View source for Duchy of Greater Poland

{{Short description|Historical Polish province}}
{{more citations needed|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox country
|native_name       = {{native name|pl|Księstwo wielkopolskie}}<br>{{native name|la|Ducatus Poloniae Maior}}
|conventional_long_name = Duchy of Greater Poland
|common_name       = Greater Poland
|era               = [[High Middle Ages]]
|status            = [[District duchy]] of [[Kingdom of Poland (1025–1385)|Poland]]
|empire            = 
|year_start        = 1138
|year_end          = 
|life_span         = 1138–1177<br />1279–1295<br />1296–1320
|event_start       = [[Testament of Bolesław III Krzywousty|Established]]
|date_start        = 
|event1            = Acquired [[Kalisz]] and [[Gniezno]]
|date_event1       = 1181
|event2            = Internally divided into [[Poznań]], [[Gniezno]] and [[Kalisz]]
|date_event2       = 1191–1194, 1207–1229, 1234–1238, 1247–1250, 1253–1257, 1277–1279
|event3            = Re-united under [[Przemysł II]]
|date_event3       = 1279
|event_end         = Incorporated by the [[Crown of the Kingdom of Poland|Polish Crown]]
|date_end          = 
|p1                = History of Poland during the Piast dynasty{{!}}Kingdom of Poland
|flag_p1           = Banner of the Kingdom of Poland.svg
|border_p1         = no
|p2 = Duchy of Poznań
|flag_p2 = Chorągiew ziemi poznańskiej.svg
|border_p2 = no
|p3 = Duchy of Kalisz
|flag_p3 = Chorągiew kaliska.svg
|border_p3 = no
|p4                = Duchy of Gniezno
|flag_p4           = Chorągiew kaliska.svg
|border_p4         = no
|s1                = History of Poland during the Piast dynasty{{!}}Kingdom of Poland
|flag_s1           = Banner of the Kingdom of Poland.svg
|border_s1         = no
|s2 = Duchy of Poznań
|flag_s2 = Chorągiew ziemi poznańskiej.svg
|border_s2 = no
|s3 = Duchy of Kalisz
|flag_s3 = Chorągiew kaliska.svg
|border_s3 = no
|s4                = Duchy of Gniezno
|flag_s4 = Chorągiew kaliska.svg
|border_s4 = no
|government_type   = [[District principality]]
|religion          = [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]]
|image_flag        = 
|image_coat        = POL województwo wielkopolskie COA.svg
|image_map         = Polska za W Lokietka (1275-1300).png
|image_map_caption = Kingdom of Poland between 1304 and 1333, including the Duchy of Greater Poland.
|capital           = [[Poznań]]
|today             = Poland<br>Germany¹
|footnotes         = ¹ Portion of [[Lubusz Land]] on the left bank of the [[Oder River]]
}}
The '''Duchy of Greater Poland'''{{efn|[[Polish language|Polish]]: ''Księstwo wielkopolskie''; [[Latin]]: ''Ducatus Poloniae Maior''}} was a [[District duchy|district principality]] that encompassed much of the historical region of [[Greater Poland]], with a territory roughly corresponding to the present-day [[Greater Poland Voivodeship]] in west-central Poland. It emerged in the 12th century following the 1138 [[testament of Bolesław III Wrymouth]], which divided the previously unified [[Kingdom of Poland]] into several hereditary duchies, initiating a period of feudal [[Fragmentation of Poland|fragmentation]]. Although nominally part of the Polish realm, the duchy functioned as a semi-autonomous [[Piast dynasty|Piast]] principality, governed independently by its own dukes.

In 1177, the Duchy of Greater Poland was subdivided into the principalities of [[Duchy of Poznań|Poznań]], [[Duchy of Gniezno|Gniezno]], and [[Duchy of Kalisz|Kalisz]] following the deposition of [[Mieszko III the Old]], whose authoritarian rule had provoked opposition among the nobility and rival Piast princes. This internal conflict led to a redistribution of power within the region. The principalities were later reunited in 1279 under [[Przemysł II]], forming a unified duchy that lasted until 1320, when it was reabsorbed into the restored Kingdom of Poland. The duchy's capital was [[Poznań]], and its territory closely aligned with that of the modern Greater Poland Voivodeship.

