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Zbigniew (also known as Zbygniew; c. 1073 – 8 July 1113?M. Spórna, P. Wierzbicki: ''Słownik władców Polski i pretendentów do tronu polskiego'', p. 501; B. Snoch: ''Protoplasta książąt śląskich'', Katowice, 1985, p. 13, .), was a duke of Poland (in
Greater Poland Greater Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska (; german: Großpolen, sv, Storpolen, la, Polonia Maior), is a historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief and largest city is Poznań followed by Kalisz, the oldest cit ...
,
Kuyavia Kuyavia ( pl, Kujawy; german: Kujawien; la, Cuiavia), also referred to as Cuyavia, is a historical region in north-central Poland, situated on the left bank of Vistula, as well as east from Noteć River and Lake Gopło. It is divided into three ...
and Masovia) during 1102–1107. He was the first-born son of
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 ...
and Przecława, possibly a member of the Prawdzic family. Zbigniew was considered illegitimate, and after the birth of his half-brother Bolesław Wrymouth was destined for the Church. At the end of the 11th century, when real power in the country was held by the Palatine
Sieciech Sieciech (mid 11th century AD – early 12th century AD) was a medieval Polish magnate and statesman. Biography All information about Sieciech has come down from the chronicler Gallus Anonymus. He was a count palatine at the court of duke Wła ...
, the opposition of some Silesian magnates caused the return of Zbigniew to Poland and forced Władysław I to recognize him as his successor. The intrigues of Sieciech and Władysław I's second wife Judith Maria caused Zbigniew and his younger half-brother to become allies, and both in the end forced their father to divide the country between them and to exile the Palatine. After the death of his father, Zbigniew obtained the northern part of the country as an equal ruler with Bolesław. However, conflicts between them arose, because Zbigniew, as the elder, considered himself the sole rightful heir of the kingdom. He began to search for allies against Bolesław. During 1102-1106 a fratricidal war for supremacy ensued, in which Zbigniew suffered complete defeat and was forced to go into exile in Germany. Under the pretext of restoring him, Emperor Henry V invaded Poland in 1109, but was defeated at Głogów. In subsequent years, Boleslaw failed to defeat Bohemia, and in 1111 had to make peace with it and with his overlord, the Emperor. One of the conditions of Henry V was the return of Zbigniew to Poland, where he received a minor domain. For unknown reasons, shortly after his return Zbigniew was blinded, and then died.


