
Siemowit IV (Ziemowit IV), also known as Siemowit IV the Younger (pl: ''Siemowit IV Młodszy''; ca. 1353/1356 – 21 January 1426), was a Polish prince, member of the
Masovian branch of the
House of Piast
The House of Piast was the first historical ruling dynasty of Poland. The first documented List of Polish monarchs, Polish monarch was Duke Mieszko I of Poland, Mieszko I (–992). The Poland during the Piast dynasty, Piasts' royal rule in Pol ...
and from 1373 or 1374 Duke of
Rawa, and after the division of the paternal inheritance between him and his brother in 1381, ruler over Rawa,
Płock
Płock (pronounced ), officially the Ducal Capital City of Płock, is a city in central Poland, on the Vistula river, in the Masovian Voivodeship. According to the data provided by Central Statistical Office (Poland), GUS on 31 December 2021, the ...
,
Sochaczew
Sochaczew () is a town in central Poland, with 33,456 inhabitants (as of 2023). In the Masovian Voivodeship (since 1999), formerly in Skierniewice Voivodeship (1975–1998). It is the capital of Sochaczew County and is located approximately west ...
,
Gostynin
Gostynin is a town in central Poland with 19,414 inhabitants (2004). It is the capital of Gostynin County in the Masovian Voivodship.
History
Gostynin has a long and rich history, which dates back to the early Middle Ages. In the 6th century, a ...
,
Płońsk
Płońsk (; ) is a town in central Poland with 21,591 inhabitants (2022). Situated at the Płonka river in the historic region of Mazovia, it is the seat of Płońsk County in the Masovian Voivodeship.
History
According to archaeological researc ...
and
Wizna
Wizna is a village in Łomża County of Podlaskie Voivodeship, in north-eastern Poland, situated on the Narew River. Wizna is known for the battle of Wizna which took place in its vicinity during the 1939 Invasion of Poland at the start of World ...
, after 1386 hereditary Polish vassal, after 1388 ruler over
Belz
Belz (, ; ; ) is a small city in Lviv Oblast, western Ukraine, located near the border with Poland between the Solokiya River (a tributary of the Bug River) and the Richytsia stream. Belz hosts the administration of Belz urban hromada, one of ...
. During 1382–1401 he lost Wizna and during 1384–1399 and 1407–1411 he lost
Zawkrze, during 1384–1399 he lost Płońsk, which was taken by the
Teutonic Order
The Teutonic Order is a religious order (Catholic), Catholic religious institution founded as a military order (religious society), military society in Acre, Israel, Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. The Order of Brothers of the German House of Sa ...
.
He was the second son of
Siemowit III, Duke of Masovia
Siemowit (Polish pronunciation: �ɛˈmɔvit also Ziemowit �ɛˈmɔvit was, according to the chronicles of Gallus Anonymus, the son of Piast the Wheelwright and Rzepicha. He is considered to be the first ruler of the Piast dynasty.K. Jasiński, ...
and his first wife Euphemia, daughter of
Nicholas II of Opava
Nicholas II of Opava (also: ''Nicholas II of Troppau'', ''Nicholas II of Ratibór''; ; 1288 – 8 December 1365) was Duke of Duchy of Opava, Opava () from 1318 to 1365 and Duchy of Ratibor, Duke of Ratibór from 1337 to 1365 and Burgrave of Coun ...
.
Already during his father's lifetime, Siemowit IV received his own district, Rawa Mazowiecka (ca. 1373/74), and as a result of the partition of Masovia between him and his older brother
Janusz I after the death of their father on 16 June 1381, Siemowit IV finally obtain the totality of his domains: Rawa, Płock, Sochaczew, Gostynin, Płońsk and Wizna.
Role in the Greater Polish Civil War
Siemowit IV was opposed to his older brother Janusz I's attempts to obtain the Polish crown. One year after the acquisition of his own domains, King
Louis of Poland and Hungary died (10 September 1382), and with this emerged the opportunity to enact his claim to the crown, supported by the
Greater Poland
Greater Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska (; ), is a Polish Polish historical regions, historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief and largest city is Poznań followed by Kalisz, the oldest city in Poland.