==History==
[[File:Ustawa sukcesyjna Bolesława Krzywoustego.jpg|left|thumb|Fragmentation of Poland in 1138: {{legend|seagreen|Duchy of Greater Poland, ruled by [[Mieszko III the Old]], comprising western Greater Poland}}]]
Upon the death of the Polish [[Piast dynasty|Piast]] duke [[Bolesław III Wrymouth]] in 1138, his [[realm]] was divided according to his testament into four to five hereditary provinces, each assigned to one of his sons. He also established the [[Seniorate Province]] of [[Kraków]], reserved for his eldest son, [[Władysław II the Exile|Władysław II]], who was designated as the [[List of Polish monarchs|High Duke]] and nominal overlord of all Poland.

===Mieszko III the Old===
As one of the provinces created by the 1138 testament, Greater Poland was assigned to [[Mieszko III the Old]], the third son of Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth. Initially, Mieszko III ruled the western part of the Greater Polish lands, centered around Poznań. His dominion bordered the [[Duchy of Silesia]] to the south, the Seniorate Province to the east, and the [[Pomerania]]n territories to the north. To the west, Greater Poland extended to [[Lubusz Land]], situated on the western frontier of Poland, where in 1157, the [[House of Ascania|Ascanian]] count [[Albert the Bear]] established the Imperial [[Margraviate of Brandenburg]].

After the death of his brother [[Bolesław IV the Curly]] in 1173, Mieszko III the Old became High Duke of Poland in accordance with the principle of [[agnatic seniority]] established in Bolesław III Wrymouth's testament. However, his rule was soon challenged by a rebellion in Kraków, instigated by the [[magnate]]s of [[Lesser Poland]] and led by his younger brother [[Casimir II the Just]], with support from Mieszko's own son [[Odon of Poznań|Odon]], who feared for his inheritance. Casimir seized the high ducal title, and in 1179, Odon went so far as to expel his father from the Greater Polish lands. Mieszko fled to the [[Duchy of Pomerania]], where he found refuge at the court of [[Bogislaw I, Duke of Pomerania|Bogislaw I]], husband of his daughter [[Anastasia of Greater Poland|Anastasia]].

With the support of Pomeranian forces, Mieszko III the Old returned to his duchy in 1181 and successfully seized the adjacent territories of Gniezno and Kalisz, which had previously belonged to the Seniorate Province. His son Odon was forced to abandon Poznań, retaining only a narrow strip of land south of the [[Obra (river)|Obra]] River. Although Mieszko’s subsequent efforts to reclaim the high ducal title were unsuccessful, he managed to expand his domain further in 1186 by annexing [[Kujawy|Kuyavia]], extending his control eastward to the [[Vistula]] River. This territory had been ruled by his late nephew, [[Leszek, Duke of Masovia|Leszek of Masovia]]. Mieszko granted Kuyavia to his son [[Bolesław of Kuyavia|Bolesław]], but following Bolesław's death in 1195, the region was again detached from Greater Poland when Mieszko was compelled to cede it to Duke [[Konrad of Masovia]], son of Casimir II, in 1199.

In 1191, Mieszko III the Old briefly reconquered Kraków; however, his decision to entrust the rule of Lesser Poland to his son [[Mieszko the Younger]] proved unsuccessful. Casimir II the Just soon regained control of the Polish throne, forcing Mieszko the Younger to flee to his father, who then installed him as Duke of Kalisz. Following Mieszko the Younger's death in 1193, Mieszko III reconciled with his eldest son Odon and granted him the Duchy of Kalisz. Upon Odon's death the following year, all Greater Polish lands were reunited under Mieszko's rule. He subsequently ceded Odon's former territories south of the Obra River to his only surviving son, [[Władysław III Spindleshanks]].

