and
Brzezie on
Magdeburg rights, a document from 1278.
Acquisition of Greater Poland The inheritance of Greater Poland by Przemysł II went peacefully. The union proved to be durable, and with the exception of its borders with the Duchy of Wrocław, it survived throughout his reign. However, despite the personal unification of the territory, the division between
Kalisz and
Gniezno persisted almost to the end of the 18th century. Later, in times of
Casimir III the Great, there was also a visible division between the old
voivodeships of
Poznań and
Kalisz.
Relations with nobility and neighbors An analysis of the contemporary documents showed that in the first period of his rule over all Greater Poland, Przemysł II relied on the following nobles: Jan Gerbicz, Bishop of Poznań; members of the powerful noble family of
Zaremba: Andrzej, chancellor of Kalisz (since 1288 the first "cancellerius tocius Polonia") and later Bishop of Poznań; Sędziwój, chamberlain of Gniezno; Beniamin,
voivode of Poznań; and Arkembold, voivode of Gniezno. Other close collaborators were Wojciech Krystanowicz z Lubrzy, chamberlain of Poznań; Tomisław Nałęcz, Poznań castellan; Maciej, Kalisz castellan; Stefan, Wieluń castellan, Mikołaj Łodzia, Poznań judge; Wincenty Łodzia, chancellor of Poznań; and the brothers Tylon, Jaśko and Mikołaj, three notaries of middle-class origin. During the years 1279–1281, Przemysł II had a rather friendly (or at least neutral) relationship with all of his immediate neighbors.
Imprisonment The Duke of Greater Poland felt quite safe when he was invited to a meeting organized by
Henry Probus. The meeting took place probably on 9 February 1281 in one of the Silesian villages; however, the Duke of Wrocław had another plan – he broke all the rules of hospitality, imprisoned the three princes who were invited (Przemysł II,
Henry V the Fat of
Legnica, and
Henry III of Głogów), and forced them to make political concessions. This action was made even more outrageous by the fact that only four years earlier, Przemysł II and Henry III risked their lives and armies to save Henry IV Probus in the Battle of Stolec, which ended with the victory of Henry V the Fat, the third guest of this meeting. Historians speculate that the reason for the Duke of Wrocław to make this radical move was probably his desire to increase his influence over the neighboring principalities as part of his own plans for a royal coronation. Finally, after brief resistance, Przemysł II was forced to give the strategic
Lesser Polish land of
Wieluń (also known as
Ruda) in order to obtain his release, because Henry IV wanted a direct connection between Wrocław and Lesser Poland. The imprisonment of Przemysł II did not last too long, because on 3 March he was documented to have been in Poznań. Henry III and Henry V the Fat were both forced to grant much larger territorial concessions. In addition, the three Dukes agreed that upon the request of the Duke of Wrocław, they would each give him military aid in the amount of thirty lancers. So this was, in practice, an act of homage. The rapid release of Przemysł II could have been aided by the intervention of Leszek II the Black and Mestwin II of Pomerelia. The reason for the arrival of Mestwin II to Greater Poland, in addition to helping his imprisoned ally, was to settle the claims of the
Teutonic Order over parts of Pomerelia and to resolve the issue of succession after his own death; from his first marriage, Mestwin II had only two daughters, Catherine and Euphemia.
