The Duchies of Silesia were the more than twenty divisions of the region of

Silesia Silesia (see names #Etymology, below) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Silesia, Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at 8, ...

formed between the 12th and 14th centuries by the breakup of the

Duchy of Silesia The Duchy of Silesia (, ) with its capital at Wrocław was a medieval provincial duchy of Poland located in the region of Silesia. Soon after it was formed under the Piast dynasty in 1138, it fragmented into various Silesian duchies. In 1327, t ...

, then part of the

Kingdom of Poland The Kingdom of Poland (; Latin: ''Regnum Poloniae'') was a monarchy in Central Europe during the Middle Ages, medieval period from 1025 until 1385. Background The West Slavs, West Slavic tribe of Polans (western), Polans who lived in what i ...

. In 1335, the duchies were ceded to the

Kingdom of Bohemia The Kingdom of Bohemia (), sometimes referenced in English literature as the Czech Kingdom, was a History of the Czech lands in the High Middle Ages, medieval and History of the Czech lands, early modern monarchy in Central Europe. It was the pr ...

under the Treaty of Trentschin. Thereafter until 1742, Silesia was one of the Bohemian crown lands and lay within the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...

. Most of Silesia was annexed by the

King of Prussia The monarchs of Prussia were members of the House of Hohenzollern who were the hereditary rulers of the former German state of Prussia from its founding in 1525 as the Duchy of Prussia. The Duchy had evolved out of the Teutonic Order, a Roman C ...

under the Treaty of Berlin in 1742. Only the

Duchy of Teschen The Duchy of Teschen (), also Duchy of Cieszyn () or Duchy of Těšín (), was one of the Duchies of Silesia centered on Cieszyn () in Upper Silesia. It was split off the Silesian Duchy of Opole and Racibórz in 1281 during the feudal divisio ...

, the

Duchy of Troppau The Principality of Opava (; ) or Duchy of Troppau () was a historic territory split off from the Margraviate of Moravia before 1269 by King Ottokar II of Bohemia to provide for his natural son, Nicholas I. The Opava territory thus had not b ...

and the Duchy of Nysa remained under the control of the Bohemian crown and as such were known as the Duchy of Upper and Lower Silesia until 1918. States and territories disestablished in 1742

Breakup of Polish Silesia (1138–1335)

In the (vain) hope to prevent an inheritance dispute, the

Piast The House of Piast was the first historical ruling dynasty of Poland. The first documented Polish monarch was Duke Mieszko I (–992). The Piasts' royal rule in Poland ended in 1370 with the death of King Casimir III the Great. Branches of ...

prince

Bolesław III Wrymouth Bolesław III Wrymouth (; 20 August 1086 – 28 October 1138), also known as Boleslaus the Wry-mouthed, was the duke of Lesser Poland, Silesia and Sandomierz between 1102 and 1107 and over the whole of Poland between 1107 and 1138. He was the onl ...

by his last will and

testament A testament is a document that the author has sworn to be true. In law it usually means last will and testament. Testament or The Testament can also refer to: Books * ''Testament'' (comic book), a 2005 comic book * ''Testament'', a thriller no ...

had divided

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

into hereditary provinces distributed among his four sons:

Masovia Mazovia or Masovia ( ) is a historical region in mid-north-eastern Poland. It spans the North European Plain, roughly between Łódź and Białystok, with Warsaw being the largest city and Płock being the capital of the region . Throughout the ...

, Kujawy,

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 Silesia. Beside which, the

Seniorate Province Seniorate Province, also known as the Senioral Province, was a district principality in the Duchy of Poland that was formed in 1138, following the fragmentation of the state.Kwiatkowski, Richard. The Country That Refused to Die: The Story of t ...

(

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 ...

) with the residence 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 ...

was reserved for the eldest, who according to the principle of

agnatic seniority Agnatic seniority is a patrilineality, patrilineal principle of inheritance where the order of succession to the throne prefers the monarch's younger brother over the monarch's own sons. A monarch's children (the next generation) succeed only ...

was to be High Duke of all Poland. This act inadvertently started the process known as

Fragmentation of Poland The period of rule by the Piast dynasty between the 10th and 14th centuries is the first major stage of the history of Poland, history of the Polish state. The dynasty was founded by a series of dukes listed by the chronicler Gall Anonymous in t ...