Early years


Childhood

According to 15th-century reports,
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 ...
married a Pole, a member of the Prawdzic family. This union took place ca. 1070 under Slavic rites without a church ceremony.M. Spórna, P. Wierzbicki: ''Słownik władców Polski i pretendentów do tronu polskiego'', p. 499. Some scholars argue that the marriage, although made under
pagan Paganism (from classical Latin ''pāgānus'' "rural", "rustic", later "civilian") is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Judaism. I ...
rites, was lawful. They claim that not until the end of the 12th century did the
Papal legate 300px, A woodcut showing Henry II of England greeting the pope's legate. A papal legate or apostolic legate (from the ancient Roman title '' legatus'') is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic ...
Peter of Capua, who stayed in Poland during 1197, order that only marriages performed under Church rites (Latin: ''matrimonium in facie ecclesie contrahere'') would be considered as legitimate, following the writings of the ''Rocznik krakowsk''. The exact birth date of Władysław I Herman's first-born son is unknown. According to Oswald Balzer, Zbigniew was born in the first half of the 1070s, and Gerard Labuda agrees a birth date in the early 1070s, while Roman Grodecki argues for Zbigniew's birth taking place around 1073, and Kazimierz Jasiński for a birth date between 1070 and 1073.K. Jasiński: ''Rodowód pierwszych Piastów'', p. 182. Zbigniew's legitimacy was questioned in the later years of his life, when it was bruited abroad that he was the son of Władysław I's concubine. Despite this Zbigniew grew up in Władysław I's court and in the absence of others, was recognized as his father's heir.S. Trawkowski: ''Zbigniew'' n ''Poczet królów i książąt polskich'', Warsaw 1978, p. 72. In 1079 after his older brother
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 ...
was deposed, Władysław I became the ruler of Poland. By this time he had probably already had Masovia as his own separate district. According to historians, the new ruler was quickly noted as incompetent, and the population began to miss the achievements of the exiled Prince. In 1080, Władysław I married Princess Judith, daughter of Duke
Vratislaus II of Bohemia Vratislaus II (or Wratislaus II) ( cs, Vratislav II.) (c. 1032 – 14 January 1092), the son of Bretislaus I and Judith of Schweinfurt, was the first King of Bohemia as of 15 June 1085, his royal title granted as a lifetime honorific from Holy ...
; Przecława, his first (but unrecognized according to the Church R. Grodecki, S. Zachorowski, J. Dąbrowski: ''Dzieje Polski średniowiecznej'', vol. I, p. 130.) wife was then banished from court. The elevation of his father to the Princely throne, the departure of his mother, who was sent with her family meant for young Zbigniew his removal from the first place in the succession. Around 1086 Władysław I's rule in Poland was threatened by the coronation of his father-in-law Vratislaus II as King of Bohemia and Poland, who at the same time concluded an alliance with King Ladislaus I of Hungary. Władysław I's legitimacy was questioned by the supporters of the exiled Bolesław II and his only son and rightful heir, Mieszko Bolesławowic. Afraid of losing his position, in 1086 Władysław I recalled his nephew (and his mother) from their Hungarian exile. Mieszko received the district 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 ...
and later married (1088) a
Rurikid The Rurik dynasty ( be, Ру́рыкавічы, Rúrykavichy; russian: Рю́риковичи, Ryúrikovichi, ; uk, Рю́риковичі, Riúrykovychi, ; literally "sons/scions of Rurik"), also known as the Rurikid dynasty or Rurikids, was ...
princess. These moves led the opposition to stop questioning the legality of Władysław I's rule. The situation was further complicated by the prince because he didn't have a legitimate son. Zbigniew, his first-born son, couldn't be considered as heir, because he was a product of a union not recognized by the Church.


Loss of Primogeniture

In 1086, Judith of Bohemia finally gave birth to a son, the future
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 ...
, and with this Zbigniew's situation changed dramatically. In that year, he was placed in the
Canonry A canon (from the Latin , itself derived from the Greek , , "relating to a rule", "regular") is a member of certain bodies in subject to an ecclesiastical rule. Originally, a canon was a cleric living with others in a clergy house or, later, i ...
of Kraków, despite being too young to be ordained a priest. This position was likely arranged by Judith of Bohemia to keep Zbigniew away from the line of succession. Dowager Duchess Maria Dobroniega, Zbigniew's paternal grandmother, guided his ecclesiastical studies.K. Maleczyński, ''Bolesław III Krzywousty'' pp 22-23. It's known that the first teacher of Zbigniew was Otto, who later became Bishop of Bamberg. In addition to the
religious Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatur ...
teachings, he taught him
dialectic Dialectic ( grc-gre, διαλεκτική, ''dialektikḗ''; related to dialogue; german: Dialektik), also known as the dialectical method, is a discourse between two or more people holding different points of view about a subject but wishing ...
,
grammar In linguistics, the grammar of a natural language is its set of structural constraints on speakers' or writers' composition of clauses, phrases, and words. The term can also refer to the study of such constraints, a field that includes doma ...
and the works of
Isidore of Seville Isidore of Seville ( la, Isidorus Hispalensis; c. 560 – 4 April 636) was a Spanish scholar, theologian, and archbishop of Seville. He is widely regarded, in the words of 19th-century historian Montalembert, as "the last scholar of ...
. Due to his young age, Zbigniew hadn't received the customary priestly journey. A few months after the birth of her son, Judith of Bohemia died. In 1089 Władysław I married again. The chosen bride was Judith Maria,M. Spórna, P. Wierzbicki: ''Słownik władców Polski i pretendentów do tronu polskiego'', p. 229. sister of
Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV (german: Heinrich IV; 11 November 1050 – 7 August 1106) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1084 to 1105, King of Germany from 1054 to 1105, King of Italy and Burgundy from 1056 to 1105, and Duke of Bavaria from 1052 to 1054. He was the ...
and widow of the ex-King
Solomon of Hungary Solomon, also Salomon ( hu, Salamon; 1053–1087) was King of Hungary from 1063. Being the elder son of Andrew I, he was crowned king in his father's lifetime in 1057 or 1058. However, he was forced to flee from Hungary after his uncle, Béla I, ...
; she was renamed ''Sophia'', perhaps to distinguish herself from Władysław I's first wife. Zbigniew's relationship with her was a cold one. The position of Bolesław as legitimate heir was still threatened by Mieszko Bolesławowic, who was popular with the Polish aristocracy. This probably contributed to his death in 1089, allegedly poisoned by order of Sieciech and Judith Maria. In that year, Zbigniew was sent to
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 ...
, thanks to the intrigues of his new stepmother. Once there he was placed in Quedlinburg Abbey, where Judith Maria's sister
Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
was Abbess. Probably while there he was finally ordained a priest. As taking holy orders would render Zbigniew ineligible for the succession, Władysław I hoped to eliminate the two main pretenders to the throne, secure the inheritance of his legitimate son Bolesław and weaken the growing opposition against him.


