebleau (; ) is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-et-Marne department, and it is the seat of the ''arrondissemen ...

Son of Henry II and

Catherine de' Medici Catherine de' Medici ( it, Caterina de' Medici, ; french: Catherine de Médicis, ; 13 April 1519 – 5 January 1589) was an Florentine noblewoman born into the Medici family. She was Queen of France from 1547 to 1559 by marriage to King ...

Louise of Lorraine Louise of Lorraine (french: Louise de Lorraine-Vaudémont; 30 April 1553 – 29 January 1601) was Queen of France as the wife of King Henry III from their marriage on 15 February 1575 until his death on 2 August 1589. During the first three mon ...

, no children , 2 August 1589
Saint-Cloud
Aged 37 , Elected

Left Poland in June 1574 to succeed his

brother A brother is a man or boy who shares one or more parents with another; a male sibling. The female counterpart is a sister. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to refer to non-famili ...

in France

Interregnum until 1575 , Valois , - , Queen

Anna Anna may refer to: People Surname and given name * Anna (name) Mononym * Anna the Prophetess, in the Gospel of Luke * Anna (wife of Artabasdos) (fl. 715–773) * Anna (daughter of Boris I) (9th–10th century) * Anna (Anisia) (fl. 1218 to 1221) ...

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 and

, Stephen Báthory, no children , 9 September 1596

Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officiall ...

Aged 72 , Elected co-monarch with Stephen Báthory

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

Ruled after husband's death until her nephew was elected , Jagiellon , - , King
Stephen Báthory
pl, Stefan Batory
1 May 1576

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

, 27 September 1533
Szilágysomlyó (Șimleu Silvaniei)

Son of Stephen Báthory of Somlyó and

Catherine Telegdi Catherine Telegdi ( Hungarian: Katalin Telegdi) (1492–1547) was a Hungarian noble lady, the daughter of royal treasurer Stephen Telegdi and his wife Margit Bebek de Pelsőcz. Family Telegdi married the deputy voivode of Transylvania Steph ...

Anna Jagiellon Anna Jagiellon ( pl, Anna Jagiellonka, lt, Ona Jogailaitė; 18 October 1523 – 9 September 1596) was Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania from 1575 to 1587. Daughter of Polish King Sigismund I the Old and Italian duchess Bona ...

, no children , 12 December 1586

Aged 53 , Elected as co-monarch with

Previously Prince of

Transylvania Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the A ...

, Báthory , - , King

Sigismund III 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 ...

pl, Zygmunt III Waza
19 August 1587

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

, 20 June 1566

Gripsholm Gripsholm Castle ( sv, Gripsholms slott) is a castle in Mariefred, Södermanland, Sweden. It is located by lake Mälaren in south central Sweden, in the municipality of Strängnäs, about 60 km west of Stockholm. Since Gustav Vasa, Grips ...

Son of

John III of Sweden John III ( sv , Johan III, fi, Juhana III; 20 December 1537 – 17 November 1592) was King of Sweden from 1569 until his death. He was the son of King Gustav I of Sweden and his second wife Margaret Leijonhufvud. He was also, quite autonomou ...

and

Catherine Jagiellon Catherine Jagiellon ( pl, Katarzyna Jagiellonka; sv, Katarina Jagellonica, Lithuanian: ''Kotryna Jogailatė''; 1 November 1526 – 16 September 1583) was a Polish princess and Queen of Sweden as the first wife of King John III. As such, she ...

Anne of Austria Anne of Austria (french: Anne d'Autriche, italic=no, es, Ana María Mauricia, italic=no; 22 September 1601 – 20 January 1666) was an infanta of Spain who became Queen of France as the wife of King Louis XIII from their marriage in 1615 unt ...

Constance of Austria , 30 April 1632

Aged 65 , Elected, nephew of Anna Jagiellon

Transferred capital from

to Warsaw

Hereditary King of

until deposition in 1599 , 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

and

Cecilia Renata of Austria Cecilia Renata of Austria (german: Cäcilia Renata, pl, Cecylia Renata; 16 July 1611 – 24 March 1644) was Queen of Poland as the wife of King Władysław IV Vasa. Selection and coronation Cecilia Renata was a daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Fe ...

Marie Louise Gonzaga , 20 May 1648

Merkinė Merkinė is a town in the Dzūkija National Park in Lithuania, located at the confluence of the Merkys, Stangė, and Nemunas rivers. Merkinė is one of the oldest settlements in Lithuania. The first settlers inhabited the confluence of Merkys an ...

Aged 52 , Elective succession

Also titular King of Sweden and elected Tsar of Russia (1610–1613) when the Polish army captured

, Vasa , - , King

pl, Jan II Kazimierz
20 November 1648

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

, 22 March 1609

Son of

and Constance of Austria , Marie Louise Gonzaga

Claudine Françoise Mignot (

morganatic marriage Morganatic marriage, sometimes called a left-handed marriage, is a marriage between people of unequal social rank, which in the context of royalty or other inherited title prevents the principal's position or privileges being passed to the spous ...

) , 16 December 1672
Nevers
Aged 63 , Elective succession, succeeded half-brother

Previously a Cardinal (Catholic Church), cardinal

Titular King of Sweden

Abdication, Abdicated , 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

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

Aged 62 , Elected

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

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