. Bolesław's son Władysław II received the Duchy of Silesia and, as the eldest, was also granted the title of a High Duke among with the Seniorate Province. Nevertheless, after he had tried to gain control over all Poland, he was banned and expelled by his younger half-brothers in 1146. Bolesław's second eldest son

Bolesław IV the Curly Bolesław IV the Curly (; 1122 – 5 January 1173), a member of the Piast dynasty, was Duke of Masovia from 1138 and High Duke of Poland from 1146 until his death in 1173. Early life Bolesław was the third son of Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth ...

, Duke of Masovia, became Polish High Duke. When, in 1163, Władysław's three sons, backed by Emperor

Frederick I Barbarossa Frederick Barbarossa (December 1122 – 10 June 1190), also known as Frederick I (; ), was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1155 until his death in 1190. He was elected King of Germany in Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aa ...

returned to Poland, Bolesław IV had to restore their heritage. After ten years of joint rule, Władysław's sons finally divided Silesia in 1173: *

Bolesław I the Tall Bolesław I the Tall (; 1127 – 7 or 8 December 1201) was Duke of Wrocław from 1163 until his death in 1201. Early years Boleslaw was the eldest son of Władysław II the Exile by his wife Agnes of Babenberg, daughter of Margrave Leopold II ...

, the eldest, received the core territory around the residences of

Wrocław Wrocław is a city in southwestern Poland, and the capital of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. It is the largest city and historical capital of the region of Silesia. It lies on the banks of the Oder River in the Silesian Lowlands of Central Eu ...

Legnica Legnica (; , ; ; ) is a city in southwestern Poland, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the Kaczawa River and the Czarna Woda. As well as being the seat of the county, since 1992 the city has been the seat of the Diocese of Legnica. Le ...

and

Opole Opole (; ; ; ) is a city located in southern Poland on the Oder River and the historical capital of Upper Silesia. With a population of approximately 127,387 as of the 2021 census, it is the capital of Opole Voivodeship (province) and the seat of ...

. In 1180, he granted the

Duchy of Opole The Duchy of Opole (; ) or Duchy of Oppeln () was one of the duchies of Silesia ruled by the branch of Polish Piast dynasty, formed during the medieval fragmentation of Poland into provincial duchies. Its capital was Opole () in Upper Silesia. S ...

to his son

Jarosław Jarosław (; , ; ; ) is a town in southeastern Poland, situated on the San (river), San River. The town had 35,475 inhabitants in 2023. It is the capital of Jarosław County in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship. History Jarosław is located in the ...

, who ruled until his death in March 1201. Upon Bolesław's death in December 1201, his lands were inherited by his only remaining son

Henry I the Bearded Henry the Bearded (, ; c. 1165/70 – 19 March 1238) was a Polish duke from the Piast dynasty. He was Dukes of Silesia, Duke of Silesia at Wrocław from 1201, Seniorate Province, Duke of Kraków and List of Polish monarchs, High Duke of all Kin ...

. * Mieszko I Tanglefoot became Duke of

Racibórz Racibórz (, , , ) is a city in Silesian Voivodeship in southern Poland. It is the administrative seat of Racibórz County. With Opole, Racibórz is one of the historic capitals of Upper Silesia, being the residence of the Duchy of Racibórz, Du ...

and received

Bytom Bytom (Polish pronunciation: ; Silesian language, Silesian: ''Bytōm, Bytōń'', ) is a city in Upper Silesia, in southern Poland. Located in the Silesian Voivodeship, the city is 7 km northwest of Katowice, the regional capital. It is one ...

and

Oświęcim Oświęcim (; ; ; ) is a town in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship in southern Poland, situated southeast of Katowice, near the confluence of the Vistula (''Wisła'') and Soła rivers. Oświęcim dates back to the 12th century, when it was an im ...

in 1177. * Konrad Spindleshanks (''Konrad Laskonogi''), the youngest, in 1177 also claimed his rights and received the