Treaty of Kępno The first talks between Przemysł II and Mestwin II about the latter's succession probably occurred around 1281, on the occasion of the arrival of the Duke of Pomerelia in Greater Poland to visit the Benedictine Abbey in
Lubin. Although there is no direct evidence that Przemysł II was also in the Abbey in person, the presence of Jan I of Wysokowce, Bishop of Poznań and other Greater Poland dignitaries suggests that a compromise was then suggested. At the beginning of the next year, Mestwin II again went to southern Greater Poland, in order to talk with the
Papal legate Filippo di Fermo about his dispute with the
Teutonic Order over the possession of the towns of Gniew and Białogard. The legate stayed in
Milicz, which belonged to the Diocese of Wrocław. Due to the friendly relations of Przemysł II (and thus his ally Mestwin II) with Henry IV Probus, the Duke of Pomerania decided to stop at the frontier village of
Kępno (also in the Diocese of Wrocław), and waited to hear the legate's verdict. In Kępno, Mestwin II probably expected the arrival of the Duke of Greater Poland. Here, on 15 February 1282, a treaty was concluded between Przemysł II and Mestwin II, which secured the future unification of Gdańsk Pomerania and Greater Poland. Witnesses in the signed document, among others, were Pomeranian Voivode Waysil, Poznań voivode Beniamin, Gniezno voivode Arkembold, Poznań judge Mikołaj, Kalisz judge Andrzej, and the Dominican friar Piotr (later Prince-Bishop of Cammin from 1296 to 1298), who was possibly responsible for writing the text. Other important dignitaries might have been present in Kępno at the time; however, they are not mentioned. There are ongoing disputes between historians about the exact nature of the Treaty of Kępno. According to some historians (for example, Balzer and Wojciechowski) the treaty was a classic pact of mutual inheritance, in which the one who survives the other inherits his territory. According to others (like Kętrzyński, Baszkiewicz, Zielinska, Nowacki and Swieżawski), it was a one-sided arrangement or donation for life from Mestwin II to Przemysł II (called
donatio inter vivos). Another theory was posed by Janusz Bieniak. He believed that Mestwin II simply paid homage for his lands to the ruler of Greater Poland, who became the
de jure ruler of the territory. Currently, the second theory is the most accepted, mainly because it agrees entirely with the contemporary sources. Since 1282, Przemysł II formally used the title of "
dux Pomeranie" (Duke of Pomerania), but during Mestwin II's life, he renounced his claim to the rights over
Gdańsk Pomerania (Pomerelia). As was customary, the treaty would have to be approved by the nobles and knights of both lands. The meeting between the nobility of Pomerelia and Greater Poland took place between 13 and 15 September 1284 in the town of
Nakło, where they confirmed the rights of Przemysł II over Gdańsk Pomerania. The unification of Pomerelia and Greater Poland was not the only decision made by Przemysł II and Mestwin II. The favors shown by the Duke of Pomerelia to the powerful witnesses of the agreement from Greater Poland showed that they were also keenly interested in the close integration of the two lands.
Widowhood In December 1283 in Gniezno, at the age of 22 or 23 years, Ludgarda, wife of Przemysł II, died unexpectedly. Relations between the spouses for some time before her death weren't very good; perhaps there had even been a separation between them. The reason for this was the supposed infertility of Ludgarda, more apparent after ten years of marriage. The actual period of marital intercourse between the spouses, given their age (both are quite young at the time of their wedding), could actually be shorter. Indeed, there is no direct proof about Ludgarda's barrenness beyond the lack of offspring; in those cases, the childlessness in marriage was usually considered to be the woman's fault, although in this case (due to the birth of a daughter from Przemysł II's second marriage), it seems more likely. It was not a surprise when accusations began to emerge against the Duke of Greater Poland of the suspected murder of his wife. No contemporary source mentions this, a fact more surprising because Przemysł II had bitter enemies who certainly would use this crime against him. Also, any reactions from the church or public penance would be noticed. The first suggestion about Ludgarda's mysterious death came from the 14th century
Rocznik Traski: The chronicler of the
Rocznik Traski doesn't suggest an unnatural death for the Duchess, but leaves some doubts about it. The
Rocznik małopolski, on the other hand, spoke clearly about Ludgarda's murder in the Szamotuły code, which added further information about this event: Another source that describes the death of Ludgarda is the
Kronika oliwska, written in the mid-14th century by Abbot Stanisław. On the pages of his work, the author clearly showed aversion towards the
Samborid dynasty, rulers of Pomerelia until the end of the 13th century. This aversion is also transferred to Przemysł II: It is unknown why the Margraves of Brandenburg would avenge the murder of Ludgarda, since this could place them in a dangerous position, considering their alliance with