The bound ...
and
Kujawy
Kuyavia (; ), 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 traditional parts: north-western (with t ...
nobility (centered around the powerful Bartosz Wezenborg). However, the late King had made arrangements among the
Lesser Poland
Lesser Poland, often known by its Polish name ''Małopolska'' (; ), is a historical region situated in southern and south-eastern Poland. Its capital and largest city is Kraków. Throughout centuries, Lesser Poland developed a separate cult ...
nobility who guaranteed their support to his eldest daughter and heiress
Mary
Mary may refer to:
People
* Mary (name), a female given name (includes a list of people with the name)
Religion
* New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below
* Mary, mother of Jesus, also called the Blesse ...
and her husband
Sigismund of Luxembourg
Sigismund of Luxembourg (15 February 1368 – 9 December 1437) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1433 until his death in 1437. He was elected King of Germany (King of the Romans) in 1410, and was also King of Bohemia from 1419, as well as prince-elec ...
. Without waiting for a favorable settlement, in January 1383, Siemowit IV marched to Greater Poland at the head of his troops, marked the beginning of the
Greater Poland Civil War
Greater may refer to:
*Greatness, the state of being great
*Greater than, in inequality
* ''Greater'' (film), a 2016 American film
*Greater (flamingo), the oldest flamingo on record
* "Greater" (song), by MercyMe, 2014
*Greater Bank, an Australia ...
.
Unexpectedly, in
Buda
Buda (, ) is the part of Budapest, the capital city of Hungary, that lies on the western bank of the Danube. Historically, “Buda” referred only to the royal walled city on Castle Hill (), which was constructed by Béla IV between 1247 and ...
the Dowager Queen
Elizabeth of Bosnia
Elizabeth of Bosnia ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=/, Elizabeta Kotromanić, Јелисавета Котроманић ; ; ; – January 1387) was queen consort of Kingdom of Hungary, Hungary and Croatia in personal union with Hungary, Croat ...
decided to change the decision of her husband and accepted the reign of her youngest daughter
Jadwiga over Poland instead of Mary and Sigismund, who remained rulers of Hungary. This decision caused that several supporters of Siemowit IV to hope that he could marry the young Queen (despite the fact that she was already betrothed to
William of Habsburg) and in this way, both factions could reconcile and in addition this union with the old Piast dynasty could further legitimize the Angevin rule.
The first step to implement this plan was the formal candidacy of Siemowit IV to the royal crown. To this end, in a meeting of nobles and gentry at
Sieradz
Sieradz (,) is a city on the Warta river in central Poland with 40,891 inhabitants (2021). It is the seat of the Sieradz County, situated in the Łódź Voivodeship. Sieradz is a capital of the historical Sieradz Land.
Sieradz is one of the olde ...
the Archbishop
Bodzanta of Gniezno, one of his leading supporters, proposed Siemowit IV's candidacy to the throne. This proposal quickly gained widespread acceptance, and only thanks to the courageous intervention of the voivode of
Kraków
, officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the List of cities and towns in Poland, second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 ...
John of Tęczyn, who advised them to abstain from any decision until the arrival of Jadwiga, the idea was abandoned. The opposition of Lesser Poland to the candidacy of Siemowit IV was probably associated with the fear of the growing role of Greater Poland under an eventual rule of the Masovian Duke. Another argument against this was the emerging idea of the union with the
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a sovereign state in northeastern Europe that existed from the 13th century, succeeding the Kingdom of Lithuania, to the late 18th century, when the territory was suppressed during the 1795 Partitions of Poland, ...
.
These events did not discourage Siemowit IV, who was determined to obtain the crown, even by force. Probably with the knowledge and consent of Archbishop Bodzanta, he attempted to abduct Jadwiga and marry her, in a desperate act to win the crown. When the Lesser Poland nobility knew of his intentions, they close the gates of
Wawel
The Wawel Royal Castle (; ''Zamek Królewski na Wawelu'') and the Wawel Hill on which it sits constitute the most historically and culturally significant site in Poland. A fortified residency on the Vistula River in Kraków, it was established o ...
to Bodzanta's men, among them was hidden Siemowit IV. They also warned Jadwiga, who remained at the court of her mother until was secured to travel.
Despite the defeat of his ambitious plans, Siemowit IV continued his efforts to obtain the Polish throne. For this purpose, after burning the property of his political opponents in
Książ, he went back to Sieradz, where a part of the local nobility proclaimed him King of Poland. This time, however, the congress lacked of real authority, and for this reason, he delayed his expected coronation, trying to conquer the country by force. After a disastrous campaign and a failed siege to
Kalisz
Kalisz () is a city in central Poland, and the second-largest city in the Greater Poland Voivodeship, with 97,905 residents (December 2021). It is the capital city of the Kalisz Region. Situated on the Prosna river in the southeastern part of Gr ...
(Siemowit IV was able to obtain only
Kujawy
Kuyavia (; ), 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 traditional parts: north-western (with t ...
), some of his supporters decided to sign an armistice on 29 September 1383.
