Władysław I Łokietek

gigatos | May 31, 2022

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Summary

Ladislaus I, called the Short (Polish: Władysław I Łokietek) (1261 – Kraków, March 2, 1333), was a Polish nobleman, duke until 1300, then prince of Kraków from 1305 until his coronation on January 20, 1320 as king of Poland.

He was prince of Greater Poland from 1296 and king of Poland from 1320. Son of Casimir I of Cuiavia, he succeeded to the principality in 1275. Elected prince by the nobles of Greater Poland, he lost their loyalty, and, in 1300 King Wenceslas III of Bohemia was crowned in his place as king of Poland.

Ladislaus later tried to regain the Polish throne. With the support of Pope Boniface VIII he waged war against Wenceslas, a conflict complicated by the ambitions of the Teutonic knights. Ladislaus was crowned in 1320 in Krakow, defeated the Teutonic knights in 1331 and united the Polish principalities into one kingdom. Through the marriages of his sons, he forged ties with Hungary and Lithuania.

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Historical context

In 1138, the Kingdom of Poland, which had grown under the rule of the Piast dynasty, witnessed a series of hereditary struggles that hampered its development for nearly two hundred years. By the will of King Boleslaus III Boccatorta, Polish: Bolesław III Krzywousty, Poland had been divided into five provinces: Silesia, Masovia with eastern Cuiavia, Greater Poland, Sandomierz Region, and “Senior Province,” Polish: Dzielnica senioralna. The “senior province” initially included Kraków and Little Western Poland, Great Eastern Poland including Gniezno and Kalisz, Western Cuiavia, Łęczyca (run by Duchess Salomea of Berg until her death) and Sieradz, and with Pomerelia as a fiefdom. To avoid conflicts among his four sons, Boleslas granted a province to each of them, while the “Senior Province” was to go to the eldest brother. This decision was intended to prevent dynastic strife and prevent the disintegration of the kingdom. However, the decision proved wholly inadequate and thus began nearly two centuries of what Boleslas had tried to counteract: constant strife and unrest. Ladislaus I succeeded in reuniting most of these lands into the kingdom of Poland.

Prince in Cuiavia (1267-1288)

Ladislaus the Short was the eldest son of Casimir I of Cuiavia (Polish: Kazimierz I Kujawski) and his third wife Eufrozyna of Opole. He was third in the line of succession as Duke of Cuiavia, however, as he had two older half-brothers born of Casimir”s second marriage to Constance of Breslau: Leszek II the Black (Polish: Leszek Czarny) and Ziemomysł. Ladislaus the Short took his name from his uncle, his mother”s brother, Ladislaus, Duke of Opole. Already in contemporary sources he was nicknamed “Łokietek,” a diminutive of the word “łokieć,” which translates as “elbow” or “ell,” a medieval unit of measurement similar to a cubit, as in “elbow height.” The origin of this nickname, resulting from Ladislaus” short stature, was explained only in the 15th century by historian Jan Długosz.

In 1267, his father Casimir died. At that time, Leszek II the Black also inherited the town of Łęczyca, as he had already received six years earlier, the municipality of Sieradz, while Ziemomysł acquired the municipality of Inowrocław, and Brześć Kujawski and Dobrzyń were held in regency by Eufrozyna, on behalf of Ladislaus and his younger brothers Casimir II and Siemowit. After the death of his father Casimir I, Ladislaus was sent to Krakow to the court of his relative, Boleslas V the Chaste. In 1273 Ladislaus participated in the arbitration of Boleslas the Pious, Duke of Greater Poland, to reconcile him and his mother Eufrozyna with the Teutonic Knights. Ladislaus assumed responsibility for governing these territories in 1275, but they were effectively held in a “niedzial,” a collective property of the family community, with his two younger brothers.

In October 1277, the lands intended for his younger brother Casimir II were invaded by the Lithuanians, who, after the release of some prisoners and the seizure of loot, returned freely to their lands. This was also due to the protection of Boleslas V the Chaste, who at that time was in the opposite political camp of Conrad II, Duke of Masovia, through whose territory the Lithuanian invaders had passed. Two years later, in 1279, Ladislaus the Short was considered among the pretenders to the succession of Lesser Poland after the death of Boleslaus V the Chaste, according to the Hypatian Codex. However, the nobility respected the wishes of Boleslaus, who had designated Ladislaus” older half-brother Leszek II the Black as his heir.