Rule of Sieciech

During the stay of Zbigniew in Quedlinburg, his father Władysław I became dependent on his supporter, Count Palatine
Sieciech Sieciech (mid 11th century AD – early 12th century AD) was a medieval Polish magnate and statesman. Biography All information about Sieciech has come down from the chronicler Gallus Anonymus. He was a count palatine at the court of duke Wła ...
, to whom Władysław probably owed his throne.R. Grodecki, S. Zachorowski, J. Dąbrowski: ''Dzieje Polski średniowiecznej'', vol. I, p. 128. Sieciech was also the first guardian of Bolesław, still a minor. In his intrigues to take over control of the country, the Palatine was supported by the Prince's wife Judith Maria.K. Maleczyński: ''Bolesław III Krzywousty'', p. 30. In 1090, Sieciech, with his militia, took control of
Gdańsk Pomerania Gdańsk Pomerania ( pl, Pomorze Gdańskie), csb, Gduńsczim Pòmòrzã, german: Danziger Pommern) is a geographical region within Pomerelia in northern and northwestern Poland, covering the bulk of Pomeranian Voivodeship. It forms a part and ...
. Władysław I prevented further actions through fortification of major towns and burning of others. Several months later, a rebellion of the elite of Gdańsk restored their independence. In the autumn of 1091, Polish and Bohemian militia made a further but unsuccessful invasion of
Pomerania Pomerania ( pl, Pomorze; german: Pommern; Kashubian: ''Pòmòrskô''; sv, Pommern) is a historical region on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea in Central Europe, split between Poland and Germany. The western part of Pomerania belongs to ...
which culminated in a battle at the
Wda The Wda (german: Schwarzwasser) is a river in Poland; it has a lowland character. The Wda is one of the 15 main canoe trails in Poland. It is 198 km long and the surface of its catchment area amounts to 2325 km2. The Wda's average gra ...
river.M. Spórna, P. Wierzbicki: ''Słownik władców Polski i pretendentów do tronu polskiego'', p. 445. During this time, Polish policy was focused on
Kievan Rus' Kievan Rusʹ, also known as Kyivan Rusʹ ( orv, , Rusĭ, or , , ; Old Norse: ''Garðaríki''), was a state in Eastern and Northern Europe from the late 9th to the mid-13th century.John Channon & Robert Hudson, ''Penguin Historical Atlas o ...
. The
Rurikid The Rurik dynasty ( be, Ру́рыкавічы, Rúrykavichy; russian: Рю́риковичи, Ryúrikovichi, ; uk, Рю́риковичі, Riúrykovychi, ; literally "sons/scions of Rurik"), also known as the Rurikid dynasty or Rurikids, was ...
princes of the Rostislavich line, then in power in Russia, didn't recognise Polish sovereignty, and invaded Poland repeatedly, especially Prince Vasilko of Terebovlia, allied with the
Kipchaks The Kipchaks or Qipchaks, also known as Kipchak Turks or Polovtsians, were a Turkic nomadic people and confederation that existed in the Middle Ages, inhabiting parts of the Eurasian Steppe. First mentioned in the 8th century as part of the ...
. Sieciech was installed as the effective ruler of Poland. He demonstrated this by minting his own coin and consolidated his position by appointing his supporters to the judiciary. The main motivation of Sieciech was his lust for power and wealth, and adopted violent methods to achieve them. The repressive actions of Sieciech (selling into slavery, removal from offices, sentences of exileR. Grodecki, S. Zachorowski, J. Dąbrowski: ''Dzieje Polski średniowiecznej'', vol. I, p. 129.) caused a massive political emigration from Polish territories to
Bohemia Bohemia ( ; cs, Čechy ; ; hsb, Čěska; szl, Czechy) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. Bohemia can also refer to a wider area consisting of the historical Lands of the Bohemian Crown ruled by the Bohem ...
.


