The Duke of Silesia was the title of sons and descendants of the Polish Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth. In accordance with the last will and testament of Bolesław, upon his death his lands were divided into four or five hereditary provinces distributed among his sons, and a royal province of Kraków reserved for the eldest, who was to be High Duke of all Poland. This was known as the fragmentation of Poland. Subsequent developments lead to further splintering of the duchies.
At the beginning of the 14th century, fourteen independent Duchies existed in Silesia: Brzeg, Wrocław, Świdnica, Jawor, Ziębice, Głogów, Ścinawa, Żagan and Oleśnica in Lower Silesia; Koźle, Cieszyn, Bytom, Niemodlin, Opole, Strzelce, Racibórz and Opava in Upper Silesia and the ecclesiastical Duchy of Nysa. Between 1327 and 1329 most dukes accepted the overlordship of Bohemian king John of Bohemia, who acquired the right of succession for all of these duchies. In the coming centuries all branches of the Silesian Piasts died out, and with the death of George William, Duke of Liegnitz the dynasty ceased to exist.
In 1173 Bolesław returned and he agreed to let Mieszko and Bolesław rule in their own Duchies, separated from the Duchy of Silesia. This led to the creation of the Duchy of Racibórz for Mieszko I and the Duchy of Opole for Jarosław, beginning the fragmentation of the Duchy of Silesia. The territories controlled by Mieszko I and Jarosław roughly corresponded to what is known as Upper Silesia, while the territories remaining with Bolesław I roughly corresponded to Lower Silesia.
Lower Silesia
Duchy of Lower Silesia was a direct continuation of the Duchy of Silesia, but without the territories roughly corresponding to Upper Silesia; hence it was composed of the territories roughly corresponding to Lower Silesia. Some sources refer to it as the Duchy of Silesia; some as Duchy of Lower Silesia; others yet as the Duchy of Wrocław (Breslau). Wrocław was the capital of the Duchy of Silesia, yet this early (1172–1248) Duchy of Silesia should not be confused with the smaller Duchy of Wrocław that was created with further fragmentation in 1248.
The Duchy went through various border changes in the coming years, sometimes losing and sometimes gaining territory. In 1248 Lower Silesia was divided when Bolesław II had to cede the Duchy of Wrocław to his younger brother Henry III.
Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia was divided into the Duchies of Cieszyn, and Opole-Racibórz. In 1340 the Duchy of Racibórz was united with Opava, a Bohemian fief.
Shared inheritance of Żagań (1349–1480), with Swidnica-Jawor (1349–68), Bohemia (1368–84) and Cieszyn (1384–1480); full inheritance with Żagań (1480–88)
Children of Conrad I, divided their inheritance. In 1284, the younger brothers exchanged properties, but, as none left descendants, both were reunited with the main duchy of Głogów.
Children of Boleslaus II, divided their inheritance. In 1290, after the death of his childless cousin Henry IV, Henry V also inherited Wrocław. In 1296, after Henry V's death, Bolko was appointed regent for his nephews.
Children of Henry V, ruled under regency until 1305, and divided their inheritance. Boleslaus received Legnica together with Ladislaus. Shortly after, Ladislaus was excluded from government. In 1342, abdicated of the majority of the duchy to his sons, and ruled in Brzeg, which he left to his widow. Henry received Wrocław, but, having no male heirs, signed, in 1327, a contract of inheritance with King John of Bohemia and upon his death Wrocław fell to Bohemia.
Children of Bolko/Boleslaus I the Strict, divided their inheritance. Bolko was under his elder brother tutelage until his majority, attained in 1322. Henry annexed Głogów in 1337, which he recovered from Bohemia. However, after Henry's death, Głogów returns to Bohemian control; Jawor also returns to Swidnica.
Heirs of Henry III. The widow received the main part of the duchy (Głogów), while their sons divided their inheritance. Henry IV stayed with Przemko in Żagań, John received Scinawa, and Conrad and Boleslaus inherited Oleśnica jointly. In 1318, Przemko assumed his mother's inheritance at Głogów. After the childless death of Przemko II, it was stipulated that his widow should succeed him, but financial complications led the duchy's temporary annexation the Kingdom of Bohemia. After John's death, Scinawa was partitioned between Swidnica-Jawor and Żagań.