Duchy of Głogów The Duchy of Głogów (, ) or Duchy of Glogau () was one of the Duchies of Silesia, formed in course of the medieval fragmentation of Poland into smaller provincial duchies. Its capital was Głogów in Lower Silesia. It existed in 1177–1185 an ...

from his brother Bolesław, who after Konrad's death about 1180/90 again inherited it. File:Silesia 1172-1177.jpg, 1172/3-1177 File:Silesia 1177-1185.jpg, 1177-1185 File:Silesia 1185-1201.jpg, 1185-1201 File:Silesia 1201-1202.jpg, 1201-1202 After his brother Bolesław I had died, Mieszko I Tanglefoot also conquered and took the Duchy of Opole from his nephew Henry I the Bearded. He ruled over the Racibórz and Opole duchies, which emerged as

Upper Silesia Upper Silesia ( ; ; ; ; Silesian German: ; ) is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia, located today mostly in Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic. The area is predominantly known for its heav ...

, until his death in 1211. Henry I the Bearded remained sovereign of the Lower Silesian Duchy of Wrocław, he acquired the Greater Polish lands of

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 ...

in 1206, which he granted to his Piast cousin Władysław Odonic, as well as

Lubusz Land Lubusz Land (; ) is a historical region and cultural landscape in Poland and Germany on both sides of the Oder river. Originally the settlement area of the Lechites, the swampy area was located east of Margraviate of Brandenburg, Brandenburg and ...

in 1210. High Duke of Poland from 1232, he conquered further Greater Polish territories around

Santok Santok (German : ''Zantoch'') is a village in Gorzów County, Lubusz Voivodeship, in western Poland. It is the seat of the gmina (administrative district) called Gmina Santok. Geography Santok is located at the confluence of the Noteć and W ...

in 1234. Mieszko's heir was Duke

Casimir I of Opole Casimir I of Opole (; – 13 May 1230), a member of the Silesian Piasts, Piast dynasty, was a Dukes of Silesia, Silesian duke of Duchy of Opole and Racibórz, Opole and Racibórz from 1211 until his death. Early life Casimir was the eldest chi ...

, who died in 1230. Thereupon, Henry I managed to reunite whole Silesia under his reign. He was succeeded by his son

Henry II the Pious Henry II the Pious (; 1196 – 9 April 1241) was Duke of Silesia and High Duke of Poland as well as Duke of South-Greater Poland from 1238 until his death. Between 1238 and 1239 he also served as regent of Sandomierz and Opole– Racibórz. He ...

in 1238, while Upper Silesia was inherited by Casimir's son

Mieszko II the Fat Mieszko II the Fat () ( – 22 October 1246) was a Duke of Opole-Racibórz from 1230 until his death, and Duke of Kalisz-Wieluń during 1234–1239 (with his brother as co-ruler). He was the eldest son of Duke Casimir I of Opole by his wife Viola ...

in 1239. He and his younger brother, Władysław Opolski, had already received Greater Polish Kalisz in 1234. Henry II was killed at the

Battle of Legnica The Battle of Legnica (), also known as the Battle of Liegnitz () or Battle of Wahlstatt (), was fought between the Mongol Empire and combined European forces at the village of Legnickie Pole (''Wahlstatt''), approximately southeast of the ci ...

in 1241. His eldest son and heir, Duke Bolesław II the Bald temporarily gave Lubusz Land to his younger brother

Mieszko Mieszko is a Slavic given name of uncertain origin. Onomastics There are three major theories concerning the origin and meaning of the name of Duke Mieszko I of Poland. The most popular theory, proposed by Jan Długosz, explains that Mieszko is a ...

(† 1242). He reconciled with his Greater Polish cousin Duke Przemysł I and finally returned Santok in 1247 and remained sole ruler of Lower Silesia until 1248. Mieszko II the Fat, of Upper Silesia, in 1244, returned Kalisz to Duke

Przemysł I of Greater Poland Przemysł I (4 June 1221 – 4 June 1257), a member of the Piast dynasty, was Duke of Greater Poland from 1239 until his death, from 1241 with his brother Bolesław the Pious as co-ruler. He was able to re-acquire large parts of Greater Poland, ...