Legitimization and division of the Polish state


Act of Legitimization

The consequence of Sieciech's actions was a growing opposition against his rule. In 1093, a group of powerful Silesian lords kidnapped Zbigniew and returned him to Poland. Initially, Zbigniew was protected by Magnus, the
Castellan A castellan is the title used in Medieval Europe for an appointed official, a governor of a castle and its surrounding territory referred to as the castellany. The title of ''governor'' is retained in the English prison system, as a remnant ...
of
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 ...
. Władysław I took this as a clear revolt against him. The knighthood, who supported Zbigniew, broke off all negotiations with Sieciech and Władysław I when news reached them about the disloyal behaviour of some Hungarian knights, who abducted both Sieciech and Bolesław. This forced Władysław I to issue an Act of Legitimization which recognized Zbigniew as his son, member of the
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 ...
and rightful successor. By 1096, Sieciech and Bolesław had escaped from Hungary and launched an expedition against Silesia and Kujawy to overturn the Act of Legitimization. Zbigniew steadfastly defied the advance of Władysław I and Sieciech's troops. However, despite the help of Pomeranian troops, Zbigniew was defeated at the Battle of Goplo. He was captured and imprisoned until the intervention of the Church secured his release on 1 May 1097 at the consecration of the rebuilt Gniezno Cathedral.R. Grodecki, S. Zachorowski, J. Dąbrowski: ''Dzieje Polski średniowiecznej'', vol. I, p. 131. At the same time, the Act of Legitimization was reinstated. After the intrigues of Sieciech and Judith Maria to take power had been discovered, Zbigniew and Bolesław became allies. In 1098, both princes forced Władysław I to give them separate provinces. Władysław I conceded and made a formal division of his lands. Zbigniew received
Greater Poland Greater Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska (; german: Großpolen, sv, Storpolen, la, Polonia Maior), is a historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief and largest city is Poznań followed by Kalisz, the oldest cit ...
(including
Gniezno Gniezno (; german: Gnesen; la, Gnesna) is a city in central-western Poland, about east of Poznań. Its population in 2021 was 66,769, making it the sixth-largest city in the Greater Poland Voivodeship. One of the Piast dynasty's chief cities, ...
),
Kuyavia Kuyavia ( pl, Kujawy; german: Kujawien; la, Cuiavia), also referred to as Cuyavia, is a historical region in north-central Poland, situated on the left bank of Vistula, as well as east from Noteć River and Lake Gopło. It is divided into three ...
, Łęczyca and Sieradz Land. Bolesław received
Lesser Poland Lesser Poland, often known by its Polish name Małopolska ( la, Polonia Minor), is a historical region situated in southern and south-eastern Poland. Its capital and largest city is Kraków. Throughout centuries, Lesser Poland developed a ...
,
Silesia Silesia (, also , ) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Silesia, Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at around 8,000,000. S ...
, Lubusz Land and probably
Sandomierz Sandomierz (pronounced: ; la, Sandomiria) is a historic town in south-eastern Poland with 23,863 inhabitants (as of 2017), situated on the Vistula River in the Sandomierz Basin. It has been part of Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship (Holy Cross Prov ...
and Lublin on the
Bug River uk, Західний Буг be, Захо́дні Буг , name_etymology = , image = Wyszkow_Bug.jpg , image_size = 250 , image_caption = Bug River in the vicinity of Wyszków, Poland , map = Vi ...
(near
Brześć nad Bugiem Brest ( be, Брэст / Берасьце, Bieraście, ; russian: Брест, ; uk, Берестя, Berestia; lt, Brasta; pl, Brześć; yi, בריסק, Brisk), formerly Brest-Litovsk (russian: Брест-Литовск, lit=Lithuanian Br ...
). Władysław I kept Masovia and its capital, Plock as well as major cities including
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 ...
,
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 ...
and
Sandomierz Sandomierz (pronounced: ; la, Sandomiria) is a historic town in south-eastern Poland with 23,863 inhabitants (as of 2017), situated on the Vistula River in the Sandomierz Basin. It has been part of Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship (Holy Cross Prov ...
.