After Leszek II the Black gained power in Kraków and Sandomierz in 1279, Ladislaus, together with his younger brothers, recognized Leszek”s sovereignty. Thereafter Ladislaus always remained an ally of his older half-brother. In 1280, Ladislaus helped Leszek”s ally, the Duke of Masovia Boleslaw II, militarily in a battle with Boleslaw”s brother Conrad II, and during the expedition he captured Jazdów Castle. It is also possible that at a meeting between Leszek II the Black and Przemysł II, Duke of Greater Poland, in Sieradz in February 1284, Ladislaus” marriage to Przemysł”s cousin Hedwig was discussed. The following year, in August, Ladislaus was present, together with Przemysł II and Ziemomysł of Cuiavia, for the reform of the Sulejów monastery, that is, the reception of monks from Wąchock. After this event, Ladislaus appeared again in Masovia, where he supported Boleslaus II in a fight with Conrad II, probably on behalf of Leszek II the Black. In retaliation for this action, Conrad II once again let the Lithuanian army cross his land, which besieged Dobrzyń in 1287.

Death of Leszek the Black and struggle for control of Kraków (1288-1289)

On September 30, 1288, Leszek II the Black, Duke of Krakow and Sieradz died without an heir, thus transferring power in the principality of Sieradz to his older half-brother, Ladislaus the Short. While Ladislaus now ruled over Brześć Kujawski and Sieradz, Casimir II inherited the duchy of Łęczyca, while Siemowit assumed control of the land of Dobrzyń. Upon Leszek”s death a struggle for supremacy in the duchies of Kraków and Sandomierz began; the main candidates were Boleslas II, duke of Masovia, and Henry IV the Prob, duke of Breslau. In this conflict Ladislaus decided to support Boleslaus II. Henry IV the Prob, with the help of powerful German nobles, ruled the capital by the end of 1288. Boleslaus II did not surrender, so aided by Ladislaus, Ladislaus” brother Casimir II of Łęczyca, and probably also troops from the Duke of Greater Poland, Przemysł II attacked Henry the Probos” coalition allies, Henry III of Głogów, Bolko I of Opole, and Przemko of Ścinawa, who were returning to Silesia. On February 26, 1289, a bloody battle took place in the fields near Siewierz, a battle that saw the death of Przemko of Ścinawa, the result of which led to a great victory for the Piast branches of Masovia-Cuiavia.

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Duke of Sandomierz and war with Wenceslas II (1289-1292)

After the Battle of Siewierz, Boleslas II of Masovia renounced, for unknown reasons, the government of the Province of the Senior, so Ladislaus the Short began to designate himself as Duke of Kraków and Sandomierz. He occupied the capital of Lesser Poland, Kraków, but without including Wawel Hill. Despite initial victories in the battles of Skała and Święcica, Ladislaus failed to preserve this supremacy. Soon Kraków was conquered by Henry IV the Probate, and Ladislaus had to flee the city with the help of the Franciscans. In the second half of 1289 the Prince of Cuiavia managed to consolidate his rule in the Duchy of Sandomierz. This led to a division of Lesser Poland into the two separate principalities, Krakow and Sandomierz, since they had been ruled by the same duke since Boleslas V the Chaste had become Grand Duke in 1243.

On June 23, 1290, Henry IV the Probate died, so Przemysł II, Duke of Greater Poland, assumed the throne of Kraków. It is not known exactly what relations between Przemysł II and Ladislaus the Short were like, although it is very likely that they were friendly, since the division of territories took place without bloodshed and may have been the result of an agreement between the dukes. It is possible, however, that these relations were cold and perhaps even hostile. Przemysł II ruled Wawel Castle without problems, but from the beginning he faced considerable internal opposition in the Duchy of Kraków-where some supported Ladislaus the Short, while others supported Wenceslas II (Václav II) of Bohemia, and by mid-September 1290, Przemysł II left Kraków to return to Greater Poland. In the meantime, in order to further increase his influence, Ladislaus gave his niece Fenenna , daughter of his half-brother Ziemomysł, in marriage to Andrew III, the Hungarian king of the Harpadi dynasty.