By 1194, Mieszko III had outlived all his brothers. Yet [[Leszek I the White]], son of Casimir II, like his father, refused to recognize Mieszko's authority in Kraków. Upon Mieszko's death in 1202, his son Władysław III was soon confronted by rival claims from his cousin.

===Władysław Spindleshanks and Władysław Odonic===
[[File:WielkoPolska epoki Piastowskiej.jpg|thumb|left|Map of the 13th-century Duchy of Greater Poland. Territories lost in the 13th century marked in yellow ([[Lubusz Land]]) and green (northwestern Greater Poland)]]
[[File:Władysław Odonic seal 1231.PNG|thumb|Ducal seal of Władysław Odonic, 1231]]
In 1206, Władysław III Spindleshanks lost the high ducal title to Leszek I the White and was soon confronted by a rebellion led by his nephew, [[Władysław Odonic]], the son of his late brother Odon. Odonic laid claim to the lands of Kalisz, which his father had held in 1193–94, and secured the backing of the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gniezno|Archbishop of Gniezno]]. Despite this support, his initial attempts to depose his uncle were unsuccessful. Nevertheless, he eventually gained control of Kalisz, aided by Duke [[Henry I the Bearded]] of Silesia, and from 1216, also ruled the Greater Polish territories south of the Obra River, which had belonged to his father until he died in 1194.

In 1217, conflict reignited when Władysław III Spindleshanks reconciled with Leszek I the White and Henry I the Bearded, gaining their support to expel his rebellious nephew, Władysław Odonic, who fled to the court of Duke [[Świętopełk II, Duke of Pomerania|Swietopelk II of Pomerelia]]. Despite this alliance, Odonic was only able to seize the Greater Polish territory of [[Ujście]] in 1223.

In 1227, Swietopelk launched a surprise attack on a ducal assembly (''[[veche|wiec]]'') at [[Gąsawa]], during which High Duke Leszek was killed and Duke Henry seriously wounded. Spindleshanks did not attend the meeting, a decision that likely saved his life. The death of Leszek also removed his long-time rival, allowing Spindleshanks to claim the high ducal title.

Accused of involvement in the Gąsawa assault, Odonic withdrew to [[Duchy of Masovia|Masovia]], where he forged a new alliance with Duke Konrad I. With the combined support of [[Duchy of Pomerania|Pomerelia]] and Masovia, Odonic succeeded in taking control of the entire Duchy of Greater Poland from Spindleshanks in 1229.

Władysław III Spindleshanks fled to Silesia and died without issue two years later, leaving his nephew Władysław Odonic as the sole heir of the Greater Polish line. However, Odonic soon faced territorial claims from Henry I the Bearded, Duke of Silesia and High Duke of Poland from 1232, who began conquering most of Odonic's lands from 1234 onward. When Henry I was succeeded by his son [[Henry II the Pious]] in 1238, Odonic was reduced to controlling only the area around Ujście. He died the following year, after which High Duke Henry II assumed control over all of Greater Poland, ruling until his death at the [[Battle of Legnica]] in 1241.

===Przemysł I and Bolesław the Pious===
[[File:Castillo Real, Poznan, Polonia, 2014-09-18, DD 42.jpg|thumb|The rebuilt [[Royal Castle, Poznań]] in [[Poznań]]]]
The Greater Polish line of the Piasts was continued by the sons of Władysław Odonic, [[Przemysł I of Greater Poland|Przemysł I]] and his younger brother [[Bolesław the Pious]]. Initially, they had to reclaim their inheritance from the Silesian successors of Henry II the Pious. Soon after, tensions arose between the brothers: in 1247, Bolesław rebelled against Przemysł with the support of local nobles. The duchy was formally divided, with Bolesław receiving the smaller district of Kalisz. The conflict persisted, as Bolesław, dissatisfied, also laid claim to Gniezno. In 1250, Przemysł had him deposed and imprisoned, but in 1253, through the mediation of the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gniezno|Archbishop of Gniezno]], Bolesław was reinstated as Duke of Kalisz and Gniezno.