Exile of Sieciech

The division of Poland and the admission of Władysław I's sons as co-rulers worried Sieciech. He feared that this could weaken his position.S. Szczur: ''Historia Polski – średniowiecze'', p. 120. According to historiography, it remains unclear why Władysław I supported Sieciech rather than his sons. Zbigniew and Bolesław renewed their alliance and prepared for war. This renewal was formalised by the magnate
Skarbimir Skarbimir of the Clan Awdaniec (died before 1132) was a Medieval Polish magnate, tutor, advisor and count palatine of Polish monarch Bolesław III Wrymouth. Biography Early life Skarbimir was a son of Michal the Old of the Clan Abdank, one time ...
at the '' Wiec'' in
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 ...
. It was then decided that nobleman Wojsław Powała (a relative of Sieciech) be removed as Bolesław's guardian and that an expedition against the Palatine be organized. In 1099 the opposing forces met in a battle at the river Pilica near Zarnowiec. Zbigniew and Bolesław prevailed. The defeated Władysław I agreed to permanently remove Sieciech from his position. A few months later, Zbigniew and Bolesław attacked Sieciechów, where the Palatine was hidden. Surprisingly, Władysław I, with a little army came to aid Sieciech. In this situation, the princes decided to deposed their father. In a campaign to encircle Sieciech and Władysław I, Zbigniew marched against Masovia, where he took control of
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 th ...
, while Bołeslaw was directed to the South, where he could conquer Lesser Poland.M. K. Barański: ''Dynastia Piastów w Polsce'', p. 185. However, Władysław I predicted the maneuvers of his sons and directed his forces to Masovia. The definitive battle between both armies took place near
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 th ...
. Władysław I was defeated and forced to exile Sieciech from the country. Martin I, Archbishop of Gniezno. also took a major part in the disagreements between Władysław I and his sons. The Palatine left Poland around 1100-1101 and went to Germany. He returned to Poland a few years later, but didn't play any political role. He may have been blinded. Władysław I died on 4 June 1102.P. Jasienica: ''Polska Piastów'', Warsaw 2007, p. 117. .