Przemysł II eventually relinquished power over Kraków in mid-January 1291, so the principality accepted the Czech ruler Wenceslas II as ruler. Ladislaus decided to fight for Lesser Poland with the help of Hungarian troops granted by Andrew III. In 1292 the Bohemian troops, by numerical superiority and with the support of the Silesian princes and the Margrave of Brandenburg, drove Ladislaus the Short first out of Sandomierz, and, in September of that year surrounded him in a fortified Sieradz. The siege was soon successful, and Ladislaus and his brother Casimir II were taken prisoner. On October 9, 1292, an agreement was signed under which Ladislaus and Casimir II were forced to renounce claims to Lesser Poland and swear allegiance to the Czech ruler, in return for which they remained in their possessions in Cuiavia.

Alleanza con Przemysł II (1293-1296)

Their recent failures and the threat of Wenceslas II prompted Przemysł II and Ladislaus, current Polish contenders for the throne of Kraków, to meet in Kalisz in January 1293 to develop strategies to remove the Czech government. Reconciliation of the opponents came about as a result of the intervention of Archbishop Jakub Swinka; the archbishop was promised revenue from the salt mines after the conquest of Lesser Poland. The secret agreement, signed on January 6, 1293, committed the three dukes; the agreement was also assisted by Casimir II of Łęczyca, in mutual support of each other in the effort to recover Kraków. The occasion of this meeting may also have marked the marriage of Ladislaus the Short to Hedwig (in Polish Jadwiga), daughter of Boleslas the Pious, uncle of Przemysł II.

By 1294 it was already necessary to revise the plans approved at Kalisz, as Casimir II was killed while fighting against the Lithuanians. As a result, Łęczyca was added to the lands of Ladislaus the Short. On June 26, 1295, Przemysł II was crowned king of Poland with the pope”s permission. Ladisław”s response to this event is unknown. Unfortunately, the new king enjoyed his coronation for only seven months, as Przemysł II was assassinated on February 8, 1296, possibly even with the support of the Margrave of Brandenburg.

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Wedding

When Przemysł II was still alive there was a marriage between Ladislaus the Short and Hedwig, daughter of Boleslaus the Pious. There are three main theories among historians about when the marriage took place. The first theory assumes that the marriage took place while Hedwig”s father was still alive and thus no later than 1279. The second theory, which now has the most supporters, is that the marriage took place between 1290 and 1293, perhaps at the conclusion of the Kalisz meeting in January 1293, and that in 1279 there was perhaps only an engagement (matrimonium de futuro). The third theory postulates a specific wedding date of April 23, 1289.

Initial efforts in Greater Poland (1296-1298)

For wealthy Greater Poland, it became obvious that Przemysł II”s throne deserved his closest ally: Prince Ladislaus of Cuiavia. The fact that Ladislaus the Short was known to detest the Germans was not irrelevant, as they were generally considered responsible for the murder of Przemsył II. However, there was a will of Przemysł II, written around 1290, that recognized Henry III of Głogów as his heir. Neither side wanted bloody battles, so on March 10, 1296, an agreement was made at Krzywiń by which Ladislaus agreed to hand over to Henry III the part of Greater Poland west and south of the Obra and Warta rivers to the mouth of the Noteć. Ladislaus also established his successor in case he died without a male heir: Henry IV the Faithful, Henry III”s eldest son. Moreover, regardless of the future birth of some of his children, Ladislaus agreed to hand over the duchy of Poznań to Henry IV when he reached adulthood .

The division of Greater Poland agreed upon at Krzywiń did not address all the contentious issues, especially in light of the fact that children were soon born to Ladislaus the Short. Ladislaus the Short”s rule in his part of Greater Poland was unsuccessful because banditry spread and internal opposition grew stronger, led by Andrzej Zaremba, the bishop of Poznań. It was suspected, although denied by some historians, that Bishop Zaremba had issued an excommunication on Ladislaus. In addition, Archbishop Jakub Swinka, seeing that the Duke of Cuiavia was having trouble managing the duchy, began to distance himself from his protégé. In 1298, a meeting between the opposition from Greater Poland and Henry III of Głogów took place in Kościan to conclude an agreement whereby, in exchange for renewed offices for the opposition in a future reunited duchy, they would support Henry IV”s bid for the throne of Greater Poland.