Pomerelia-
Greater Poland. The reports of the
Kronika oliwska were repeated in Mecklenburg by chronicler Ernst von Kirchberg, a wandering bard from
Thuringia, who around 1378 appears at the court of Duke
Albert II of Mecklenburg (Ludgarda's nephew) on occasion of his wedding. Shortly after, von Kirchberg wanted to show his thanks for the Duke's hospitality and wrote a long rhyming poem, in which he also mentions Ludgarda. The story of the chronicler was as follows: Przemysł II, at the instigation of his mother Elizabeth of Wrocław (who is well known to have died in 1265, a long time before the marriage of her son), asked his wife for a divorce and returned her to Mecklenburg. In view of her refusal because "
What God has joined, men must not divide", Przemysł II decided her imprisonment in the tower, where he tried to persuade her again to accept a divorce. Finally, due to her obstinacy, Przemysł II killed her with his own dagger. In this event, he was helped by one of his ministers, who finished the deed by suffocating a dying Ludgarda with a towel. The last important source for the history of Ludgarda is Annals of
Jan Długosz, who wrote about these events almost two centuries after (around 1480). Długosz was the first chronicler who locates
Poznań as the place of Ludgarda's death. Besides, he established her date of death on 14 December, which is corroborated by contemporary sources as a date of her burial. Modern historiography generally supports the complete innocence of Przemysł II in the sudden death of his wife. Based on the findings of
Brygida Kürbis, it can be concluded that the 10-year marriage of Przemysł II and Ludgarda wasn't successful, and over time, it became more obvious to everyone that the ducal couple was unable to have children, although this couldn't be completely certain, because Ludgarda in 1283 was at most only 23 years old. Nevertheless, it is assumed that Przemysł II's growing aversion to his wife because of her infertility was well known by all. So when in mid-December 1283 Ludgarda died suddenly and separated (evidenced by her death in Gniezno, away from Przemysł II's court in Poznań), raising suspicion that the death of the duchess was unnatural. Nobody, however, had evidence of this. Contributing to rumors was the fact that in the 13th century, medical knowledge was negligible, and therefore, the sudden death of a young person was often interpreted as unnatural. In addition, the duke's rejection of a proper mourning for his wife, who was universally liked, increased the suspicions against Przemysł II.
Archbishopric of Gniezno , Archbishop of Gniezno, from a book illumination, before 1535 On 18 December 1283, a few days after Ludgarda's funeral, Greater Poland witnessed an extremely important event for the later history of Poland: the consecration of
Jakub Świnka as
Archbishop of Gniezno. The event took place in the Franciscan church in Kalisz and was extremely important because after twelve years (since the death in 1271 of Archbishop
Janusz Tarnowa) Poland wasn't a fully recognized prelate. Jakub Świnka received the papal nomination on 30 July 1283; however, because he was only a deacon, it was necessary to ordain him. This ceremony took place on 18 December and a day later, Jakub received the episcopal consecration. The ceremony, according to sources, was assisted by five Polish bishops and Przemysł II, who gave the new archbishop an expensive ring as a gift. Little is known about the origin and early years of Jakub Świnka, except for his mention in a document issued by Bolesław the Pious. As the Archbishop of Gniezno, the cooperation between him and Przemysł II was excellent. One example of this was that he appeared as a witness in 14 diplomats issued by the Duke of Greater Poland, including the confirmation of all his existing privileges and the permission to mint his own coins in
Żnin and the castellany of Ląd.
War against Western Pomerania In the first half of 1284, Przemysł II was involved on the side of
Denmark and
Brandenburg in an armed conflict against
Western Pomerania and
Rügen. Details about this event are limited, and the peace, which was concluded on 13 August, didn't bring any real benefits to Greater Poland. Much more positive effects would arise from Przemysł II's friendly relations with
Leszek II the Black, Duke of
Kraków; they had a meeting in
Sieradz on 20 February 1284. Details about the reason and talks of this relationship are unknown, but they would be productive, since Przemysł II decided to give the Kraków voivode Żegota three villages (Nieczajno,
Wierzbiczany and Lulin). This good relations were maintained for some time, since seven months later, on 6 September, the Duke of Greater Poland mediated in a dispute between Leszek II the Black and his brother
Casimir II of Łęczyca with the
Teutonic Order. Przemysł II also didn't lose sight of the Pomerelian affairs, because on 13 September he had a new meeting with Mestwin II in the city of
Nakło.