. He died in 1246 and his possessions were inherited by his brother Władysław Opolski. File:Silesia 1206-1217.jpg, 1206-1217 File:Silesia 1217-1230.jpg, 1217-1230 File:Silesia 1241-1243.jpg, 1241-1243 File:Silesia 1243-1248.jpg, 1243-1248

Duchies of the Bohemian Crown (1335–1918)

In 1327, King

John I of Bohemia John of Bohemia, also called the Blind or of Luxembourg (; ; ; 10 August 1296 – 26 August 1346), was the Count of Luxembourg from 1313 and King of Bohemia from 1310 and titular King of Poland. He is well known for having died while fighting ...

began accepting the fealty of the Silesian dukes as part of his claim on the Polish crown. At the Treaty of Trentschin on 24 August 1335 it was agreed that John would abandon his claim and in return receive the suzerainty of the Silesian duchies and a one-time payment (20,000 threescores of Prague groschen). This was finalized at the Congress of Visegrád in the same year, although some Piast-ruled duchies remained outside of Bohemian suzerainty until 1392. Under the Bohemian crown, the duchies continued to be ruled by branches of the

Piast dynasty 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 ...

known as the

Silesian Piasts The Silesian Piasts were the elder of four lines of the Polish Piast dynasty beginning with Władysław II the Exile (1105–1159), eldest son of Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth, Bolesław III of Poland. By Bolesław's Testament of Bolesław III Krzy ...

until their last lineage died out in 1675. When a ducal lineage died out, the duchy passed to the crown and became a

state country State country (; ; ) was a unit of administrative and territorial division in the Bohemian crown lands of Silesia and Upper Lusatia, existing from 15th to 18th centuries. These estates were exempt from feudal tenure by privilege of the Bohemian ...

. The Bohemian Crown passed to the

House of Habsburg The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful Dynasty, dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout ...

in 1526. In 1742, most of Silesia was annexed by Prussia following the

First Silesian War The First Silesian War () was a war between Kingdom of Prussia, Prussia and Habsburg monarchy, Austria that lasted from 1740 to 1742 and resulted in Prussia's seizing most of the region of Silesia (now in south-western Poland) from Austria. The ...

. This was confirmed following the Second Silesian War in 1745 and the Third Silesian War in 1763. Following the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, Bohemian Silesia remained a part of the

Austrian Empire The Austrian Empire, officially known as the Empire of Austria, was a Multinational state, multinational European Great Powers, great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the Habsburg monarchy, realms of the Habsburgs. Duri ...

and

Austro-Hungarian Empire Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military and diplomatic alliance, it consist ...

down to its dissolution in 1918.

List of Silesian duchies

* Duchy of Bernstadt * Duchy of Bielsko (''Bílské knížectví, Księstwo Bielskie, Herzogtum Bielitz'') * Duchy of Brzeg (''Knížectví Břeh, Księstwo Brzeskie, Herzogtum Brieg'') *

Duchy of Bytom The Duchy of Bytom (, , ) was a duchy in Upper Silesia, one of the Duchies of Silesia, Silesian duchies of fragmented Piast dynasty, Piast-ruled Poland. It was established in Upper Silesia about 1281 during the division of the Duchy of Opole and Ra ...

(''Knížectví Bytomské, Księstwo Bytomskie, Herzogtum Beuthen'') * (''Koźle'') * * * * * *

(''Knížectví Hlohovské, Księstwo Głogowskie, Herzogtum Glogau'') * Duchy of Głogówek and Prudnik (''Księstwo głogówiecko-prudnickie, Herzogtum Klein Glogau und Prudnik'') *

Duchy of Głubczyce Duchy of Głubczyce (, , ) was one of the duchies of Silesia. Its capital was Głubczyce in Upper Silesia Upper Silesia ( ; ; ; ; Silesian German: ; ) is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia, located t ...