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Escape from the country (1299-1304)

The real threat to Ladislaus”s power actually came from the south. Wenceslas II of Bohemia decided to repress the duke of Cuiavia. In 1299 an agreement was made in Klęka whereby Ladislaus the Short agreed to pay homage to Wenceslas II again, in return for which he would receive 400 grywien and an eight-year income from the Olkusz mines. Ladislaus, however, did not keep the terms and conditions stipulated in Klęka, so in July 1299, Wenceslas II organized a military expedition that forced the Prince of Cuiavia to flee the country.

It is not known exactly where Ladislaus the Short lived between 1300 and 1304. According to tradition, he went to Rome, where he took part in the celebration of the great jubilee of 1300 organized by Pope Boniface VIII. Other places where he might have resided were Ruthenia and Hungary, with whose magnates Ladislaus had close relations, and most likely Slovakia, where vast areas were owned by Hungarian nobles who opposed Wenceslas III, son of Wenceslas II. During that period, Ladislaus”s consort Hedwig and their children remained in Cuiavia in the town of Radziejów.

Reconquest of Cuiavia, Lesser Poland and Danzig Pomerania (1304-1306)

Ladislaus returned to Poland in 1304 and settled in Sandomierz, with the help of the Hungarian magnate Amadeus Aba. Later that year he was able to rule the castles of Wiślica and Lelów. Success for the indomitable prince would have been short-lived, had it not been for several favorable circumstances. On June 21, 1305, Wenceslas II, the Czech and Polish king, died unexpectedly and his inheritance passed to his only son, Wenceslas III. Ladislaus took advantage of the situation to perfection, occupying, by the end of the year, the duchies of Sandomierz, Sieradz-Łęczyca and Brześć Kujawski. A declining Czech government attempted to support Wenceslas III by organizing an expedition against Ladislaus. Once again fortune favored him, for on August 4, 1306, Wenceslas III was treacherously murdered in Olomouc, Moravia, and the Kingdom of Bohemia was without monarch and in the midst of a civil war.

The death of the last Přemyslide on the Bohemian throne led to a demonstration of knights in Kraków, which led to an official invitation to Ladislas the Short to take power. On September 1, 1306, there was a festive entry into the capital of Lesser Poland, and this was connected with the issuance of privileges for the city and for the current main supporter of Czech rule, Jan Muskata, the bishop of Kraków.

Another goal of Ladislaus the Short was to regain the legacy of Przemysł II: Greater Poland and Pomerania. This unification campaign, however, encountered considerable difficulties. In Greater Poland, Ladislaus succeeded in taking the towns on the border with Cuiavia of Konin, Koło, and Nakło, because the rest of the duchy had accepted the rule of his old enemy Henry III of Głogów, but with the exception of Wieluń, which was occupied by the Opole prince Bolko I. Pomerania, however, became subject to the rule of Ladislaus the Short as a result of an expedition in late 1306, but control over this remote area had to be transferred to governors. For these roles, Ladislaus appointed in the Gdansk area the powerful House of Swienca to his two grandsons, respectively Przemysł and Casimir III, sons of Ziemomysł.

Annexation of Pomerelia by the Teutonic Knights (1307-1309)

Meanwhile, Gerward, the Bishop of Cuiavia (Włocławek), demanded restitution of episcopal income from Peter Swienca”s family when he was governor of the Czech kingdom. Peter lost the arbitration process, so he was forced to return the huge sum of 2,000 grzywien to the bishop. Despite a partial guarantee from Ladislaus the Short, the Swienca family was unable to pay such a sum, so, on July 17, 1307, Geward, left Swienca, and pledged allegiance to Waldemar, Margrave of Brandenburg, receiving from him as a fief the towns of Darłowo, Polanowo, Sławno, Tuchola, and Nowe, and received the land of Slupsk forever. In August 1307, Waldemar attacked Pomerelia. Resistance to the invaders on behalf of Ladislaus the Short came from Bogusz, a Pomeranian judge who was entrenched in the city of Danzig. It soon became clear, however, that his forces could not cope with the attackers.