Betrayal of Sędziwój Zaremba According to the
Rocznik Traski (based probably on older sources now missing), on 28 September 1284,
Kalisz was burned. This soon caused a series of events that threatened the power of Przemysł II. Now governor of Kalisz and in the city at the time of the fire, Sędziwój Zaremba, fearing the consequences, decided to take the Kalisz castle (apparently not damaged in the fire) and give it to Henry IV Probus. At the news of the events of Kalisz, Przemysł II reacted instantly. No later than 6 October, as attested by a document issued at that time, Przemysł II was at the head of the Greater Poland knights under the city walls. In view of the refusal of submission, the duke ordered the siege. It is unknown how prolonged this siege was, but certainly, soon, due to the reluctance to fight from the rebels (knights and nobles probably feared that Przemysł II, after the capture of the castle, would spare nobody), the duke agreed to negotiate with them. Eventually, Przemysł II regained his castle of Kalisz, but he had to give the newly built castle in
Ołobok to Henry Probus. There is no certainty that the betrayal of Sędziwój Zaremba was an isolated incident or part of a wider conspiracy from the Zaremba family. However, it can be assumed that the duke didn't believe in a familiar conspiracy because most of Sędziwój's relatives remained in their posts even after 1284. Another source supporting this is a document issued on 6 October (and thus during the period of siege) where the voivode of Poznań, Beniamin Zaremba, appears as a witness, and therefore had to remain in the inner circle of Przemysł II. Przemysł II's change of attitude against Beniamin occurred in 1285. Due to little contemporary information, the cause is unknown. The
Rocznik Traski only pointed out that the Duke of Greater Poland imprisoned both Sędziwój and Beniamin. At the end, apparently they were treated very gently, because Mestwin II of Pomerelia not only restored them to their previous post but also part of the property that had been confiscated from them. Moreover, Beniamin appeared again in the circle of Przemysł II around 1286.
Second marriage In 1285, Przemysł II decided to remarry. The chosen bride was
Richeza, daughter of the deposed King
Valdemar of Sweden and granddaughter of King
Eric IV of Denmark. Due to the lack of contacts between
Greater Poland and
Sweden, the negotiations were probably concluded through the mediation of the
House of Ascania. The marriage
by proxy took place in the Swedish city of
Nyköping on 11 October 1285; in the ceremony, the Duke of Greater Poland was represented by the notary Tylon, who received from Przemysł II the village of
Giecz in gratitude for his services. It is unknown when and where the formal wedding between Przemysł II and Rikissa took place, or who administered the sacrament of marriage: it could be either Bishop Jan of Poznań or Jakub Świnka, Archbishop of Gniezno.
Congresses of Łęczyca and Sulejów The year 1285 brought to Przemysł II other successes: in January, Archbishop Jakub of Gniezno convened a meeting in the town of
Łęczyca, where the excommunication of the main opponent of the Greater Poland ruler, Henry Probus, was confirmed; On 15 August, Przemysł II had another princely meeting, this time with
Władysław I the Elbow-high and
Ziemomysł of Inowrocław in the town of
Sulejów, where the rebellion against
Leszek II the Black and his deposition in favor of
Konrad II of Masovia was probably discussed. In May 1286, after the death of the
Bishop of Poznań Jan Wyszkowic, his successor Jan Gerbicz was consecrated. The cooperation between the new bishop and Przemysł II was good, although some historians wonder why Bishop Gerbicz was later surnamed "traditor" (
traitor).
