Ziemomysł of Kuyavia

Ziemomysł[1] of Kuyavia (Polish: '''Ziemomysł inowrocławski) (c. 1245 – 1287) was Prince of Kuyavia from 1267-1271 and 1278-1287. He was a member of the large House of Piast

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Early life

Ziemomysł was the second son of Casimir I of Kuyavia and his second wife Constance, daughter of Henry II the Pious.

On 21 February 1257, Ziemomysł's mother, Constance died. His father soon remarried to Euphrosyne of Opole, with whom he had four children. Euphrosyne knew that when Casimir died, Ziemomysł and Leszek would inherit most of his lands, leaving her sons with very little. She therefore wanted to get rid of the two boys so her sons would be able able to inherit the Duchy of Kuyavia. There was an unsuccessful attempt to poison the boys.

Adult life

After Casmir died in 1267, Ziemomysł inherited Kuyavia, and his brother Leszek became a pretender to the throne of Poland. The small duchy survived the considerable strength of Přemysl Otakar II of Bohemia, and there was soon a crusade against pagan Lithuania.

Ziemomysł developed close contacts with the Teutonic Order and Sambor II, Duke of Pomerania. When Sambor II loaned Ziemomysł some German knights, this sparked a rebellion among the Duke's subjects. The rebels called on Boleslaw the Pious to help them. Boleslaw took Radziejów, Kruszwica and the castle in Bydgoszcz. Only through rapid action did Ziemomysł win temporary control of his lands.

In 1271, Ziemomysł was involved in the war of Gdansk-Pomerania, in which he supported his new father-in-law, Sambor II against Mestwin II, Duke of Pomerania. His decision to fight in this battle triggered another invasion by Boleslaw the Pious. Ziemomysł was now forced into exile.

Ziemomysł was given back Kuyavia and his other lands in 1278 as a result of an agreement with Boleslaw and his brother. They asked Ziemomysł to distance himself away from his German advisors.

To improve Ziemomysł's situation, there was an agreement, in which he was given back custardy of Radziejów. His brother ended his pro-German policies in 1284, making the Teutonic Order hostile to the family. The details of the conflict are not known.

Ziemomysł also gave his subjects Town privileges, endowing them upon Gniewkowo.

Ziemomysł died in the last quarter of 1287. It is assumed he was buried somewhere in the capital of the duchy, Inowroclaw. His widow Salome and his half-brother Ladislaus the Short were given custardy of the children.

Marriage and children

On the 29 February 1268, Ziemomysł married Salome, daughter of Sambor II, Duke of Pomerania [2]. They had six children:

  1. Euphemia (died c.1278), died young
  2. Fenenna (c.1278-1295) married Andrew III of Hungary and had a daughter Elizabeth, who was betrothed to Wenceslaus III of Bohemia
  3. Leszek (1275/76-after 27 April 1339), Duke of Kuyavia
  4. Przemysł (1276/79-before 16 February 1339), Prince of Sieradz
  5. Casimir (1277/80-22 August 1345/13 May 1350]), Duke of Kuyavia and grandfather to Elizabeth of Bosnia.
  6. Constance (d.1331), nun [3]

Ancestors

References

  1. ^ Form name the initial "Z" is more common. In this form it appears on the Prince stamps his daughters, Fenenny. Cf. K. Jasinski Pedigree Little Poland and Kuyavian Piast, Poznan - Wroclaw 2001, p. 105 In the literature there is also a record SiemomysłSuch as SA Sroka Siemomysł[In] Piast. Biographical Lexicon Krakow 1997, p. 208-209. Siemomysł form is considered the only correct, but the name Ziemomysł, despite noteworthy addition to the forms with initial 'S' numerous credentials inicjalnym 'Z', such as Zemomislyus whether Zememislo - Is not generally considered as occurring in the Middle Ages in Poland, and by all the major dictionaries onomastyczne operating on the Polish stock of certified sources anthroponyms Middle Ages, cf. W. Taszycki (ed.), Dictionary of Old Polish personal names, T. 5 z. 1 (Sabaszczewska-Senior), Wroclaw-Warszawa-Kraków-Gdańsk 1977 and T. 6 z. 2 (Wojsław-Zimnowodski), Wroclaw-Warszawa-Kraków-Gdańsk 1982, and A. Cieślikowa (ed.), Dictionary etymologiczno-old Polish names of personal motivation, V. 1, Cracow 2000, ISBN 83-87623-23-7.
  2. ^ Ziemomysl Piast
  3. ^ POLAND, Medieval Lands