On the advice of the German prior of the Dominican order in Danzig, Ladislaus the Short decided to help the Teutonic order. At first it seemed the agreement held, as the knights under Gunther von Schwarzburg, the commander of Chełmno, successfully drove Brandenburg out of Danzig and then moved on to Tczew. However, the Grand Master of Prussia did not listen to Prince Casimir, Ladislaus” governor who resided in Tczew, and without a fight they took the city. So the Knights took Nowe and in 1308 completed the campaign. Only Świecie remained in the hands of Ladislaus the Short. In April 1309 in Cuiavia there was a meeting between Ladislaus the Short and the Prussian Grand Master about the taking of Pomerelia in which the Teutonic Order asked the Prince for an absurd bill for the relief of Danzig, and then offered to buy the territory. Both proposals were rejected by Ladislaus. As a result, in July 1309, the Teutonic knights began the siege of Świecie. The garrison surrendered the city only in September. To legitimize their conduct, the Knights acquired a dubious claim to the district from Brandenburg in September. The annexation of Pomerelia allowed the Grand Master to permanently transfer their capital from Venice to Malbork.

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Internal opposition – Jan Muskata and Albert”s rebellion (1308-1312)

The reason Ladislaus the Short could not be directly involved in the affairs of Pomerelia was due to the unstable situation present in Lesser Poland. The source of the unrest was Jan Muskata, the bishop of Krakow and former supporter of Wenceslas II. Muskata began sowing discord against Ladislaus shortly after he took the throne of Kraków, trying to establish contacts with his enemies Bolko I of Opole and Henry III of Głogów. To help the prince of Kraków came the venerable archbishop of Gniezno, Jakub Swinka. On June 14, 1308, Swinka deprived Muskata of his bishopric for abuse of power. As a result, Ladislaus was able to imprison the bishop for six months and then forced him to leave the borders of the duchy. Muskata did not return to Krakow until 1317.

In 1311, Ladislaus the Short survived another crisis in his reign. This time the threat came from Krakow, where the local German nobility allegedly supported John of Luxembourg, the new king of Bohemia. The reason for this change, according to the German nobility, was due to the excessive tax burden caused by the policy of unification of Polish lands and the economic crisis associated with the loss of Pomerelia. Leading the revolt was Albert, the mayor of Krakow, who summoned Duke Bolko I of Opole to the city. The rebels managed to control Kraków and gain the support of many other cities in Lesser Poland, but the Wawel was saved by troops loyal to Ladislaus, which made it difficult for the rebellion to succeed. The situation had not changed when the Duke of Opole arrived in April 1312. Historians debate whether Bolko I came to Krakow for his own purposes, or rather as governor on behalf of the new Czech king, John of Luxembourg, who was also using the title of king of Poland. However, John could not directly engage in this action because of the problems he faced in Moravia with rebels in that area. In any case, attempts to take Wawel Castle failed, and bolstered by Hungarian support, Ladislaus the Short dominated the Sandomierz rebellion and forced Bolko I of Opole to leave Krakow in June 1312. Upon his return to Opole, Bolko kidnapped Mayor Albert, probably to recover with ransom the costs incurred in the expedition to Krakow. After putting an end to the rebellion, Ladislaus began to punish the rebels. The penalties were severe; some councilors were hanged and their property confiscated, and the city of Kraków itself lost some of its privileges, for example, inheritance of some offices. Shortly after the rebellion, Latin was introduced in the city”s books instead of German.

