Piotr Włostowic

Jan Matejko : Piotr Włast Dunin brings the Cistercians to Poland. History painting , 1888

Piotr Włostowicz ( Piotr Włast or Piotr Włost , German Peter Wlast , surnamed Dunin ; * around 1080; † 1153 in Breslau ) was a Polish magnate , governor in the Duchy of Silesia and founder of churches and monasteries . His biography was later reshaped by heroism and legend .

Life

Piotr Włostowic came from the powerful and wealthy family of the Łabędź ("swan" - the family coat of arms) or was their founder. The nickname Dunin or Duinus also occurs in the form Danus ( Dane ). However, it is not certain whether Petrus Danus was identical to Piotr Włostowic Dunin or a contemporary. In this case, two biographies would have merged into one. He was related to the Piasts and married Maria, the daughter of Grand Duke Svyatopolk II of Kiev .

Włostowic's life took place in the field of tension between three power conflicts: between the Piast dynasty and the Salian - Staufer empire over the sovereignty of Poland ; between the four sons of Bolesław III. Crooked mouth about priority in Poland; and between the Polish dukes and the nobility of the country.

1117 made Bolesław III. Włostowic to the burgrave in Wroclaw. Włostowic kept this office even after Władysław II came to power in 1138. He tried to consolidate the country economically and religiously. After a while he lost the trust of Duke Ladislaus II; possibly the latter, who had to share the rule with three younger half-brothers, suspected Włostowic of being in agreement with the brothers, or he wanted to limit the aristocratic power in general. In 1145 Włostowic was captured in Wroclaw Castle. His eyes were gouged out and his tongue torn out, and so he was sent into exile .

Only when Władysław II was expelled by his brothers, Włostowic was able to return to Wroclaw in 1147. He died there six years later.

Web links

Commons : Piotr Włostowic  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Polish personal database (information in German)
• Explanations of the Matejko painting

Individual evidence

1. ↑ A particular influence of Włostowic on the Cistercian development in Poland cannot be proven [1]  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. ; the scene generally stands for his pursuit of cultivation and Christianization .  
2. ↑ In Merian's Topographia Bohemiae, Moraviae et Silesiae (1650) it says p. 130: “Martinus Cromerus writes lib. 5th rer. Polon. fol. 125. It is said / that reported Petrus Duinus, or Duninus, Count of Scrinnen in Poland / who was at the Hertzogs Boleslai's court / gradually / 77. Churches / in different places in Poland / of hewn stone / set up and gave / most of which are still standing; Item / 2nd monastery of the Premonstratensian order / except the city of Breßlau / referred to as S. Vincentz / as the Breßlauer / in his time / out of research for the Turk / as it was applied / would have broken off. And says / that these Petri descendants still flourished in Poland / led a swan in a red shield to the coat of arms; and therefore have names of the Labentzen family. And in the VI. Book he reports / on the 139th sheet / that Petro Dano, from Hertzog Wladislao, who had succeded to his father Boleslao / at the instigation of his wife Christinae, had his tongue cut off / and his eyes poked out; and if he / after 5 years / died in Breßlau / and was buried in S. Vincentz. See also the Matthiam de Mechovia cap from him. 16 who calls him a great Count of Skrzin. ” Full text digitization
3. ↑ [2]  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. ; according to other information 1146