(''Knížectví Hlubčice, Księstwo Głubczyckie, Herzogtum Leobschütz'') * * Duchy of Jawor (''Javorské knížectví, Księstwo Jaworskie, Herzogtum Jauer'') * Duchy of Krnov (''Krnovské knížectví, Księstwo Karniowskie, Herzogtum Jägerndorf'') *

Duchy of Legnica The Duchy of Legnica (, ) or Duchy of Liegnitz () was one of the Duchies of Silesia, formed during the fragmentation of Poland into smaller provincial duchies, ruled by a local line of the Piast dynasty between 1248 and 1675. Its capital was Legni ...

(''Lehnické knížectví, Księstwo Legnickie, Herzogtum Liegnitz'') * Duchy of Löwenberg (Lembersk''é knížectví, Księstwo Lwóweckie, Herzogtum Löwenberg)'' * * * Duchy of Münsterberg (''Minstrberské knížectví, Księstwo Ziębickie, Herzogtum Münsterberg'') * * Duchy of Nysa (''Niské knížectví, Księstwo Nyskie, Herzogtum Neisse'') * Duchy of Oels (''Olešnické knížectví, Księstwo Oleśnickie, Herzogtum Oels'') * *

(''Opolské knížectví, Księstwo Opolskie, Herzogtum Oppeln'') * Duchy of Opole and Racibórz *

Duchy of Oświęcim The Duchy of Oświęcim (), or the Duchy of Auschwitz (), was one of the Duchies of Silesia in the lands of Lesser Poland (Małopolska), formed in the aftermath of the fragmentation of Poland, centered around Oświęcim. It was established a ...

(''Osvětimské knížectví, Księstwo Oświęcimskie, Herzogtum Auschwitz'') * Duchy of Prudnik (''Prudnícké knížectví, Księstwo Prudnickie, Herzogtum Prudnik'') *

Duchy of Pless The Duchy of Pless (or the ''Duchy of Pszczyna'',Julian Janczakof Pszczyna" (in) Zarys dziejów kartografii śląskiej do końca XVIII wieku''(An outline for the History of Cartography till the End of the 18th century)'', Opole: 1976, Polish Aca ...

(''Pštinské knížectví, Księstwo Pszczyńskie, Herzogtum Pless'') *

Duchy of Racibórz Duchy of Racibórz (, , ) was one of the duchies of Silesia, formed during the medieval fragmentation of Poland into provincial duchies. Its capital was Racibórz in Upper Silesia. States and territories disestablished in the 1200s States and ...

(''Ratibořské knížectví, Księstwo Raciborskie, Herzogtum Ratibor'') * (''Ducatus Ratiboria et Oppaviensis'') * (''Ducatus Ratiboria et Carnovia'') * * Duchy of Siewierz (''Seveřské knížectví, Księstwo Siewierskie, Herzogtum Sewerien'') * * * * Duchy of Świdnica (''Svídnické knížectví, Księstwo Świdnickie, Herzogtum Schweidnitz'') *

(''Księstwo Cieszyńskie, Knížectví těšínské, Herzogtum Teschen'') * *

(''Vévodství opavské, Księstwo Opawskie, Herzogtum Troppau'') * * Duchy of Wrocław (''Vratislavské knížectví, Księstwo Wrocławskie, Herzogtum Breslau'') * Duchy of Zator (''Zatorské knížectví, Księstwo Zatorskie, Herzogtum Zator'') *

Duchy of Żagań The Duchy of Żagań (, ) or Duchy of Sagan () was one of the duchies of Silesia ruled by the Silesian Piasts. Its capital was Żagań in Lower Silesia, the territory stretched to the town of Nowogród Bobrzański in the north and reached the Lusa ...

(''Zaháňské knížectví, Księstwo Żagańskie, Herzogtum Sagan'') There were also other little duchies: Buchwald, Coschok, Goldberg, Grottkau, Grünberg, Hirschberg, and Parchwiz.

Bibliography

* Žáček, Rudolf. ''Dějiny Slezska v datech. Praha'': Libri, 2003. . {{DEFAULTSORT:Duchies Of Silesia History of Silesia Lands of the Bohemian Crown Former monarchies of Europe