Głogów was annexed to the Kingdom of Bohemia (1331–1337) and to the Jawor portion of Świdnica-Jawor (1337–1346); a new annexation followed, to the Kingdom of Bohemia (1346–1349/60). In 1349 Henry V of Iron (son of Henry the Fatithful) recovered half of the inheritance of his uncle Przemko in Głogów from Bohemia; the other half was given to Przemko II's widow, Constance, in 1360, passed to her brother Bolko II of Swidnica, and passed briefly to Bohemia before being annexed to Cieszyn.
Scinawa was divided in 1365; half of it was inherited to Żagań and in 1395 sold to Oleśnica; the other part was inherited by Swidnica, and passed briefly to Bohemia before being annexed to Cieszyn.
Children of Casimir, divided their inheritance. In 1316, Siemowit, the middle brother, exchanged the main duchy with the eldest, and took a smaller town for himself;
Sons of Bernard II, ruled jointly until Henry's death in 1343. In 1346, after his uncle Henry I's death with no male heirs, he reunites Świdnica-Jawor in one duchy. Bolko also bought half of Brzeg in 1358. Brother of Constance, widow duchess of Głogów, inherited part of the duchy from her. After his death in 1368, the half of Głogów returned the Kingdom of Bohemia, and the half of Brzeg to Louis the Fair.
Children of Henry IV, divided their inheritance. In 1349, Henry V annexed half of the previous Duchy of Głogów reemerges from Bohemia to be annexed by Żagań line of the Piasts. As for Agnes, she "legitimized" the pledge of Lubin that her uncle John, Duke of Ścinawa had made in 1337 with Boleslaus III the Generous, by marrying (secondly) Boleslaus' son. In this perspective, she can be considered the heiress of Lubin.
Sons of Boleslaus III, divided their inheritance within their father's life. Louis was already ruling in Lubin, while Wenceslaus did the same in Legnica. In 1358, Louis inherited half of Brzeg from his stepmother Catharina (see below). Reunited Brzeg after the death of the owner of the other part, Bolko the Small (1368).
Son of Ladislaus, Boleslaus left his duchy to his widow Margareta after his death. In 1357, after two years of war for the duchy, a settlement was made; Margareta abdicated of the duchy, which was split between its heiresses.
Children of Bolko II, ruled jointly. In 1375, Bolko III was Albert of Strzelce's heir, and split Strzelce from Opole again, leaving the main duchy for his elder brother Ladislaus.
In 1357, the duchy was divided between heiresses, one annexed by the Duchy of Oleśnica, the other annexed by the Duchy of Cieszyn, and a third part, ruled by the duke of Niemodlinjure uxoris was also annexed to Oleśnica.
In 1384 recovered part of the Lower Silesian duchy of Głogów from Bohemia. Abdicated of Głogów for his son, Premislaus, in 1404, but recovered it in 1406.
In 1360 Half B of Głogów reemerges as Constance, widow of Przemko II; recovers half of the dowry that was left by her husband; however, she quickly gives it to her brother, Bolko II the Small.
Half B of Głogów was annexed to Swidnica-Jawor, then, in 1368, to Bohemia, and, in 1384, it was bought by the Duchy of Cieszyn.
Children of Henry V, divided their inheritance. While after his death Henry VI left his property to his wife, Henry VIII eventually succeeded in Henry VII's domains.
Inherited the property of her husband (with whom she was apparently estranged with). In 1403 she abdicated of her inheritance to her nephewss, sons of her brother-in-law Henry VIII.
Heirs of Henry VIII. Catharina remained at her dowry lands, while the rest of the property was divided, at least since 1403, when Hedwig of Legnica passed her own property to her nephews, who proceeded to a new partition of the whole inheritance. John inherited Żagań alone, while the rest of the brothers kept Glogow. With the abdication of Wenceslaus and the death of Henry X, Henry IX became sole ruler of Glogow, and in 1446 he bought Lubin.
Children of Henry VII, divided their inheritance. Brzeg was exchanged between the brothers in 1400 (Henry gave it to Louis). However, Oława (in Brzeg) remained in Henry IX's possession. In 1413, Legnica was inherited by Louis II.