Alliance between Greater Poland, Pomerelia and Western Pomerania According to
Jan Długosz, on 14 June 1287, some Greater Poland knights and (as was suggested by the chronicler), without the knowledge of his ruler, made a surprise attack on
Ołobok, won the castle and returned the district to Greater Poland. Henry Probus decided to not to respond with any armed conflict and accepted the loss; in unknown circumstances, around this time, Przemysł II also regained
Wieluń (lost in 1281). It can be assumed that the attitude of the Duke of Wrocław was part of the concessions associated with his plans to obtain the throne of Kraków, and he wanted in this way to ensure the benevolent neutrality of the Duke of Greater Poland. Some months later, on 23 November in the city of
Słupsk, a meeting took place between Przemysł II,
Mestwin II of Pomerelia and
Bogislaw IV of Pomerania. There, they entered into an agreement of mutual cooperation and help against any opponent, especially the rulers of Brandenburg and
Vitslav II, Prince of Rügen. The agreement also guaranteed the inheritance of
Gdańsk by
Bogislaw IV or his descendants in the case of the deaths of both Mestwin II and Przemysł II. In addition, this treaty contributed to a significant deterioration of the relations between Greater Poland and the House of Ascania, rulers of Brandenburg. The treaty was subsequently confirmed at a meeting in Nakło in August 1291.
Coalition and fatherhood According to the theory of historian
Oswald Balzer, around 1287 and by inspiration of Archbishop Jakub of Gniezno, a treaty of mutual inheritance was agreed on between Leszek II the Black, Henry Probus, Przemysł II and
Henry III of Głogów. Balzer's theory gained immense popularity among historians. This view is refuted by Władysław Karasiewicz and Jan Baszkiewicz. However, it doesn't completely exclude the possibility that during this period an agreement could have been concluded between Przemysł II and Henryk IV Probus, evidenced by the fact that the Duke of Wrocław voluntarily returned the lands Ołobock and Wieluń to Przemysł II in his will. On 14 May 1288, at the Congress of Rzepce, the alliance between Przemysł II and Mestwin II was further strengthened. In July, the Duke of Greater Poland visited the seriously ill Leszek II the Black in
Kraków. The matters discussed in this visit are unknown. The first and only child of Przemysł II was born in
Poznań on 1 September 1288: a daughter, named
Richeza, who later became queen of Bohemia and Poland as the wife of
Wenceslaus II and after his death, of
Rudolf I. The news of the birth of her daughter was also the latest information about Duchess Richeza. She certainly died after that date and before 13 April 1293, when Przemysł II entered into his third and last marriage. It seems that Przemysł II had deep and strong feelings for his second wife. This is evidenced not only by the fact that he give their daughter the name of the mother, but also by a document issued on 19 April 1293 where he ceded to the Bishopric of Poznań the village of
Kobylniki as payment for a lamp lit eternally at his second wife's tomb.
Death of Leszek II the Black On 30 September 1288
Leszek II the Black,
Duke of Kraków,
Sandomierz, and
Sieradz, died childless . His death launched the outbreak of war in
Lesser Poland. The Kraków knighthood was in favour of
Bolesław II of Masovia, while the Sandomierz knighthood supported his brother
Konrad II of Masovia; on the other hand, the middle-class citizenry favoured
Henryk IV Probus, Duke of Wrocław. At the beginning of 1289, Silesian troops marched under the command of the Duke of Wrocław and his allies
Bolko I of Opole and
Przemko of Ścinawa. They also counted on the support of Sulk the Bear (pl:
Sułk z Niedźwiedzia), the
castellan of Kraków, who had control over
Wawel castle. In response, a coalition against them was formed by Bolesław II of Płock, Casimir II of Łęczyca, and
Władysław I the Elbow-high. Surprisingly, Przemysł II joined with them, thus ending all of his prior arrangements with the Duke of Wrocław. The Wrocław-Opole-Ścinawa army realized that they had insufficient forces to resist the coalition of Greater Poland, Kuyavia, and Masovia, and decided to retreat to Silesia, where they would gather more troops. The retreating troops were quickly followed and a bloody battle took place in the town of
Siewierz in
Bytom on 26 February 1289, culminating in a full victory for Przemysł II and his allies. In this battle,
Przemko of Ścinawa was killed and
Bolko I of Opole was captured. After the battle
Władysław I Łokietek took Kraków, and Przemysł II withdrew with his troops, making a separate truce with Henry Probus. However, later in 1289, Henry Probus took up arms against Kraków, removing Władysław I Łokietek to the government of
Sandomierz. This event was considered temporary, because both Henry Probus and Władysław I Łokietek continued to use the title of Duke of Kraków and Sandomierz. == Rise to kingship (1290–1295) ==