Management of Greater Poland (1309-1315)

On December 9, 1309, Henry III of Głogów-who had claimed to be the successor to King Przemysł II and was Ladislas”s main competitor for the duchy of Greater Poland-died, leaving his district divided among his five sons. Henry, Jan and Przemko had received Poznań while Boleslas and Conrad had received Gniezno and Kalisz, which they divided a year later. This division formed a new territorial organization based on cities instead of the previous division into castellanies. This threatened the local elite, and so in 1314 the nobility and knights raised a rebellion against Henry III”s sons of Głogow. These events surprised the dukes so much that they could not effectively stop the rebellion, and their troops sent under the command of Janusz Biberstein were defeated. Seeking an independent political position, the local knights also conquered Poznań, which was defended by Mayor Przemek and the citizens. The knights of Greater Poland, knowing of Ladislaus” suppression of Mayor Albert”s rebellion in Krakow, understood that he was a defender of their economic and political interests. The result was the transfer of power to Ladislaus, who entered Poznań in August 1314. After the events of Poznań he began to call himself prince of the Polish kingdom.

The dukes were forced to come to terms with the loss of Greater Poland, as they were left with only part of the territories bordering the Obra and Noteć rivers.

The resumption of Greater Poland allowed Ladislas to enter into broader international politics. In 1315, Poland concluded an alliance against Brandenburg with the three monarchies of Scandinavia: Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, as well as the duchies of Mecklenburg and Pomerania. War broke out a year later, but was unsuccessful and caused only the destruction of border territories.

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The Coronation as King (1315-1320)

At that time, Ladislaus the Short also began to attempt to obtain papal consent for a royal coronation. This plan was actively supported by the Polish church, led by Borzysław, archbishop of Gniezno (the successor of Jakub Swinka who died in 1314), and Gerward, the bishop of Cuiavia (Włocławek). The decision on the coronation was eventually made at two meetings of nobles and knights; the first was held June 20-23, 1318 in Sulejow, where a special petition with a request to the Pope was prepared, and the second on June 29 in Pyzdry. Bishop Gerward was sent to Avignon with the documents.

Consent was given by Pope John XXII on August 20, 1319, although not directly because of opposition from John of Luxembourg, King of Bohemia, who also claimed the crown of Poland. The Pope was looking for a way to preserve the rights of Ladislaus and Poland without infringing on those of John and Bohemia, and found that the Luxembourg claims (despite their tenuous legal basis) referred to Greater Poland, the “kingdom” of Przemysł II. As such, Kraków (located in the Lesser Poland region) was chosen for the coronation instead of Gniezno (located in the Greater Poland region), as a coronation in Kraków would not violate John of Luxembourg”s rights. On January 20, 1320 in Wawel Cathedral, Janisław, archbishop of Gniezno (succeeding Borzysław), crowned Ladislaus king of Poland. Placing the Polish coronation rite in Kraków, however, allowed John to question its legality. In light of John of Luxembourg”s use of the title “king of Poland,” internationally Ladislaus the Short was considered the king of Kraków and not of the entire country.

The year 1320 was important for the politics of Ladislaus I the Short for other reasons. On April 14, 1320, in Inowrocław, and then in Brześć Kujavia, he began discussions with the papal court to judge the case of the Teutonic Knights” annexation of Pomerania from Danzig. After hearing twenty-five witnesses for the Polish side, the judges issued a decision favorable to the king on February 9, 1321. According to that decision, the Teutonic Order had to return Pomerania to Poland, pay 30,000 grzywien in compensation for the collection of income from Pomerania, and pay for the cost of the trial. The Teutonic Knights did not expect such a judgment and filed an appeal. Under the influence of the actions of the Teutonic Order”s procurator in the Papal Curia, the Pope did not approve Inowrocław”s judgment and the case was suspended. This gave the Holy See the opportunity to use the conflict for its own purposes in the following years.

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Covenants (1320)

Ladislaus” kingdom was now surrounded by three hostile forces-Brandenburg, the Teutonic Order, and the Kingdom of Bohemia. Seeking allies during the great European conflict between Pope John XXII and Ludwig Wittelsbach (Louis of Bavaria), Ladislaus the Short sided with the pope. Ladislaus”s alliance with Charles Robert of Anjou, King of Hungary, was strengthened in 1320 by Charles Robert”s marriage to Ladislaus”s daughter Elizabeth.

Expedition to Russia and war with Brandenburg (1323-1326)

Three years later, the Polish-Hungarian alliance was revealed in Galicia. The last two princes descended from the Rurik dynasty, Andrew of Galicia and Lev II of Galicia, were killed in battle. The allies decided to help the closest relative of the deceased princes – Boleslaus George, son of Trojden, Duke of Masovia – win the local throne. This effort led to greater Polish influence in Russia, which allowed Ladislaus” son and successor, Casimir the Great, to take over the region.

