Poland, or at least its nucleus, was ruled at various times either by dukes (the 10th-14th century) or by kings (the 11th-18th century). The longest-reigning dynasties were the Piasts (ca. 960 – 1370) and Jagiellons (1386–1572). Intervening and subsequent monarchs were often rulers of foreign countries or princes recruited from foreign dynasties.
During the latter period a tradition of free election of monarchs made it a uniquely electable position in Europe (16th-18th centuries). Polish independence ended with the Third Partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (1795) and was restored at the end of World War I (1918) on a republican basis.
Contents |
| Ruler | Tribe | Reign | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lech | Lechites | 6th century | a legendary founder of the Polish nation | |
| Krakus | Lechites or White Croats | 8th century | a legendary founder of Cracow | |
| Wanda | Lechites or White Croats | 8th century | a legendary daughter of Krakus and unknown Vandal woman | |
| Ruler | Dynasty | Reign | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Popiel І | Popielids | Duke the 9th century | a semi-legendary ruler of the West Slavic ("proto-Polish") tribe of Goplans and Polans | |
| Popiel ІІ | Popielids | Duke the 9th century | a semi-legendary ruler of the West Slavic ("proto-Polish") tribe of Goplans and Polans | |
| Siemowit | Piast | Duke the 9th century | semi-legendary son of Piast the Wheelwright |
|
| Lestek | Piast | Duke the 9th-10th century | semi-legendary son of Siemowit |
|
| Siemomysł | Piast | Duke the 10th century | semi-legendary son of Lestko |
|
| Ruler | Dynasty | Reign | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mieszko I of Poland | Piast | Duke 960?–992 | son of Siemomysł first Christian monarch Misico, dux Wandalorum |
|
| Boleslas I the Brave (Bolesław I Chrobry) | Piast | Duke 992–1025 King 1025 |
son of Mieszko I and Dobrawa of Bohemia first to be crowned King Regnum Sclavorum, Gothorum sive Polonorum |
|
| Mieszko II Lambert | Piast | King 1025–1031 | son of Boleslas I and Emnilda of Lusatia | |
| Bezprym | Piast | Duke 1031–1032 | son of Boleslas I and Judith of Hungary (disputed) | |
| Otto Bolesławowic | Piast | Duke 1032 | son of Boleslas I and Emnilda | |
| Theodorick (Dytryk) |
Piast | Duke 1032 | grandson of Mieszko I and Oda of Haldensleben | |
| Mieszko II Lambert | Piast | Duke 1032–1034 | restored | |
| Boleslas the Forgotten (Bolesław Zapomniany) |
Piast | Duke 1034-1039 | son of Mieszko II and Richeza of Lotharingia | |
| Casimir I the Restorer (Kazimierz I Odnowiciel) |
Piast | Duke 1039–1058 | son of Mieszko II and Richeza of Lotharingia | |
| Boleslas II the Bold (Bolesław II Szczodry) |
Piast | Duke 1058–1076 King 1076–1079 |
son of Casimir I and Maria Dobroniega of Kiev | |
| Ladislas I Herman (Władysław I Herman) |
Piast | Duke 1079–1102 | son of Casimir I and Maria Dobroniega | |
| Vratislaus II of Bohemia (Wratysław II Czeski) |
Přemyslid | King of Bohemia and Poland 1085–1092 | the royal title was a grant from Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor | |
| Zbigniew | Piast | Duke 1098–1107 | son of Ladislas I and Przecława, Prawdzic coat of arms (disputed) first jointly with Ladislas I 1098-1102 |
|
| Boleslas III Wrymouth (Bolesław III Krzywousty) |
Piast | Duke 1107–1138 | son of Ladislas I and Judith of Bohemia first jointly with Ladislas 1098-1102 introduced senioral principle |
|
| Ladislas II the Exile (Władysław II Wygnaniec) |
Piast | High Duke 1138–1146 | son of Boleslas III and Zbyslava of Kiev also Duke of Silesia exiled by his brothers |
|
| Boleslas IV the Curly (Bolesław IV Kędzierzawy) |
Piast | High Duke 1146–1173 | son of Boleslas III and Salomea of Berg also Duke of Masovia |