Przemysł also faced external pressure from the Brandenburg margraves [[John I, Margrave of Brandenburg|John I]] and [[Otto III, Margrave of Brandenburg|Otto III]], who had acquired Lubusz Land on the western border of his duchy from Duke [[Bolesław II Rogatka]] in 1248. Upon Przemysł’s death in 1257, [[Bolesław the Pious]] became the sole ruler of Greater Poland. In 1264, he issued the [[Statute of Kalisz]], a landmark legal act that extended rights and protections to the Jewish population within his domain.

===Przemysł II===
Greater Poland was once again reunited under the rule of [[Przemysł II]], son of Przemysł I, in Poznań in 1279. In the west, the Brandenburg margraves had transformed Lubusz Land into the nucleus of the [[New March]], founding the town of Landsberg (present-day [[Gorzów Wielkopolski]]) in 1257. Przemysł II countered Brandenburg's expansion by allying with their rival, Duke [[Bogislaw IV, Duke of Pomerania|Bogislaw IV of Pomerania]].

Following the death of [[Henry IV Probus]] in 1290, Przemysł briefly took control of Kraków, the symbolic seat of the [[Kingdom of Poland|Polish crown]]. However, lacking strong support among the nobility of [[Lesser Poland]] and facing pressure from Bohemian interests, he soon relinquished his claim to the city, transferring it to King [[Wenceslaus II of Bohemia]]. He later inherited [[Duchy of Pomerania|Pomerelia]] through a succession agreement with Duke [[Mestwin II]], significantly expanding his realm to include access to the Baltic Sea. This territorial consolidation strengthened his claim to national leadership, and in 1295, he was crowned King of Poland, marking a brief restoration of the Polish monarchy.<ref name="Możejko2017">{{cite book|author=Beata Możejko|title=New Studies in Medieval and Renaissance Gdańsk, Poland and Prussia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hiUlDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA25|date=31 March 2017|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-1-351-80544-5|pages=25–}}</ref> However, the Greater Polish [[Piast dynasty|Piast]] line became extinct the following year when Przemysł II was abducted and assassinated.

Przemysł II's succession was claimed by his Kuyavian cousin, [[Władysław I the Elbow-high]], who faced rivalry from [[Henry III, Duke of Głogów|Henry III of Głogów]], a [[Silesian Piast]]. Przemysł had made succession agreements with both claimants, leading to a contested inheritance. Meanwhile, the Brandenburg margraves exploited the instability to capture the strategic fortress of [[Santok]] on the [[Warta]] River. In 1300, both Piasts were compelled to renounce their claims in favor of King Wenceslaus II of Bohemia, who assumed the Polish crown.

After Wenceslaus died in 1305, the rivalry resumed. Following a brief period of rule by various Piast dukes, Greater Poland ultimately fell to Władysław I, who was crowned King of a re-united Poland in 1320. With this coronation, the Duchy of Greater Poland ceased to exist as a separate political entity and was reorganized into the [[Poznań Voivodeship (14th century–1793)|Poznań Voivodship]] and [[Kalisz Voivodeship (1314–1793)|Kalisz Voivodship]] under the unified Polish Crown.


