The first "Piasts", probably of
Polan descent, appeared around 940 in the territory of
Greater Poland at the stronghold of
Giecz. Shortly afterwards they relocated their residence to
Gniezno, where Prince Mieszko I ruled over the
Civitas Schinesghe from about 960. The Piasts temporarily also ruled over
Pomerania,
Bohemia and the
Lusatias, as well as part of
Ruthenia, and the Hungarian
Spiš region in present-day
Slovakia. The ruler bore the title of a
duke or a
king, depending on their position of power. The Polish monarchy had to deal with the expansionist policies of the Holy Roman Empire in the west, resulting in a chequered co-existence, with Piast rulers like Mieszko I,
Casimir I the Restorer or
Władysław I Herman trying to protect the Polish state by treaties, oath of allegiances and marriage alliances with the Imperial
Ottonian and
Salian dynasties. The Bohemian
Přemyslid dynasty, the Hungarian
Arpads and their
Anjou successors, the
Kievan Rus', later also the
State of the Teutonic Order and the
Grand Duchy of Lithuania were mighty neighbours. The Piast position was decisively enfeebled by an era of fragmentation following the 1138
Testament of Bolesław III Wrymouth. For nearly 150 years, the Polish state shattered into several duchies, with the Piast duke against the formally valid principle of
agnatic seniority fighting for the throne at
Kraków, the capital of the Lesser Polish
Seniorate Province. Numerous dukes like
Mieszko III the Old,
Władysław III Spindleshanks or
Leszek I the White were crowned, only to be overthrown shortly afterwards, and others restored and ousted, at times repeatedly. The senior branch of the Silesian Piasts, descendants of
Bolesław III Wrymouth's eldest son Duke
Władysław II the Exile, went separate ways and since the 14th century were vassals of the
Bohemian Crown. After the Polish royal line and Piast junior branch had died out in 1370, the Polish crown fell to the Anjou king
Louis I of Hungary, son of late King Casimir's sister
Elizabeth Piast. The
Masovian branch of the Piasts became extinct with the death of Duke
Janusz III in 1526. The last ruling duke of the Silesian Piasts was
George William of Legnica who died in 1675. His uncle Count
August of Legnica, the last male Piast, died in 1679. The last legitimate heir, Duchess
Karolina of Legnica-Brieg died in 1707 and is buried in
Trzebnica Abbey. Nevertheless, numerous families, like the illegitimate descendants of the Silesian duke
Adam Wenceslaus of Cieszyn (1574–1617), link their genealogy to the dynasty. ==Coat of arms==