|
| Mieszko III the Old (Mieszko III Stary) |
Piast | High Duke 1173–1177 | son of Boleslas III and Salomea also Duke of Greater Poland |
|
| Casimir II the Just (Kazimierz II Sprawiedliwy) |
Piast | High Duke 1177–1190 | son of Boleslas III and Salomea also Duke of Wiślica and Sandomierz |
|
| Mieszko III the Old (Mieszko III Stary) |
Piast | High Duke 1190 | restored | |
| Casimir II the Just (Kazimierz II Sprawiedliwy) |
Piast | High Duke 1190–1194 | restored | |
| Leszek I the White (Leszek I Biały) |
Piast | High Duke 1194–1198 | son of Casimir II and Helen of Znojmo also Duke of Sandomierz |
|
| Mieszko III the Old (Mieszko III Stary) |
Piast | High Duke 1198–1199 | restored | |
| Leszek I the White (Leszek I Biały) |
Piast | High Duke 1199 | restored | |
| Mieszko III the Old (Mieszko III Stary) |
Piast | High Duke 1199-1202 | restored | |
| Ladislas III Spindleshanks (Władysław III Laskonogi) |
Piast | High Duke 1202 | son of Mieszko III and Eudoxia of Kiev also Duke of Greater Poland |
|
| Leszek I the White (Leszek I Biały) |
Piast | High Duke 1202–1210 | restored | |
| Mieszko IV Tanglefoot (Mieszko IV Plątonogi) |
Piast | High Duke 1210–1211 | son of Ladislas II and Agnes of Babenberg also Duke of Silesia |
|
| Leszek I the White (Leszek I Biały) |
Piast | High Duke 1211–1225 | restored | |
| Henry I the Bearded (Henryk I Brodaty) |
Piast | High Duke 1225 | grandson of Ladislas II, son of Bolesław I the Tall and Krystyna also Duke of Silesia |
|
| Leszek I the White (Leszek I Biały) |
Piast | High Duke 1225–1227 | restored assassinated |
|
| Ladislas III Spindleshanks (Władysław III Laskonogi) |
Piast | High Duke 1227–1229 | restored | |
| Conrad I of Masovia (Konrad Mazowiecki) |
Piast | High Duke 1229–1232 | son of Casimir II and Helen of Znojmo also Duke of Masovia |
|
| Henry I the Bearded (Henryk I Brodaty) |
Piast | High Duke 1232–1238 | restored | |
| Henry II the Pious (Henryk II Pobożny) |
Piast | High Duke 1238–1241 | son of Henry I and Saint Hedwig of Andechs (Saint Hedwig of Silesia) also Duke of Wroclaw and Greater Poland fell at Battle of Legnica |
|
| Boleslas V the Bald (Bolesław V Rogatka) |
Piast | High Duke 1241 | son of Henry II and Anne of Bohemia also Duke of Silesia |
|
| Conrad I of Masovia (Konrad Mazowiecki) |
Piast | High Duke 1241–1243 | restored | |
| Boleslas VI the Chaste (Bolesław VI Wstydliwy) |
Piast | High Duke 1243–1279 | son of Leszek the White and Grzymislawa of Luck | |
| Leszek II the Black (Leszek II Czarny) |
Piast | High Duke 1279–1288 | paternal grandson of CI maternal grandson of Henry II son of Casimir I of Kuyavia and Constance of Wrocław |
|
| Boleslas VII (Bolesław VII Siemowitowicz) |
Piast | High Duke 1288 | grandson of Conrad of Masovia Duke of Masovia |
|
| Henry IV Probus (Henryk IV Prawy) |
Piast | High Duke 1288–1289 | paternal grandson of Henry II maternal grandson of Konrad I son of Henry III the White and Judyta of Masovia Duke of Lower Silesia |
|
| Boleslas VII (Bolesław VII Siemowitowicz) |
Piast | High Duke 1289 | restored | |
| Ladislas IV/I the Elbow-high (Władysław I Łokietek) |
Piast | High Duke 1289 | grandson of Konrad I of Masovia son of Casimir I of Kuyavia and Euphrosyne of Opole |
|
| Henry IV Probus (Henryk IV Prawy) |
Piast | High Duke 1289–1290 | restored | |
| Premyslas II (Przemysł II) |
Piast | High Duke 1290–1291 King 1295–1296 |
grandson of Henry II son of Przemysł I and Elisabeth of Wrocław also Duke of Poznań, Greater Poland and Pomerania |
|
| Wenceslaus II of Bohemia (Wacław II Czeski) |
Přemyslid | High Duke 1291–1300 King 1300–1305 |
son of Ottokar II of Bohemia and Kunigunda of Slavonia married Premyslas II's daughter Elisabeth Richeza of Poland also King of Bohemia |
|
| Wenceslaus III of Bohemia (Wacław III Czeski) |