The ceasefire enabled the Polish to add Hungarian troops to the country's forces under the personal command of Sigismund of Luxembourg. The combined attack of Hungarian-Polish forces caused that Siemowit IV avoided further fighting, especially after his brother Janusz opted for the recognition of Jadwiga as Queen.
The defeat of Siemowit IV reduced considerably the number of his supporters. Consequently, and after a final rejection in October 1384 from the powerful Lesser Poland nobility to a marriage with Jadwiga, the Masovian Duke adopted a different tactic: if it was impossible for him obtain the crown, he decided to win all the territory possible.
Reconciliation with opponents
Siewomit, after adding
Łęczyca
Łęczyca (; in full the Royal Town of Łęczyca, ; ; ) is a town of inhabitants in central Poland. Situated in the Łódź Voivodeship, it is the county seat of the Łęczyca County. Łęczyca is a capital of the historical Łęczyca Land.
Or ...
to his territory, decided to undertake peace negotiations with Jadwiga, which ended successfully on 12 December 1385 with the signing of a treaty, under which Siemowit IV returned all the lands taken by him in exchange for the sum of 10,000 silver marks, and most important, he relinquished all his claims to the Polish crown and paid homage to the Queen Jadwiga and her new husband and King,
Jogaila, from which he received the
Duchy of Belz
Duchy of Belz or Principality of Belz was a duchy, formed in the late 12th century in Kievan Rus. During its history the duchy was a constituent part of some other political entities such as the Kingdom of Rus, the Kingdom of Hungary, Duchy of Ma ...
as dowry of Princess
Alexandra of Lithuania
Alexandra (, ; died 20 April 1434 in Płock) was the youngest daughter of Algirdas, Grand Duke of Lithuania, and his second wife, Uliana of Tver. Though Alexandra's exact date of birth is not known, it is thought that she was born in the late 1360 ...
, Jogaila's sister, who married Siemowit IV as a gesture of reconciliation between both parties.
Siemowit IV's complete resignation of his claim to the Polish crown was his attendance to the ceremonies of baptism, marriage and coronation of Jadwiga and Jogaila in Kraków. After these ceremonies, he renewed his homage to the royal couple. He joined the royal entourage to Vilnius, where he participated in the process of
Christianization of Lithuania
The Christianization of Lithuania () occurred in 1387, initiated by the Lithuanian royals Jogaila, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, and his cousin Vytautas the Great. It signified the official adoption of Catholic Christianity by Li ...
.
Post civil war activity
Before the war, as an independent ruler he could effectively maneuver between the Polish, Lithuanians and the Teutonic Order; now, as a vassal was clearly seen as a representative of the Polish Kingdom. In addition, in order to finance his policies he needed money and several times he mortgaged some of his domains to the
Teutonic Order
The Teutonic Order is a religious order (Catholic), Catholic religious institution founded as a military order (religious society), military society in Acre, Israel, Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. The Order of Brothers of the German House of Sa ...
, including
Wizna
Wizna is a village in Łomża County of Podlaskie Voivodeship, in north-eastern Poland, situated on the Narew River. Wizna is known for the battle of Wizna which took place in its vicinity during the 1939 Invasion of Poland at the start of World ...
(during 1382-1401),
Płońsk
Płońsk (; ) is a town in central Poland with 21,591 inhabitants (2022). Situated at the Płonka river in the historic region of Mazovia, it is the seat of Płońsk County in the Masovian Voivodeship.
History
According to archaeological researc ...
(during 1384-1399) and
Zawkrze (during 1384-1399 and 1407-1411).
In view of the growing friction between the Polish and Teutonic Order, Siemowit IV tried to obtain the greatest benefit for him and intervened as a mediator. Also, after the outbreak of the
war of 1409–1410 between Poland, Lithuania and the Teutonic Order, the attitude of the Masovian Duke wasn't clear: in one side, he tried to contact King Sigismund of Hungary and by other side, he pressured his warring neighbors to maintain the peace. In view of the failure of his attempts to make a compromise, Siemowit IV finally sent his troops at the
Battle of Grunwald
The Battle of Grunwald was fought on 15 July 1410 during the Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War. The alliance of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, led respectively by King Władysław II Jagiełło (Jogaila), a ...
, but his participation was only symbolic; in fact, was his son Siemovit V who fielded two banners of his own troops and fought alongside the 'Royal' Poles and Lithuanian troops. In order to maintain his friendly relations with the Teutonic Order, he provides them with refunds even during the campaign; in exchange, the Order returned Zawkrze to Siemowit IV, despite the fact that under the
Peace of Thorn (1411)
The (First) Peace of Thorn was a peace treaty formally ending the Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War between allied Poland during the Jagiellon dynasty, Kingdom of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania on one side, and the Teutonic Knights on the ...
they aren't obliged to do it.