The Lithuanian Duke Gediminas became another ally of King Ladislaus in 1325. This alliance was supported by the marriage between Gediminas” daughter Aldona (who adopted the baptismal name of Anna) and Ladislaus” son Casimir.

In 1323, Holy Roman Emperor Louis IV gave his son Louis V the Mark of Brandenburg. Pope John XXII then summoned his supporters not to allow the Bavarian House of Wittelsbach to take over the Ascanic inheritance. With the support of Lithuania, Ladislaus invaded Brandenburg on February 10, 1326. He informed the Teutonic Knights of the participation of pagan armies in the expedition. He could, at least temporarily, count on their neutrality, as their truce was in effect until the end of 1326. The attack on Brandenburg produced no significant results, apart from some destruction, prisoners and the recovery of the castellany of Międzyrzecz. This did not improve Ladislaus” popularity in Germany, as it was perceived that the Polish king, together with the pagans, was starting a war with the Christian world. The papacy kept silent and did not support the Polish king, but it did not condemn him. The war with Brandenburg also alarmed the princes of Silesia. In the same year, Ladislaus the Short regained the land of Wieluń from Boleslaus the Elder, the Duke of Niemodlin.

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Failed attempt to conquer Masovia (1327-1328)

Ladislaus the Short organized another armed expedition the following year. This time the target was the insubordination of Wenceslas (Wańko), the duke of Płock. The expedition, despite the capture and burning of Płock, was a failure, mainly because the Teutonic Order joined the war by allying with Wenceslas, and soon afterwards John of Luxembourg, king of Bohemia, did likewise. No major clashes with the opponents occurred, but the king of Bohemia, taking advantage of the military activity in Silesia, received tribute from the princes of Upper Silesia at Opava in February 1327.

In connection with the outbreak of the Polish-Teutonic War in 1327 and the threat associated with the border areas, possessions were exchanged between the king and his nephews. Between May 28, 1327 and October 14, 1328, Przemysł of Inowrocław gave Ladislaus the Duchy of Inowrocław with Wyszogród and Bydgoszcz in exchange for the Duchy of Sieradz. And probably around the turn of 1327

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Loss of Dobrzyń (1329)

In 1329 there was a resumption of the war. John of Luxembourg, with the help of the Teutonic Knights, took Dobrzyn, which he soon gave to his allies. Another loss was the successful coercion of John of Wenceslas of Płock to pay tribute to him. In this way the Duke of Płock refused to accept the sovereignty of the Polish monarch, accepting instead that of a foreigner. The Teutonic Knights, taking advantage of the fact that the cuiavo was not prepared for war, crossed the Vistula and burned and destroyed the bishoprics of Włocławek, Raciąż and Przedecz.

War with the Teutonic Knights in Cuiavia and the Battle of Płowce (1330-1332)

In 1330 the Teutonic Knights resumed hostilities. The crusaders successfully sacked the cities of Cuiavia and Greater Poland: Radziejów, Bydgoszcz, and Nakło. Only through a daring crossing of the Vistula River by Ladislaus and an intrusion into Chełmno with the help of the Lithuanians were the Allies able to besiege Kowalewo Pomorskie Castle in September. Then, under the besieged castle of the Teutonic Knights at Lipienek, the king agreed to a seven-month truce on October 18, 1330. Unfortunately, during this trip, the alliance with the Duke of Lithuania was compromised because of a personal quarrel between Ladislaus and Gediminas.

In 1331 there was another armed expedition of the Teutonic Knights into Polish lands. This time, according to the Order”s plan of action, troops under the command of Dietrich von Altenburg were to coordinate with the expedition of John of Luxembourg, King of Bohemia. The two armies were to meet under the walls of Kalisz. In the middle of the year, Teutonic troops making a reconnaissance effort entered Cuiavia and Greater Poland, taking Pyzdry (where there was a skirmish with Polish troops) and Gniezno. The main expedition was organized in September 1331. As agreed, the Knights went to Kalisz but on arrival did not find Czech troops. John of Luxembourg had stopped in Silesia, where he had effectively stopped the resistance of Bolko II of Świdnica and settled the unresolved issue of Głogów after the death of Duke Przemko II.