Reign


Struggle for supremacy (1102–1106)

The division of the country between Zbigniew and Bolesław III gave both princes full control over their respective districts. From the lands of Władysław I, Zbigniew received Masovia (with
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 th ...
) and Bolesław III received
Sandomierz Sandomierz (pronounced: ; la, Sandomiria) is a historic town in south-eastern Poland with 23,863 inhabitants (as of 2017), situated on the Vistula River in the Sandomierz Basin. It has been part of Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship (Holy Cross Prov ...
. However, disputes began between both rulers over seniority.S. Szczur: ''Historia Polski – średniowiecze'', p. 121. Zbigniew considered himself the senior ruler, and believed this reflected the general view.R. Grodecki, S. Zachorowski, J. Dąbrowski: ''Dzieje Polski średniowiecznej'', vol. I, p. 135. The provinces of Zbigniew and Bolesław III operated as separate states with their own internal and foreign policies, leading to discord between the two rulers. In their districts the brothers allied with the local nobility. Each of them sought foreign allies. Pomerania became a contentious issue between them, because Bolesław III made military incursions in order to expand there. Zbigniew, on the other hand, wanted to maintain good economic and political relations with Pomerania. In one of Bolesław's first organized expeditions to Pomerania, Zbigniew managed to persuade the knighthood not to participate, which enraged the junior ruler. However, this situation didn't last, because in the next few months the knights were again in favor of Bolesław's expeditions and accompanied him several times to the West (including
Prussia Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an e ...
). In autumn of 1102 Wrymouth organized an expedition, during which his ''Drużyna '' (army) captured
Białogard Białogard (pronounced , german: Belgard, ; Pomeranian: ''Biôłogard'') is a historic town in Middle Pomerania, northwestern Poland, with 23,614 inhabitants as of December 2021. The capital of Białogard County in the West Pomeranian Voivod ...
. The Pomeranians retaliated by attacking Zbigniew, who at that point allied with Bohemia in order to pressure Bolesław III to make piece. Instead, the junior prince made alliances with
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 ...
and
Kievan Rus' Kievan Rusʹ, also known as Kyivan Rusʹ ( orv, , Rusĭ, or , , ; Old Norse: ''Garðaríki''), was a state in Eastern and Northern Europe from the late 9th to the mid-13th century.John Channon & Robert Hudson, ''Penguin Historical Atlas o ...
, the latter sealed by his marriage to Zbyslava, daughter of Grand Prince Sviatopolk II of Kiev in 1103. Zbigniew declined to attend the wedding, seeing in this union a direct threat against him. Zbigniew bribedM. K. Barański: ''Dynastia Piastów w Polsce'', p. 195. Borivoj II of Bohemia to invade Bolesław III's lands. Bolesław III reacted by ravaging and looting the Pomeranian border regions and
Moravia Moravia ( , also , ; cs, Morava ; german: link=yes, Mähren ; pl, Morawy ; szl, Morawa; la, Moravia) is a historical region in the east of the Czech Republic and one of three historical Czech lands, with Bohemia and Czech Silesia. The ...
; after this, in exchange for a huge payment, Borivoj II ended his alliance with Zbigniew. The incursions in 1103—unsuccessful battle for
Kołobrzeg Kołobrzeg ( ; csb, Kòlbrzég; german: Kolberg, ), ; csb, Kòlbrzég , is a port city in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in north-western Poland with about 47,000 inhabitants (). Kołobrzeg is located on the Parsęta River on the south coast ...
—and during 1104-1105 effectively destroyed Zbigniew's peaceful relationship with Pomerania.M. Spórna, P. Wierzbicki: ''Słownik władców Polski i pretendentów do tronu polskiego'', p. 62. In 1105, Zbigniew and Bolesław III agreed to compromise in matters of foreign policy. However, with respect to Pomerania, the agreement (called the ''Tyniec Accord'') failed. The following year, Zbigniew refused to help his brother in his fight against the Pomeranians. In retaliation, and with the help of his Kievan and Hungarian allies, Bolesław III attacked Zbigniew’s lands, triggering a civil war over the overlordship. The combined army took
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 ...
,
Gniezno Gniezno (; german: Gnesen; la, Gnesna) is a city in central-western Poland, about east of Poznań. Its population in 2021 was 66,769, making it the sixth-largest city in the Greater Poland Voivodeship. One of the Piast dynasty's chief cities, ...
, Spycimierz and Leczyca without difficulty.R. Grodecki, S. Zachorowski, J. Dąbrowski: ''Dzieje Polski średniowiecznej'', vol. I, p. 137. Bolesław III also captured Archbishop
Martin I Martin I may refer to: * Pope Martin I (c. 590/600–655), bishop of Rome 649–655 * Martin I (bishop of Oviedo) (died 1101) * Martin I (archbishop of Gniezno) (died after 1112) * Martin I of Aragon (1356–1410) * Martin I of Sicily (1374/6–1 ...
of
Gniezno Gniezno (; german: Gnesen; la, Gnesna) is a city in central-western Poland, about east of Poznań. Its population in 2021 was 66,769, making it the sixth-largest city in the Greater Poland Voivodeship. One of the Piast dynasty's chief cities, ...
, Zbigniew's primary ally.M. Spórna, P. Wierzbicki: ''Słownik władców Polski i pretendentów do tronu polskiego'', p. 500. In Łęczyca, through the mediation of the
Bishop of Kraków A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ...
, Baldwin, Zbigniew capitulated.S. Szczur: ''Historia Polski – średniowiecze'', p. 122. Bolesław III became the 'High Duke of all Poland', and gained from Zbigniew the regions of
Greater Poland Greater Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska (; german: Großpolen, sv, Storpolen, la, Polonia Maior), is a historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief and largest city is Poznań followed by Kalisz, the oldest cit ...
,
Kuyavia Kuyavia ( pl, Kujawy; german: Kujawien; la, Cuiavia), also referred to as Cuyavia, is a historical region in north-central Poland, situated on the left bank of Vistula, as well as east from Noteć River and Lake Gopło. It is divided into three ...
, Łęczyca and Sieradz Land. Zbigniew retained Masovia as a fiefdom.