Received, in his father's lifetime, the duchy of Głogów. In the next year also inherited Oświęcim from John III. Preceded his father in death, but left descendants to rule in Oświęcim, while Głogów returned to his father.
Younger brothers of Conrad IV, divided their domains; Conrad VI left his possessions to his younger brother Conrad VIII, and Conrad V did the same to his brother Conrad VII, who ended up inheriting all of his brothers' possessions (Conrad V's in 1439, Conrad VI and VIII's in 1444, and Conrad IV's in 1447). In 1450, Conrad VII, now ruling alone, abdicated of all his possessions to his nephews and heirs.
Children of Henry IX, divided their possessions. Wenceslaus kept Olawa and Rupert ruled in Lubin. Louis, the younger son, ascended later, reuniting the possessions of his brothers.
Faced opposition to her succession by the Častolovice family, with whom she had to negotiate her succession. Despite being in Ziebice/Munsterberg since the death of her husband (1423) and prior to her brother's death (1428), and being cited as Euphemia...Herczoginne czu Monstirbergk in 1429,[50] only in 1435 she saw her rights recognized by Bohemia. In 1443, after years of conflict, she abdicated to her nephew, the Duke of Opava, who was also married to a Častolovice heiress.
Divided their inheritance after the end of the regency of their mother. After Ladislaus' death, Premislaus retained co-rulership in Cieszyn, with his brother Wenceslaus, and in Głogów, associated with his widowed sister-in-law. Wenceslaus inherited the half of Bytom the family had, exchanging it with his brother Boleslaus, but returning to him after Boleslaus death shortly after the exchange. Wenceslaus resigned this half in 1459, returning it to Oleśnica, which reunited Bytom under Oleśnica rule.
Children of Casimir I, divided their inheritance. The main duchy went to John IV, who sold it to Poland in 1456. However, Zator remained active for another generation.
Widow of Louis II. In 1443 is forced to give Brzeg to John I and Henry X of Lubin, reuniting the Lubin inheritance. After her death in 1449, Legnica was annexed by the Kingdom of Bohemia.
Children of Bolko IV, ruled jointly. After John's death in 1439, Nicholas ruled alone. In 1450 Nicholas bought Brzeg, possibly in virtue of his marriage.
Heirs of John I. Scholastica inherited her dower seat, and her sons managed the rest of the duchy, dividing it in two parts. In 1461–1472, Balthasar and John were involved in a feudal war that ended with Balthasar's death. However, John was endebted and in the end had to sell the duchy he fought to obtain. In 1476–1480, he managed to gain both parts of Głogów, which he reunited, but he surrendered to the Kingdom of Poland in 1488.
Heirs of Louis III. Margareta inherited Olawa as a dower seat, and her children ruled jointly. In 1443 they inherited Brzeg from Elisabeth of Brandenburg, but, in 1446, due to the difficult financial situation, had to sell Lubin to the Duchy of Głogów. In 1450 Brzeg is also sold to Opole. Chojnow was the only main town kept by the brothers, and the one they left to Frederick I, John I's son. Olawa was also inherited by Frederick (Margareta's grandson). The duchy recentered, since 1454, around Legnica.
Children of Conrad V, divided their inheritance. After Conrad IX's death, and save some exceptions (inherited by Conrad IX's widow and daughter), the majority of Conrad IX's inheritance went to Conrad X. Those excdptions eventually also ended uo in Conrad X's possession in 1478, reuniting all the duchy, which, after his death, was annexed by the Kingdom of Bohemia.
Frederick I was responsible for the recovery the patrimony lost to other polities: Legnica became independent from Bohemia in 1454. In the same year, Frederick inherited Olawa from his grandmother Margareta of Opole. In 1481 Frederick I of Legnica purchased Brzeg from Opole, and recovered Lubin from John the Mad in 1482.
Widow of Ladislaus I, ruled with her brother-in-law Premislaus II, until his death in 1477, after which she continued her rule alone. After her death, both parts of Glogow were reunited under the ex-duke of Żagań.
Possibly poisoned. After his death the majority of his patirmony was inherited by his cousin, the disposssessed ex-Żagań duke John the Mad (see above).
