Mesko I. (Teschen)

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Statue of Mesko in Teschen

Mesko I. von Teschen (also Mieszko I. von Teschen ; Polish Mieszko I. cieszyński ; Czech Měšek I. Těšínský ; * between 1252 and 1256 ; † before August 27, 1315 ) was with his youngest brother Primislaus from 1281 to 1290 Duke of Ratibor and from 1290 to 1315 Duke of Teschen-Auschwitz .

Life

Seal of Meskos I.

Mesko I came from the Opole branch of the Silesian Piasts . His parents were Duke Wladislaus I of Opole - Ratibor and his wife Eufemia. Before 1280, Mesko married a woman of unknown origin who died around 1303. With her he had the sons Casimir and Wladislaus von Auschwitz as well as the daughter Viola , who got along with the Bohemian King Wenceslaus III. married and later took the name Elisabeth.

Duchy of Teschen-Auschwitz under Mieszko I.              Border of the duchy              Boundaries between the castellans of Teschen and Auschwitz or the dioceses of Breslau and Krakow or the duchies of Teschen and Auschwitz after the death of Mieszko I.
  • Old Slavic settlement chambers
  • Areas of German colonization under Mieszko I.

    • After the death of Mesko's father Wladislaus I in 1281/82, his duchy was divided between his four sons. Mesko initially received the area of Ratibor with Teschen and Auschwitz together with his youngest brother Primislaus . In 1290 they spun off Teschen and Auschwitz, creating the Duchy of Teschen , which Mesko subsequently ruled alone. All four sons of Duke Wladislaus I continued to dub the Dukes of Opole as a sign of their togetherness.

    Like his brothers, Mesko turned politically to Bohemia and refused to support piastic aspirants to the Polish throne. The Czech King's Hall Chronicle claimed that on January 17, 1291, he and his younger brother Bolko I paid homage to King Wenceslaus II in Olomouc , who at that time was claiming the throne of Cracow and in early 1291 he was already using the title of Duke of Krakow . The analysis of the text of the Treaty of Olomouc and the following events showed that they contradict this subordination to feudal law. According to Jerzy Wyrozumski and Idzi Panic, this was an alliance of unequal partners . Both undertook to assist Wenzel in asserting his rights against everyone and vowed to personally participate in a possible campaign by Wenzel or, if necessary, to send their men. They also promised to open their castles to the king at any time. In the event of conquests, Wenceslaus promised them a reward. The alliance with Mesko was of particular importance for King Wenceslas, as the direct route through its area led to Kraków , the conquest of which was important in Wenceslas aspirations for the Polish throne.

    Just one year later, Mesko moved with King Wenzel against Władysław I. Ellenlang , who was forced to renounce Kraków and Sandomir on October 9, 1292 in the camp near Sieradz . Together with the other Upper Silesian dukes, Mesko took part in Wenceslas' coronation in Prague at Whitsun 1297 and three years later in his coronation as Polish king in Gniezno . Mesko's daughter Viola was probably born in 1305 during King Wenceslas II's lifetime with his son and successor Wenceslaus III. married, who died a year later. During the last years of his life, Mesko supported the Bohemian King John of Luxembourg .

    On August 2, 1297, Mesko and the Olomouc bishop Theoderich von Neuhaus confirmed the border on the Ostrawitza . Two documents were issued on both sides, in which the area on the right bank was called Poland in Latin ( super metis et terminie apud Ostraviam in minibus buno rum ducatus nostri et episcopatus Olomucensis pro eo, quod fluvius idem qui de beret metas Polonie et Moravie distingire) . This was an example that up to this time this name was well established among the Silesian Piasts and was also recognized by the Moravian (and Bohemian) ruling class.

    Like his father and brothers, Mesko pursued an intensive settlement policy. He founded numerous localities under German law , mostly mentioned in the Liber fundationis episcopatus Vratislaviensis , and granted or confirmed Teschen , Auschwitz , Zator , Bielitz and Freistadt , among others , the town charter .

    After Mesko's death in 1315, the Auschwitz area was detached from the Duchy of Teschen, creating the Duchy of Auschwitz , which the second-born son Wladislaus received. Mesko's firstborn son, Casimir I, kept the duchy of Teschen, which had been reduced in size.

    literature

    • Gottlieb Biermann : History of the Duchy of Teschen. 2nd, revised edition. Karl Prochaska publishing house and court bookstore, Teschen 1894.
    • Historical Commission for Silesia (Ed.): History of Silesia. Volume 1: Ludwig Petry , Josef Joachim Menzel, Winfried Irgang (eds.): From primeval times to the year 1526. 5th, revised edition. Thorbecke, Sigmaringen 1988, ISBN 3-7995-6341-5 , pp. 124, 130, 137 ff., 144, 146 and 148.
    • Moritz Landwehr von Pragenau: History of the city of Teschen (= sources and representations on Silesian history. Vol. 18). Edited by Walter Kuhn. Holzner, Würzburg 1976, ISBN 3-7995-6136-6 , pp. 2, 16, 30, 107.
    • Idzi Panic: Poczet Piastów i Piastówien cieszyńskich. Biuro Promocji i Informacji, Cieszyn 2002, ISBN 83-917095-4-X .
    • Idzi Panic: Śląsk Cieszyński w średniowieczu (do 1528) . Starostwo Powiatowe w Cieszynie, Cieszyn 2010, ISBN 978-83-926929-3-5 (Polish).
    • Hugo Weczerka (Hrsg.): Handbook of the historical places . Volume: Silesia (= Kröner's pocket edition . Volume 316). Kröner, Stuttgart 1977, ISBN 3-520-31601-3 , family tables on pp. 596–597 and 598–599.
    • Rudolf Žáček: Dějiny Slezska v datech. Nakladatelství Libri, Praha 2004, ISBN 80-7277-172-8 , pp. 31, 32, 54, 58, 439, 441, 442 and 449.

    Individual evidence

    1. ^ Rudolf Žáček: Dějiny Slezska v datech. 2004, p. 54.
    2. ^ I. Panic, 2010, p. 66
    3. ^ Idzi Panic: Jak my ongiś godali. Język mieszkańców Górnego Śląska od średniowiecze do połowy XIX wieku [The language of the inhabitants of Upper Silesia in the Middle Ages and in modern times] . Avalon, Cieszyn-Kraków 2015, ISBN 978-83-7730-168-5 , p. 45 (Polish).

    Remarks

    1. ↑ z. B. the marriage of Wenceslaus III. with Mieszko's daughter Viola Elisabeth von Teschen , that she was practically impossible in fiefdom.
    predecessor Office successor
    - Duke of Teschen
    1290-1315         		Casimir I.
    personal data
    SURNAME Mesko I.
    ALTERNATIVE NAMES Mieszko I. von Teschen; Mieszko cieszyński (Polish); Měšek I. Těšínský (Czech)
    BRIEF DESCRIPTION Duke of Ratibor (1281-1290); Duke of Teschen (1290-1315)
    DATE OF BIRTH between 1252 and 1256
    DATE OF DEATH before August 27, 1315