Přemyslid | King 1305–1306 | son of Wenceslaus II and Judith of Habsburg uncrowned assassinated |
|
| Rudolph I of Bohemia (Rudolf Austriacki) |
Habsburg | Titular King of Poland 1306–1307 |
Duke of Austria and Styria (as Rudolph III) | |
| Henry of Bohemia (Henryk Karyncki) |
Meinhardin | Titular King of Poland 1307–1310 |
Count of Tyrol and Duke of Carinthia and Carniola (as Henry VI) | |
| John of Bohemia (Jan Luksemburski) |
Luxembourg | Titular King of Poland 1310–1335 |
Count of Luxembourg (as John the Blind) | |
| Ladislas IV/I the Elbow-high (Władysław I Łokietek) |
Piast | High Duke 1306–1320 King 1320–1333 |
restored re-united the Kingdom of Poland |
|
| Casimir III The Great (Kazimierz III Wielki) |
Piast | King 1333–1370 | son of Ladislas IV/I and Hedwig of Kalisz regarded as one of the greatest Polish monarchs |
|
| Louis I of Hungary (Ludwik Węgierski) |
Anjou | King 1370–1382 | son of Charles I of Hungary and Elisabeth of Poland nephew of Casimir III elected King and crowned on 17 November also King of Hungary |
|
| Hedwig of Anjou (Jadwiga Andegaweńska) |
Anjou | King 1384–1399 | daughter of Louis I and Elisabeth of Bosnia crowned at 1384 reigned jointly with her husband Ladislas II since 1386 |
|
| Ruler | Dynasty | Reign Began | Reign Ended | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Władysław II Jagiełło (Ladislas II, Jogaila) |
Jagiellon | 4 March 1386 | 1 June 1434 | son of Algirdas of Lithuania and Uliana of Tver Grand Duke of Lithuania 1377-1434 reigned jointly with his wife Jadwiga until 1399 the longest reigning king of Poland |
|
| Władysław III Warneńczyk (Ladislas III, Vladislovas III) |
Jagiellon | 25 July 1434 | 10 November 1444 | son of Ladislas II and Sophia of Halshany also king of Hungary (as Ulászló I) fell at Varna, therefore surnamed "of Varna" |
|
| Kazimierz IV (Casimir IV, Kazimieras Jogailaitis) |
Jagiellon | 25 June 1447 | 7 June 1492 | son of Ladislas II and Sophia of Halshany also Grand Duke of Lithuania 1440-1492 |
|
| Jan I Olbracht (John I Albert, Jonas Albrechtas) |
Jagiellon | 23 September 1492 | 16 June 1501 | son of Casimir IV and Elisabeth of Austria | |
| Aleksander (Alexander, Aleksandras) |
Jagiellon | 12 December 1501 | 19 August 1506 | son of Casimir IV and Elisabeth of Austria also Grand Duke of Lithuania 1492-1506 |
|
| Zygmunt I the Old (Sigismund I, Žygimantas Senasis) |
Jagiellon | 8 December 1506 | 1 April 1548 | son of Casimir IV and Elisabeth of Austria also Grand Duke of Lithuania forced Prussian Homage in 1525 annexed Duchy of Masovia in 1526 entered alliance with Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor |
|
| Zygmunt II August I (Sigismund II August I, Žygimantas Augustas) |
Jagiellon | 1 April 1548 | 7 July 1572 | son of Sigismund I and Bona Sforza also Grand Duke of Lithuania replaced the personal union of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania with a real union and an elective monarchy (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth) in 1569 |
|
| Ruler | Dynasty | Reign Began | Reign Ended | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henryk Walezy (Henry III) |
Valois | 21 February 1574 | 12 May 1575 | son of Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici abandoned the Polish-Lithuanian throne three months after his coronation in order to become King of France |
|
| Maksymilian II (Maximilian I) |
Habsburg | 1575 | 1575 | King of Bohemia, Germany, Hungary and Croatia, Archduke of Austria, Holy Roman Emperor election contested after four days |
|
| Anna | Jagiellon | King 15 December 1575 | 12 December 1586 | daughter of Sigismund I and Bona Sforza reigned together with her husband Stephen Báthory |
|
| Stefan I Batory (Stephen I Báthory) |