Głogów half A (with exceptions) was inherited by Jan II the Mad
Sons of Wenceslaus I, ruled jointly. In 1490 John became sole ruler. In 1513, after John V's death with no descendants, the Duchy was annexed by the Kingdom of Poland.
Children of Nicholas I, ruled jointly. In 1481 they sold Brzeg to Frederick I of Legnica. From 1497, John ruled alone, purchasing back, in 1521, the lost Racibórz from Bohemia, and restoring the Duchy of Opole and Racibórz. However, as he left no descendants the duchy reverted to the Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach.
Heirs of Frederick I. His widow, Ludmila, retained Brzeg as dower seat and also the regency over her minor children. John died as a minor, and the partition was made between the younger sons, Frederick and George. It was George who eventually inherited his mother's dower, and transferred it to his brother after his death with no descendants. George's widow retained Lubin, which after her death would join Frederick's patrimony, again united.
Children of Frederick II, divided the land: Frederick III kept Legnica (and absorbed Lubin in 1550), and George II inherited Brzeg. Frederick was deposed two times by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, and later Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor, and put definitely under house arrest since 1559. Despite being deprived of power, after his death his wife received a dower seat.
Victim of the manouvers of the Holy Roman Emperors, who sought to depose his father. Installed very young, was deposed by his father, and restored again, when his father became imprisioned for life. He went abroad and left his brother Frederick on his stead, but he seized the opportunity to be recognized as the legitimate duke, in 1576. Thanks to the efforts of Sophie of Brandenburg, Henry XI was restored to the duchy in 1580, with Frederick as a co-ruler in Chojnów. However, after he disrespected the imperial authority, was again dispossessed, and took refuge in Poland.
Heirs of George II. Barbara received Brzeg as her widow's seat. The rest of the patrimony was shared by the two sons of George and Barbara, with Oława and Wołów as the main towns. The brothers ruled always jointly. In 1592, John George died and left Oława to his widow, Anna, confining Joachim Frederick's power to Wołów. However, Anna remarried in 1594, which meant her widow seat returned to her brother-in-law. In the following years, Joachim annexed his mother's dower in Brzeg (1595), and also Legnica in 1596.
Heirs of Joachim Frederick. His widow, Anna Maria, received Olawa as dower seat, and retained the regency for her minor children, together with her sister-in-law, Elisabeth Magdalena, and her husband, who ruled until the brothers came of age, in 1609. George Rudolf left no descendants and his patrimony was divided between his nephews.
Sons of John Christian, ruled jointly in Legnica. George was already duke of Brzeg since his father's death. As George had no descendants, he was succeeded in his domains by his brother Christian. The latter, after his own death, left Oława for his widow, and the remaining lands were inherited by his own son.
Heirs of Christian. Louise retained her dower seat at Oława and the regency for her son over the rest of the duchies. George William was the last male representative of the House of Piast, as he died without descendants. After their deaths, their duchies were annexed by the Holy Roman Empire.
Children of John I, divided the land. John kept the main Ráciborz and Krnov, and Nicholas was given Bruntál. John lost Krnov in 1388, but recovered it in 1422.
Children of Premislaus I, divided the land. William and Ernest inherited the duchy of Ziebice in succession, alongside Opava, where they ruled together with their half- brother Nicholas IV (and possibly also Premislaus II). In 1452, after William's death, Ernest and his brothers associated William's sons as co-rulers. Wenceslaus II, another half-brother, inherited a part of Opava centered around Glubczyce. In 1456, Ziebice was annexed to the Podebrady family's patrimony. In 1464, the duchy of Opava was sold to Bohemia.
Zlaté Hory remerged in Opava; Opava pledged to Opole by debt, later transferred in 1464 to Bohemia: annexation to Bohemia; Ziębice was annexed to the Podiebrad family
Heirs of Nicholas V. Barbara, Nicholas' widow, inherited a dower seat and the position of regent for her stepsons, who inherited the main duchy and divided it after attaining majority. In 1474, John lost the main duchy (later claimed by his sister) but kept some towns for himself.
Traditionally dead in 1478, the duchy, without heirs, would have been returned to Bohemia. However, according to other sources, she died in 1505, which opens the possibility of her claiming of the duchy.