==Dukes of Greater Poland==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+
| rowspan=2 | From year
! colspan=3 | Duchy of Greater Poland
|-
| bgcolor="#F6F4F4" style="min-width: 20em" | {{center|'''Poznań'''}}
| bgcolor="#F6F4F4" style="min-width: 20em" | {{center|'''Gniezno'''}}
| bgcolor="#F6F4F4" style="min-width: 20em" | {{center|'''Kalisz'''}}
|-
| 1138 
| [[Mieszko III the Old]]
| rowspan=2 colspan=2 |part of the [[Seniorate Province]]
|-
| 1179||[[Odon of Poznań]]
|-
| 1181
| colspan=3 style="border-bottom: 0;" bgcolor="#eef" |{{center|'''[[Mieszko III the Old]]'''<br />Polish high duke from 1198}}
|-
| 1191
| colspan=2 rowspan=3 style="border-top: 0; border-right: 0;" bgcolor="#eef" |
| [[Mieszko the Younger]]
|-
| 1193 || [[Odon of Poznań]]
|-
| 1194
|  bgcolor="#eef" style="border-left: 0;" |
|-
| 1202
| colspan=3 style="border-bottom: 0;" bgcolor="#efe" |{{center|'''[[Władysław III Spindleshanks]]'''<br />Polish high duke until 1206 and 1227–1229}}
|-
| 1207 
| rowspan=2 style="border-top: 0; border-right: 0;"  bgcolor="#efe"|
| rowspan=3 style="border-top: 0; border-left: 0; border-right: 0"  bgcolor="#efe"|
| bgcolor="#fee" |Władysław Odonic
|-
| 1217
| style="border-left: 0;" bgcolor="#efe"|
|-
| 1227
| bgcolor="#fee" style="border-bottom: 0;"|
| bgcolor="#fee" style="border-bottom: 0;"|
|-
| 1229
| colspan=3 style="border-top: 0; border-bottom: 0;" bgcolor="#fee" |{{center|'''[[Władysław Odonic]]'''}}
|-
| 1234
|  bgcolor="#fdf" |[[Henry I the Bearded]]
| style="border-top: 0;" bgcolor="#fee" |
|  bgcolor="#fdf" |Henry I the Bearded
|-
| 1238
| colspan=3 style="text-align:center;" |'''[[Henry II the Pious]]'''
|-
| 1241
| colspan=3 |{{center|1='''<span style="background-color:#e6ffff; border:1px solid #e6ffff;">[[Przemysł I of Greater Poland|Przemysł I]]</span> and <span style="background-color:#ffd; border:1px solid #ffd;">[[Bolesław the Pious]]</span>'''}}
|-
| 1247
| colspan=2 style="border-bottom: 0;" bgcolor="#e6ffff" |
| bgcolor="#ffd" |Bolesław the Pious
|-
| 1249
| style="border-top: 0; border-bottom: 0;" bgcolor="#e6ffff" |
| bgcolor="#ffd" |Bolesław the Pious
| style="border-bottom: 0;" bgcolor="#e6ffff" |
|-
| 1250
| colspan=3 style="border-top: 0; border-bottom: 0;" bgcolor="#e6ffff" |{{center|'''Przemysł I'''}}
|-
| 1253
| style="border-top: 0;" bgcolor="#e6ffff" |
| colspan=2 style="border-bottom: 0;" bgcolor="#ffd" |
|-
| 1257
| colspan=3 style="border-top: 0; border-bottom: 0;" bgcolor="#ffd" |{{center|'''Bolesław the Pious'''}}
|-
| 1277
| style="border-bottom: 0;"|
| colspan=2 style="border-top: 0;" bgcolor="#ffd" |
|-
| 1279
| colspan=3 style="border-top: 0;"|{{center|'''[[Przemysł II]]'''<br />Polish high duke 1290–1291, King of Poland from 1295}}
|-
| 1296
| colspan=3 style="text-align:center;" |'''[[Władysław I the Elbow-high]]'''
|-
| 1300
| colspan=3 style="border-bottom: 0;"|{{center|'''King [[Wenceslaus II of Bohemia]]'''}}
|-
| 1302
| style="border-bottom: 0;"|
| colspan=2 style="border-top: 0;" |
|-
| 1306
| colspan=3 style="border-top: 0;"|{{center|'''[[Henry III, Duke of Głogów|Henry III of Głogów]]'''}}
|-
| 1309
| colspan=3 |{{center|'''[[Przemko II of Głogów]], [[Henry IV the Faithful]], [[John, Duke of Ścinawa|John of Ścinawa]], [[Bolesław of Oleśnica]], [[Konrad I of Oleśnica]]'''}}
|-
| 1312
| rowspan=2 | Przemko II,<br />Henry IV,<br />John
| colspan=2 | Bolesław and Konrad I
|-
| 1313
| Bolesław
| Konrad I
|-
| rowspan=2 | 1314
| colspan=3 |{{center|'''Władysław I the Elbow-high'''<br />King of a united [[Kingdom of Poland (1320–1385)|Kingdom of Poland]] from 1320}}
|-
| Turned into the [[Poznań Voivodeship (14th century–1793)|Poznań Voivodeship]]
| colspan=2 | Merged to form the [[Kalisz Voivodeship (1314–1793)|Kalisz Voivodship]]
|}
'''Rulers of all Greater Poland'''
* 1194-1202 [[Mieszko III the Old]], Polish high duke from 1198
* 1202–1207 [[Władysław III Spindleshanks]], Polish high duke until 1206 and 1227–1229
* 1229–1234 [[Władysław Odonic]]
* 1238–1241 [[Henry II the Pious]] of Silesia, Polish high duke
* 1241–1247 [[Przemysł I of Greater Poland|Przemysł I]] and [[Bolesław the Pious]]
* 1250–1253 Przemysł I
* 1257–1277 Bolesław the Pious
* 1279–1296 [[Przemysł II]], Polish high duke 1290–1291, King of Poland from 1295
* 1296–1300 [[Władysław I the Elbow-high]]
* 1300–1305 King [[Wenceslaus II of Bohemia]]
* 1305–1309 [[Henry III, Duke of Głogów|Henry III of Głogów]]
* 1309–1312 [[Przemko II of Głogów]], [[Henry IV the Faithful]], [[John, Duke of Ścinawa|John of Ścinawa]], [[Bolesław of Oleśnica]], [[Konrad I of Oleśnica]]
* from 1314 Władysław I the Elbow-high, King of Poland from 1320.
Turned into the [[Greater Poland]] province of the united [[Kingdom of Poland (1320–1385)|Kingdom of Poland]], divided into the [[Poznań Voivodship]] and [[Kalisz Voivodeship (1314–1793)|Kalisz Voivodship]].