End of Reign

In 1107 Zbigniew organized a rebellion after refusing to burn the fortress of
Kurów Kurów () is a village in south-eastern Poland, located in the historic province of Lesser Poland, between Puławy and Lublin, on the Kurówka River. It is capital of a separate gmina (municipality) called Gmina Kurów, within Lublin Voivodeship ...
in
Puławy Puławy (, also written Pulawy) is a city in eastern Poland, in Lesser Poland's Lublin Voivodeship, at the confluence of the Vistula and Kurówka Rivers. Puławy is the capital of Puławy County. The city's 2019 population was estimated at 47,4 ...
. Bolesław III used this rebellion and the prior failure to provide him with military support in his campaign against Pomerania as excuses to attack Zbigniew.M. K. Barański: ''Dynastia Piastów w Polsce'', p. 201. In the winter of 1107-1108, Bolesław III and his Kievan-Hungarian allies attacked Masovia. Zbigniew was forced to surrender and was exiled from the country. Since then, Bolesław III became the sole ruler over all Poland. The actual transfer of power took place the year before (1107) when Zbigniew was still in Masovia, when he paid complete homage to his brother for his land. Initially, Zbigniew took refuge in
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 ...
, where he gained the support of the local ruler, Svatopluk.


Last Years


Claims against Bolesław III

The immediate cause of the Polish-German War of 1109 was Bolesław's attack on Bohemia in 1108, which thwarted a planned German-Bohemian expedition against Hungary. This resulted in a joint expedition against Bolesław by Emperor Henry V and his Bohemian allies. However, the Emperor used the claims of the exiled Zbigniew as a secondary pretext. Henry made an ultimatum to Bolesław III: surrender half of Poland to Zbigniew, formally recognize the Holy Roman Empire as overlord, and pay a regular tribute of 300 pieces of fine silver or provide 300 knights on military expeditions. Hostilities began in
Silesia Silesia (, also , ) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Silesia, Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at around 8,000,000. S ...
. Bolesław III conducted a highly effective guerrilla war against the Holy Roman Emperor and his allies, and eventually he defeated them at the
Battle of Hundsfeld The Battle of Hundsfeld or Battle of Psie Pole was said to be fought on 24 August 1109 near the Silesian capital Wrocław between the Holy Roman Empire in aid of the claims of the exiled Piast duke Zbigniew against his ruling half-brother, Bolesł ...
on 24 August 1109, although the existence of this battle is doubted by historians because it was first recorded about a century later. The sources don't reveal whether Zbigniew took direct part in the expedition.