Despite his official subordination to Poland, Siemowit IV tried to pursue an independent foreign policy. This was expressed in his frequent contacts with the Hungarian King Sigismund, who, wishing to drag a Polish vassal to his side gave the Masovian Duke the rich
prebends
A prebendary is a member of the Catholic or Anglican clergy, a form of canon with a role in the administration of a cathedral or collegiate church. When attending services, prebendaries sit in particular seats, usually at the back of the choir s ...
from the
Bishopric of Veszprém and other possessions across
Hungary
Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...
.
Siemowit IV's relations with Poland, although some temporary frictions caused by his too independent policy (he even minted his own coins) remained friendly, despite the fact that he didn't fulfill his duties as a vassal, and only sent troops to Poland occasionally when he was required to do. Another gesture of friendship with King Władysław II was noted when he used Siemowit IV's daughters into political marriages and the support given to his son Alexander in his Church career.
In domestic politics, Siemowit IV continued the economic restructuring which begun under the rule of his father. For this purpose, in addition to the existing statutes he implemented the Kulm law in several of his cities and promoted the colonization of the Masovian nobility to Belz.
Ill health and death
After 1420 Siemowit IV, due to his progressive blindness, gradually gave participation in the government to his adult sons. In 1425, the dispute about the election of his Chancellor
Stanisław z Pawłowic Stanislav and variants may refer to:
People
*Stanislav (given name), a Slavic given name with many spelling variations (Stanislaus, Stanislas, Stanisław, etc.)
Places
* Stanislav, Kherson Oblast, a coastal village in Ukraine
* Stanislaus County, ...
as
Bishop of Płock
A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...
forced his sons Siemowit V and Casimir II into a humiliating surrender.
Siemowit IV died on 21 January 1426 at
Gostynin
Gostynin is a town in central Poland with 19,414 inhabitants (2004). It is the capital of Gostynin County in the Masovian Voivodship.
History
Gostynin has a long and rich history, which dates back to the early Middle Ages. In the 6th century, a ...
and was buried in the Ducal crypt at
Płock Cathedral
Płock Cathedral (), or the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Masovia, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in the city of Płock, in central Poland. It is an example of 12th-century Romanesque architecture and is the oldest and most important hi ...
.
Marriage and issue
In 1387, Siemowit IV married
Alexandra
Alexandra () is a female given name of Greek origin. It is the first attested form of its variants, including Alexander (, ). Etymology, Etymologically, the name is a compound of the Greek verb (; meaning 'to defend') and (; genitive, GEN , ; ...
(died 20 April 1434), a Lithuanian princess, daughter of
Algirdas
Algirdas (; , ; – May 1377) was List of Lithuanian monarchs, Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1345 to 1377. With the help of his brother Kęstutis (who defended the western border of the Duchy) he created an empire stretching from the pre ...
,
Grand Duke of Lithuania
This is a list of Lithuanian monarchs who ruled Lithuania from its inception until the fall of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1795. The Lithuanian monarch bore the title of Grand duke, Grand Duke, with the exception of Mindaugas, who was crown ...
, and his second wife,
Uliana of Tver
Uliana Aleksandrovna ( – 17 March 1391) was a grand duchess of Lithuania as the second wife of Algirdas. She was the daughter of Alexander of Tver and Anastasia of Galicia, daughter of Yuri I of Galicia.
Life
After her father and eldes ...
. They had thirteen children:
*
Siemowit V (1389 – 17 February 1442).
*
Hedwig ( – aft. 19 February 1439), married after 3 January 1410 to
Janos Garai, Ban of Uzora and Obergespan of Temes and Pozsega.
*
Cymburgis ( – 28 September 1429), married on 25 January 1412 to
Ernest I, Duke of Austria.
*
Euphemia
Euphemia (; 'well-spoken f), known as Euphemia the All-praised in the Eastern Orthodox Church, was a virgin martyr, who died for her faith at Chalcedon in 303 AD.
According to tradition, Euphemia was martyred for refusing to offer sacrifices t ...
(1395/97 – bef. 17 September 1447), married on 20 November 1412 to
Bolesław I, Duke of Cieszyn
Bolesław I of Cieszyn (, , ) ( – 6 May 1431) was a Duke of half of Bytom and Siewierz from 1405, Duke of Cieszyn and half of both Głogów and Ścinawa from 1410, and Duke of Toszek and Strzelin during 1410–1414.
