Bolko II (Schweidnitz)

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Color reconstruction of the high grave Bolko II by Schweidnitz-Jauer after Theodor Blätterbauer

Bolko II. , Also: Boleslaw V. , Boleslaw the Little , (* May 1308 , † July 28, 1368 in Schweidnitz ) was Duke of Schweidnitz-Jauer .

Origin and family

Bolko came from the Silesian Piast family . His parents were Bernhard II († 1326), Duke of Schweidnitz-Jauer, and Kunigunde, daughter of the Polish king Władysław I. Ellenlang . In 1338 he married Agnes von Habsburg , a daughter of the Austrian Duke Leopold I. The marriage remained childless.

Life

After the death of his father in 1326, Bolko was initially under the tutelage of his uncles Heinrich I and Bolko II. When he came of age, he ruled the Duchy of Schweidnitz-Jauer together with his brother Heinrich II , the father of the future Bohemian and Roman-German Queen Anna von Schweidnitz . After Heinrich's death in 1343, Bolko inherited his property and became the guardian of his daughter Anna. In 1346 it also came to Jauer , as his uncle, Duke Heinrich I von Jauer, died without male descendants. Although all other Silesian duchies had already become Bohemian fiefdoms , which was confirmed by the Treaty of Trenčín in 1335 , Bolko managed to maintain the independence of his duchy and to acquire further lands outside his duchy. The Legnica Duke Wenceslas I sold him after his parents died half Brieg and semi Oława , and King Charles IV. Gave him 1,359 Pitschen and Kreuzburg .

Bolkos sarcophagus in the prince chapel of Grüssau Monastery

Although Prince Charles, later Charles IV., In 1344 with his father John of Luxembourg besieging Schweidnitz and Landeshut conquered, supported Bolko 1348 the Treaty of Namslau . In 1350 Charles IV and Bolko II were reconciled to such an extent that they began the first inheritance negotiations over the Duchy of Schweidnitz-Jauer. After Karl's second wife died on February 2, 1353, he married Bolko's niece Anna von Schweidnitz that same year. Since Bolko was childless, Anna and her descendants were contractually selected as heirs of the Duchy of Schweidnitz-Jauer. The marriage ensured that the duchy passed over to Bohemia under inheritance law. 1360 wrote Charles IV. Duke Bolko one half of the soft image Glogau for life. After Bolko's niece Anna gave birth to the heir to the throne in 1361, Bolko received Kanth , Reichenstein and Zobten through Karl's mediation .

With financial help from Bolko, Charles IV redeemed Niederlausitz in 1363 for 31,000 marks , which he was able to take over on November 1, 1364 according to the contract. Shortly afterwards he loaned it to Bolko for his lifetime, which significantly expanded Bolko's sphere of influence. In 1365 Bolko included the Lower Lusatian coat of arms of the bull in his seal.

Bolko died on July 28, 1368 Schweidnitz and was in the church of his grandfather I. Bolko donated monastery Grüssau buried. After the princely chapel ( mausoleum ) was built under Abbot Benedict II. Seidel 1735–1747, the sarcophagus was moved there. In memory of Bolko's wife Agnes von Habsburg, the Bohemian sculptor Anton Dorazil created a white marble sculpture for the Princely Chapel.

The Duchy of Swidnica, for Bolkos widow Agnes of Swidnica until her death in 1392 the enjoyment possessed fell Bolkos death in 1368 inheritance rights to Bohemia. Because of the unpaid share of the inheritance from Bolko's sister Elisabeth, who was married to Bolko II of Opole , his grandsons Johann I , Bolko IV and Bernhard von Opole led the decades-long feud with the city of Wroclaw from 1390 onwards .

literature

personal data
SURNAME Bolko II.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Bolko II of Schweidnitz-Jauer; Boleslaw V .; Boleslaw the little one
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Duke of Schweidnitz (1326–1368)
DATE OF BIRTH May 1308
DATE OF DEATH July 28, 1368
Place of death Schweidnitz