Báthory | 15 December 1575 | 12 December 1586 | son of Stephen VIII Báthory and Catherine Telegdi Prince of Transylvania reigned together with his wife Anna regarded as one of the greatest kings of Poland |
|
| Maksymilian III (Maximilian II) |
Habsburg | 1587 | 1587 | son of Maximilian II and Maria of Spain Archduke of Austria defeated by Zygmunt Vasa |
|
| Zygmunt III (Sigismund III ) |
Vasa | 18 September 1587 | 19 April 1632 | grandson of Sigismund I son of John III of Sweden and Catherine Jagellon also King of Sweden 1592-1599, titular King 1599-1632 |
|
| Władysław IV (Ladislas IV) |
Vasa | 8 November 1632 | 20 May 1648 | son of Sigismund III and Anne of Austria Titular Tsar of Russia 1610-1634, titular King of Sweden 1632-1648 |
|
| Jan II Kazimierz (John II Casimir) |
Vasa | 20 November 1648 | 16 September 1668 | son of Sigismund III and Constance of Austria Titular King of Sweden 1648-1660 abdicated |
|
| Michał Korybut (Michael I) |
Wiśniowiecki | 19 June 1669 | 10 November 1673 | son of a successful but controversial military commander, Jeremi Wiśniowiecki, and Gryzelda Konstancja Zamoyska | |
| Jan III (John III) |
Sobieski | 21 May 1674 | 17 June 1696 | son of Jakub Sobieski and Zofia Teofillia Daniłowicz most famous for his brilliant victory over the Turks at the Battle of Vienna in 1683 |
|
| Franciszek Ludwik Burbon-Conti (François Louis, Prince of Conti) |
Bourbon | 27 June 1697 | ca. 20 July 1697 (withdrew) | son of Armand de Bourbon-Conti and Anne Marie Martinozzi elected king, obliged to return to France from Gdansk without the crown |
|
| August II Mocny (Augustus II the Strong) |
Wettin | 15 September 1697 | 16 February 1704 (deposed) 24 September 1706 (abdicates) |
son of John George III and Anna Sophie of Denmark Elector of Saxony as Frederick Augustus I, 1694–1733 |
|
| Stanisław I (Stanislas I) |
Leszczyński | 4 October 1705 | 8 August 1709 | son of Rafał Leszczyński and Anna Jabłonowska yielded to Augustus II |
|
| August II Mocny (Augustus II the Strong) |
Wettin | 8 August 1709 | 1 February 1733 | restored | |
| Stanisław I (Stanislas I) |
Leszczyński | 12 September 1733 | 30 June 1734 (deposed) 27 January 1736 (abdicates) |
restored defeated in War of the Polish Succession became Duke of Lorraine until his death |
|
| August III Sas (Augustus III) |
Wettin | 17 January 1734 (in opposition) 30 June 1734 (effectively) |
5 October 1763 | son of Augustus II and Christiane Eberhardine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth | |
| Stanisław II August (Stanislas II August) |
Poniatowski | 25 November 1764 | 7 January 1795 | son of Stanisław Poniatowski and Konstancja Czartoryska forced to abdicate when the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (the Polish Republic since May 3, 1791) ceased to exist |
|
| Ruler | Dynasty | Reign Began | Reign Ended | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander I (Aleksander I) |
Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov | 9 June 1815 | 1 December 1825 | The Kingdom of Poland created at the Congress of Vienna and therefore dubbed "Congress Poland". | |
| Nicholas I (Mikołaj I) |
Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov | 1 December 1825 | 2 March 1855 | deposed by the Polish Parliament (Sejm) on 25 January 1831 during November Uprising (1830–1831), autonomy abolished in 1832. | |
| Alexander II (Aleksander II) |
Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov | 2 March 1855 | 13 March 1881 | The Kingdom of Poland annexed into the Russian Empire after January Uprising (1863–1864), and the name of the kingdom was changed to Vistula Land (1867–1915) | |
| Alexander III (Aleksander III) |
Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov | 13 March 1881 | 1 November 1894 | ||
