Duchy of Bielitz

Map of the Duchy of Bielitz (first half of the 18th century)

The Duchy of Bielsko ( Księstwo Bielskie in Polish , Bílské knížectví in Czech , Ducatus Bilicensis in Latin ), the area of which initially belonged to the Duchy of Teschen , was spun off twice for a few years and sold in 1572 as a minority. In 1751 it became a free state rule , in 1752 a principality and in 1754 a duchy. The place of residence was the city of the same name Bielitz (today Bielsko-Biała in the Silesian Voivodeship in Poland).

history

The Bielsko area originally belonged to the Duchy of Ratibor-Opole . When it was divided after the death of Duke Wladislaus I , it came to the Duchy of Teschen in 1281 , whose first ruling Duke Wladislaus son Mesko I was. Together with the Duchy of Teschen, it came to the Crown of Bohemia as a fief in 1327 .

Bielsko was spun for the first time to an independent dominion than it after the death of the Duke I. Boleslaw , who died in 1431, Duke of his widow Euphemia that exerted the regency until 1442 at their son Wenceslas I was transferred. After his death in 1474, Bielitz was again connected to the Duchy of Teschen.

Another spin-off of Teschen took place in 1560, when Bielitz together with Freistadt and Friedek from Duke Wenzel III. Adam was passed on to his son Friedrich Kasimir during his lifetime . After his death in 1571, the indebted rule was sold to Karl von Promnitz auf Pless in 1572 with the consent of Emperor Maximilian II . The new state rule included the city of Bielitz and eighteen villages: Old Bielitz , Braunau , Bistrai , Dziedzitz , Heinzendorf , Ernsdorf , Kamitz , Batzdorf , Ellgoth , Matzdorf , Ober Kurzwald , Nieder Kurzwald , Nikelsdorf , Mościska (today a hamlet of Zabrzeg), Ober and Nieder Ohlisch , Lobnitz and Zabrzeg .

Bielitz Castle after reconstruction by the Sułkowski family

After the First Silesian War in 1742, Bielitz remained with Bohemia and was part of the Austrian Silesia region . In 1752 it was acquired by Friedrich Wilhelm von Haugwitz and raised to free state rule by Archduchess Maria Theresa in her capacity as Queen of Bohemia . In 1752 Bielitz was acquired by the Polish magnate Aleksander Józef Sułkowski . In the same year he received the title of Duke from Emperor Franz I. At the same time, the free class rule Bielitz was elevated to a principality and in 1754 to a duchy. The Duchy of Bielitz existed until 1849. In 1920 its territory fell to Poland.

literature

Hugo Weczerka (Hrsg.): Handbook of the historical places . Volume: Silesia (= Kröner's pocket edition . Volume 316). Kröner, Stuttgart 1977, ISBN 3-520-31601-3 , pp. 27–30 and family tables on pp. 598–599.
Rudolf Žáček: Dějiny Slezska v datech . Praha 2004, ISBN 80-7277-172-8 , pp. 410-411.

Web links

genealogy

Individual evidence

↑ Idzi Panic: Śląsk Cieszyński w początkach czasów nowożytnych (1528-1653) [History of the Duchy of Teschen at the beginning of modern times (1528-1653)] . Starostwo Powiatowe w Cieszynie, Cieszyn 2011, ISBN 978-83-926929-1-1 , p. 226 (Polish).
↑ He is said to have been an illegitimate son of the Polish King August II . According to Rudolf Žáček, p. 410.

[panic2011-1] Idzi Panic: Śląsk Cieszyński w początkach czasów nowożytnych (1528-1653) [History of the Duchy of Teschen at the beginning of modern times (1528-1653)] . Starostwo Powiatowe w Cieszynie, Cieszyn 2011, ISBN 978-83-926929-1-1 , p. 226 (Polish).

[2] He is said to have been an illegitimate son of the Polish King August II . According to Rudolf Žáček, p. 410.