He was the second son ...
.
*
Amelia (1397/98 – aft. 17 May 1434), married on 16 May 1413 to
William II, Margrave of Meissen
Wilhelm II, the Rich (23 April 1371 – 13 March 1425) was the second son of Margrave Frederick ''the Strict'' of Meissen and Catherine of Henneberg.
Under the Division of Chemnitz of 1382, he received the Osterland and Landsberg jointly with ...
.
*
Alexander
Alexander () is a male name of Greek origin. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here ar ...
(1400 – 2 June 1444), a diplomat and
Bishop of Trento
The Archdiocese of Trento (, German Trient) is a Latin Metropolitan archdiocese of the Catholic Church in the Triveneto, named after its see in Alpine Italy, Trento (Tr(i)ent), in Trentino-Alto Adige region.
The seat (throne) of the archbishop ...
, titular
Bishop of Chur
The Bishop of Chur (German: ''Bischof von Chur'') is the ordinary of the Diocese of Chur in Grisons, Switzerland (Latin: ''Dioecesis Curiensis'').[Cardinal
Cardinal or The Cardinal most commonly refers to
* Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds
**''Cardinalis'', genus of three species in the family Cardinalidae
***Northern cardinal, ''Cardinalis cardinalis'', the common cardinal of ...]
of
Damascus
Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...
, and
Patriarch of Aquileia
This is a list of bishops and patriarchs of Aquileia in northeastern Italy. For the ecclesiastical history of the diocese, see Patriarchate of Aquileia.
From 553 until 698 the archbishops renounced Papal authority as part of the Schism of the T ...
.
*
Casimir II (1401/03 – 15 September 1442).
*
Trojden II (1403/06 – 25 July 1427).
*
Władysław I (1406/09 – 11/12 December 1455).
* Alexandra (1407/10 – ).
*
Maria
Maria may refer to:
People
* Mary, mother of Jesus
* Maria (given name), a popular given name in many languages
Place names Extraterrestrial
* 170 Maria, a Main belt S-type asteroid discovered in 1877
* Lunar maria (plural of ''mare''), large, ...
(1408/15 – 14 February 1454), married on 24 June 1432 to
Bogislaw IX, Duke of Pomerania.
* Anna (24 April 1411 – bef. 7 Feb 1435), married bef. 26 May 1427 to
Michael Žygimantaitis
Michael Žygimantaitis (, ; before 1406 – shortly before February 10, 1452 in Moscow) was pretender to the throne of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the last male descendant of Kęstutis, Grand Duke of Lithuania.
He supported his father Sigism ...
, a Lithuanian prince.
*
Catherine
Katherine (), also spelled Catherine and Catherina, other variations, is a feminine given name. The name and its variants are popular in countries where large Christian populations exist, because of its associations with one of the earliest Ch ...
(1413/16 – betw. 2 June 1479/5 July 1480), married bef. 21 August 1439 to
Michael Žygimantaitis
Michael Žygimantaitis (, ; before 1406 – shortly before February 10, 1452 in Moscow) was pretender to the throne of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the last male descendant of Kęstutis, Grand Duke of Lithuania.
He supported his father Sigism ...
, a Lithuanian prince (widower of her sister).
Grandchildren of Alexandra and Siemowit IV included
Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick III (German language, German: ''Friedrich III,'' 21 September 1415 – 19 August 1493) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1452 until his death in 1493. He was the penultimate emperor to be Coronation of the Holy Roman Emperor, crowned by the p ...
,
Przemyslaus II, Duke of Cieszyn,
Sophie of Pomerania, Duchess of Pomerania
Sophia of Pomerania-Stolp (1435 – 24 August 1497), was a Duchess of Pomerania by birth, and married to Eric II, Duke of Pomerania.
Sophia was the daughter of Bogislaw IX, Duke of Pomerania and Maria of Masovia. In 1446, her father died and w ...
and
Dorothy Garai
Dorothy Garai (/Доротеја Горјанска, ; died between 19 and 24 September 1438) was a Hungarian noblewoman who became Queen of Bosnia upon her marriage to King Tvrtko II in 1428. She functioned as art patron and exerted significa ...
, queen of Bosnia.
Prior to his marriage, Siemowit IV fathered an illegitimate son, Miklusz (also called ''Mikołaj''; born before 1387), who was legitimated on 29 June 1417 by Emperor Sigismund. Nothing more is known about him.
Piast naturalni in: poczet.com
etrieved 14 January 2015
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Siemowit 04, Duke of Masovia
1350s births
1426 deaths
Dukes of Masovia
People in the Battle of Grunwald
Dukes of Płock