| Nicholas II (Mikołaj II) |
Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov | 1 November 1894 | 15 March 1917 | during World War I "Vistula Land" was looted and abandoned by the retreating Russian army in 1915; abdicated in 1917 | |
| Ruler | Dynasty | Reign Began | Reign Ended | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maria Theresa (Maria Teresa) |
Habsburg | 22 September 1772 | 29 November 1780 | the area annexed by the Habsburg Monarchy in the First Partition of Poland (the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth); Empress Maria Theresa of Austria (who was also Queen of Hungary, Queen of Bohemia, etc.) recalled the old Hungarian claims to the Regnum Galiciæ et Lodomeriæ, and Czech claims to the Duchies of Auschwitz and Zator | |
| Joseph II (Józef II) |
Habsburg-Lorraine | 29 November 1780 | 20 February 1790 | ||
| Leopold II (Leopold II) |
Habsburg-Lorraine | 20 February 1790 | 1 March 1792 | ||
| Francis II (Franciszek II) |
Habsburg-Lorraine | 1 March 1792 | 2 March 1835 | ||
| Ferdinand I (Ferdynand I) |
Habsburg-Lorraine | 2 March 1835 | 2 December 1848 | after the unsuccessful Cracow Uprising of 1846, the Free City of Cracow was annexed by Austria on 16 November 1846 as the Grand Duchy of Cracow; the full official name of the province was extended to Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria, and the Grand Duchy of Cracow with the Duchies of Auschwitz and Zator | |
| Francis Joseph I (Franciszek Józef I) |
Habsburg-Lorraine | 2 December 1848 | 21 November 1916 | after the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, and the reorganization of the Empire as the Dual Monarchy, a broad autonomy was granted to Galicia and Lodomeria within Cisleithania, the Austrian part of Austria-Hungary | |
| Charles I (Karol I) |
Habsburg-Lorraine | 21 November 1916 | 11 November 1918 | renounced all participation in affairs of state but did not abdicate | |
| Ruler | Dynasty | Reign Began | Reign Ended | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frederick Augustus I (Fryderyk August) |
Wettin | 9 July 1807 | 14 March 1813 | grandson of Augustus III King of Saxony 1805–1827 Duchy of Warsaw established by Napoleon I in 1807 as a protectorate of the French Empire, dissolved at the Congress of Vienna and divided into the Kingdom of Poland, protectorate of the Russian Empire, and the Grand Duchy of Posen, protectorate of the Kingdom of Prussia |
|
| Ruler | Dynasty | Reign Began | Reign Ended | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| François Joseph Lefebvre (Franciszek Józef Lefebvre) |
Marshal of France | 9 September 1807 | 2 January 1814 | Free City of Danzig, a semi-independent state established by Napoleon I in 1807, dissolved at the Congress of Vienna and reincorporated into Prussia | |
| Ruler | Dynasty | Reign Began | Reign Ended | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frederick William III (Fryderyk Wilhelm III) |
Hohenzollern | 9 June 1815 | 7 June 1840 | The Grand Duchy of Posen created at the Congress of Vienna; represented by Duke-Governor Antoni Radziwiłł until 1831. | |
| Frederick William IV (Fryderyk Wilhelm IV) |
Hohenzollern | 7 June 1840 | 2 January 1861 | autonomy abolished on June 28, 1848; the Grand Duchy was formally replaced by the Province of Posen in the Prussian constitution of 5 December 1848. | |
| William I (Wilhelm I) |
Hohenzollern | 2 January 1861 | 9 March 1888 | The Province of Posen, within the Kingdom of Prussia, became a part of the German Empire (1871–1918) | |
| Frederick III (Fryderyk III) |
Hohenzollern | 9 March 1888 | 15 June 1888 | ||
| William II (Wilhelm II) |
Hohenzollern | 15 June 1888 | 9 November 1918 | abdicated in 1918 | |
|
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