Unable to deliver a decisive blow to Ladislaus the Short, the Knights decided to conquer Cuiavia. The night of September 23-24 saw the first major unresolved clash near Konin. Three days later, in the morning, Polish troops numbering about 5,000 men and led personally by King Ladislas and his son, Prince Casimir, met the Teutonic Knights” rearguard near Radziejów. Taking advantage of the surprise, the Poles defeated the enemy unit and took Dietrich von Altenburg, the commander of the expedition, prisoner. In the afternoon, however, there was another battle near the village of Płowce. The battle was not resolved due to the withdrawal of some Polish troops with Prince Casimir, and in the confusion the Teutonic commander escaped from captivity. Although inconclusive, the Battle of Płowce was psychologically important for the Poles as it convinced them that the Knights were not unbeatable.

Shortly after these events, peace negotiations were started in Inowrocław. However, this time it was not possible for Ladislaus to reach an agreement with the Teutonic Knights. In 1332, the Knights organized a large military expedition under the command of Otto von Luteberg. This time the Polish forces were too weak to meet the Knights” resistance in the open field. On April 20, after a siege of almost two weeks, Brześć, the capital of Cuiavia, fell. Soon the Teutonic Knights were also in the other major strongholds of the province: Inowrocław and Gniewkowo, the last of which was destroyed by order of the prince of the land, Casimir II of Cuiavia.

The loss of Cuiavia-his patrimony-was certainly very painful for Ladislaus, although in the same year, taking advantage of the death of Przemko II of Głogow, he took Zbąszyń in the Greater Poland region near the Obra River, which had belonged to the dukes of Głogow.

Also read, biographies – Johannes Vermeer

Death

Ladislaus the Short died on March 2, 1333, in Wawel Castle in Kraków, where he was buried in the cathedral, possibly on March 12 of that year. His son, Casimir III the Great, inherited Lesser Poland, the Duchy of Sandomierz, Greater Poland, Cuiavia, and the Duchies of Łęczyca and Sieradz. However, Silesia and the land of Lebus in the west, along with Danzig Pomerania, Western Pomerania, and Masovia in the north, still remained outside the borders of the kingdom. Nevertheless, Ladislaus” reign represented an important step toward the restoration of the Kingdom of Poland.

Ladislaus the Short persistently pursued his life”s goal: to reunify Poland. However, he was not entirely successful, and had it not been for the unexpected deaths of his many strongest adversaries-Leszek the Black, Henry IV the Probate, Casimir II of Łęczycka, Przemysł II of Greater Poland, Wenceslas II, Wenceslas III, and Henry III of Głogów-Ladislaus might have remained forever nothing more than duke of little Cuiavia of Brześć. But were it not for the persistent and consistent actions of Ladislaus the Short, Poland might have become part of the monarchy of the Luxemburg dynasty or might have been permanently divided. It was during his reign that Poland first seriously clashed with the Teutonic Order and established a surprising alliance with Lithuania that would later last for centuries. With his coronation at the Wawel, the king set a precedent and strengthened the position of the Polish kingdom. Ladislaus also sought to establish a uniform legal code throughout the territory. In this code he ensured the safety and freedom of Jews and put them on an equal footing with Christians. Eventually, when he began the unification of the country, he also began to organize a nationwide administrative structure and treasury. This action was continued successfully by his son and successor – Casimir III the Great.

Had it not been for his father, Casimir III would not have been able to pay the King of Bohemia and formally of Poland John of Luxemburg the gigantic sum of 1.2 million groschen of Prague for him to cede his rights to the Polish crown, or to argue with Europe”s greatest sovereigns as equals, or to develop an economically unified state. As in the case of Mieszko I and Boleslaus the Brave, the father prepared for the success of his son and successor.

In 1293 Ladislaus married Hedwig of Kalisz (Jadwiga), daughter of Boleslas the Pious and Iolanda of Poland. They had six children:

Sources