Children of Charles I, divided their inheritance. In 1542, Joachim and John pledged their duchy to the Duchy of Legnica and was then lost to Hungary; Joachim retired to clergy. However, John, after inheriting his brother George's duchy in 1553, managed to recover the lost Ziębice in 1559.
Heirs of Henry II. Co-ruled jointly in Bierutów until 1569, when the death of their cousin Charles Christopher made them divide their possessions: Henry kept Bierutów, and Charles inherited Oleśnica. However, Henry was indebted, had to sell the Bierutów to the von Schindel family. Charles recovered it in 1604.
^As Opole kept the original capital of Opole-Racibórz, the duchy will be pictured with the same color.
^divided into Świdnica and Jawor between 1312 and 1346
^Zator split few years before the annexation of Oświęcim to Poland; Zator therefore will be seen as a direct successor duchy, and will be pictured with the same color.
^Briefly recovered by Jawor between 1337 and 1346.
^The dukes changed their capital to Chojnów in early 1440's, and sold the town of Lubin to Głogów, which was bought back in 1482 by Legnica. The recovery of Legnica by Chojnów (1454) recentered the capital to this recovered town, and, until 1488, the territory of Chojnów and later Lubin became part of the Legnica. Lubin re-emerged in 1488, but was definitely annexed to Legnica in 1550
^Shared a half, between 1358 and 1368, with Świdnica-Jawor; Olawa split between 1400 and 1454 and eventually joined Legnica
^Brzeg was bought from Opole in 1481 and Lubin from Głogów in 1482
^Olawa split from Brzeg in three periods: 1586–1595, 1602–1605, 1672–1680. The latter two were dowries as well.
^A new line of dukes started with Conrad I, and Henry was his son. As Henry was, like his uncle Henry III the White, descendant of Henry II, he was numbered, not according to his uncle, but independently as a new line.
^Ruled in Swidnica-Jawor since 1273, and abdicated at his father's death, when the partitions were made.
^Albeit more known as Bolko, his true name was probably Boleslaus. Avoid confusion with his contemporary, Bolko I of Opole.
^A new line of dukes starts with Mieszko I, who is thereby counted as I.
^A new line of dukes starts with Casimir, who is thereby counted as I.
^ abApplied for Bolko I and Bolko II of Opole. Albeit more known as Bolko, their true name was probably Boleslaus, name with they are also stated in sources. Bolko I was the first Boleslaus/Bolko in Upper Silesia and he was numbered as such. However, avoid confusion with his Lower Silesian contemporary, Bolko I the Strict. The same can be said to Bolko II of Opole. Avoid confusiom between him and his Lower Silesian contemporaries, Bolko the Small and Bolko II of Ziębice.
^A new line of dukes started with Bolko I, and Henry was his son. However, unlike Głogów line, who followed Henry the Pious, this Henry didn't follow any numbering of his ancestors, and styled himself as the I.
^Albeit known as Bolko, his true name was probably Boleslaus. Starter of a new line of dukes, he recognized his father's numbering
^Albeit known as Bolko, his true name was probably Boleslaus. Avoid confusion with his Lower Silesian uncle, Bolko II of Ziębice, and the Upper Silesian Bolko II of Opole.
^Not counting the regents of Opole-Racibórz, Henry was in fact the first (and only) ruler in Upper Silesia to bear this name, more usual in Lower Silesia. In fact, his mother, Elisabeth of Świdnica, was Lower Silesian.
^ abApplied to Upper Silesian Bolko III of Strzelce and Lower Silesian Bolko III of Ziębice. Albeit more known as Bolko, their true name must have been Boleslaus. Avoid confusion between these two contemporary dukes.
^Albeit following the numberings of the rulers named Bolko, the same is not applied to the dukes Henry in Ziębice. Henry is styled the I, ignoring the numbering of Henry II the Pious.
^Numbered higher, as Henry VII of Brzeg, despite succeeding to his father only in 1398, was co-ruling with his father since 1361, sooner than Henry VIII's ascension.
^ abAvoid confusion between contemporary dukes Henry IX of Lubin and Henry IX the Elder of Żagań. Henry IX the Elder has also the same sobriquet as his uncle, Henry VI.
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