Duchy of Brzeg

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The Duchy of Brzeg (Polish: Księstwo Brzeskie) or Duchy of Brieg (German: Herzogtum Brieg), (Czech: Knížectví Břežské) was one of the duchies of Silesia. Its capital was Brzeg (Brieg).

Created in 1311 during the fragmentation of the Duchy of Liegnitz (or Legnica) and ruled by a branch of the Silesian Piasts, it became vassalized by Bohemia within the Holy Roman Empire in 1329. It was reunited with the Duchy of Liegnitz in 1419, then fragmented again, and united once more with Liegnitz in 1669. When Bohemia was inherited by the Habsburg Monarchy of Austria in 1526, the duchy fell under the overlordship of the Habsburgs in their roles as Kings of Bohemia, although it was still ruled locally by the Silesian Piasts. It was part of the last autonomous duchy of Silesia, the Duchy of Liegnitz-Brieg and Wohlau (Legnica-Brzeg and Wołów). Following the death of George IV William of Legnica in 1675, it was administered directly by the Habsburgs in their capacity as Kings of Bohemia.

In 1537 Duke Frederick II concluded a treaty with Elector Joachim II of Brandenburg, whereby the Hohenzollerns of Brandenburg would inherit the duchy upon the extinction of the Silesian Piasts. On the 1675 death of the last duke, George William, however, Austria refused to acknowledge the validity of the treaty and annexed the duchies. King Frederick II of Prussia used this treaty to justify his invasion of Silesia during the War of the Austrian Succession in 1740.