== See also ==
*[[History of Poland during the Piast dynasty]]
*[[List of Polish monarchs]]
*[[Piast dynasty]]
*[[History of Poznań]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* Zygmunt Boras, ''Książęta piastowscy Wielkopolski'', Wydawnictwo Poznańskie, Poznań 1983, {{ISBN|83-210-0381-8}}
* Oskar Balzer, ''Genealogia Piastów'', Kraków 1895
* K. Dworzaczek, ''Geneaalogia'', part 1–2, Warszawa 1959
*Wojciech Górczyk,"Ślady recepcji legend arturiańskich w heraldyce Piastów czerskich i kronikach polskich", Kultura i Historia, Uniwersytet Marii Curie Skłodowskiej w Lublinie,17/2010 ISSN 1642-9826 [http://www.kulturaihistoria.umcs.lublin.pl/archives/1793]
* Wojciech Górczyk, "Półksiężyc, orzeł, lew i smok. Uwagi o godłach napieczętnych Piastów" [http://histmag.org/?id=3057&act=ac]
* ''Poczet książąt i królów polskich'', Warszawa 1978
*  Kronika wielkopolska, przeł. Kazimierz Abgarowicz, wstęp i komentarze oprac. Brygida Kürbisówna, PWN, Warszawa 1965, wyd. 2, Kraków 2010, {{ISBN|978-83-242-1275-0}}

{{Fiefs of the Polish Kingdom}}
{{Historical divisions of Greater Poland}}

{{coord missing|Poland}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Greater Poland, Duchy of}}
[[Category:Former countries in Europe]]
[[Category:Former monarchies of Europe]]
[[Category:Duchies of Poland]]
[[Category:History of Poland during the Piast dynasty]]
[[Category:12th-century establishments in Poland]]
[[Category:14th-century disestablishments in Poland]]
[[Category:Former administrative regions of Greater Poland]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1138]]
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in 1177]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1279]]
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in 1295]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1296]]
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in 1320]]
[[Category:Fiefdoms of Poland]]