Blinding and death

In 1110, Bolesław III campaigned unsuccessfully against Bohemia. His intention was to install yet another pretender on the Czech throne, Soběslav I, who sought refuge in Poland. He won a decisive victory against the Czechs at the Battle of Trutina on 8 October 1110; however, following the battle, he broke off the campaign. The reason for this is speculated to be the unpopularity of Soběslav I among Czechs as well as Bolesław III’s unwillingness to further damage his relations with the Holy Roman Empire. In 1111 Duke Vladislav I of Bohemia and Bolesław III negotiated a truce, under which both Soběslav I and Zbigniew would be returned their homelands. Once in Poland, Zbigniew received a grant of land, probably Sieradz. Bolesław III probably agreed to the return of his half-brother as a result of pressure from the many supporters of the exiled prince in 1108, who, according to the reports of Gallus Anonymus, was surrounded by bad advisers (likely including Martin I, Archbishop of Gniezno). Once in Poland, Zbigniew claimed sovereignty over his previous domains at the instigation of this group. The first step towards this was his presence in the
Advent Advent is a Christian season of preparation for the Nativity of Christ at Christmas. It is the beginning of the liturgical year in Western Christianity. The name was adopted from Latin "coming; arrival", translating Greek '' parousia''. ...
ceremonial (forbidden to him after he recognized Bolesław as his overlord in Łęczyca in 1107), which is reserved for rulers. Zbigniew arrived surrounded by attendants, a sword carried before him. This was likely perceived by Boleslaw III as an act of treason and caused a definitive breach in their relationship. These factors likely influenced Bolesław III's decision to have Zbigniew blinded, in 1112. Bolesław III was
excommunicated Excommunication is an institutional act of religious censure used to end or at least regulate the communion of a member of a congregation with other members of the religious institution who are in normal communion with each other. The purpose ...
by Archbishop Martin I, whom remained as strong a supporter of Zbigniew as ever. The crime committed against Zbigniew launched a political crisis in the Piast monarchy, and caused public outrage. The sources don't provide information on whether Bolesław III was indeed excluded from the community of the Church. Bolesław III then probably decided to make a public penance as a result of the negative public response to Zbigniew's blinding. His aim was to rebuild his weakened authority and gain the favor of the supporters of his brother. According to Gallus Anonymous, Bolesław III, after his repentance, asked and received Zbigniew's forgiveness. Little is known of the death of Zbigniew. K. Jasiński, in the pages of his publication ''Rodowód pierwszych Piastów'', advocated an immediate death after the blinding, like S. Kętrzyński, but didn't exclude the opposite view. J. Bieniak assumed, however, that Zbigniew's death came after 1114.K. Jasiński: ''Rodowód pierwszych Piastów'', p. 183. An interesting reference contained in an obituary from the Benedictine monastery in
Lubin Lubin (; german: Lüben, szl, Lubin) is a city in Lower Silesian Voivodeship in south-western Poland. It is the administrative seat of Lubin County, and also of the rural district called Gmina Lubin, although it is not part of the territory of ...
recorded the death on 8 July 1113 of a monk from Tyniec Abbey called "''Brother Zbigniew''". This obituary helped historians form a hypothesis that this was Bolesław III's brother. The place of burial is recorded as the Benedictine monastery of
Tyniec Tyniec is a historic village in Poland on the Vistula river, since 1973 a part of the city of Kraków (currently in the district of Dębniki). Tyniec is notable for its Benedictine abbey founded by King Casimir the Restorer in 1044. Etymology ...
.


See also

*
History of Poland (966–1385) 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 ...


Bibliography

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zbigniew Of Poland 1070s births 1110s deaths 12th-century Polish monarchs 11th-century Polish people Illegitimate children of Polish monarchs Piast dynasty People of Byzantine descent Year of birth unknown Year of death uncertain