Casimir I of Opole
Casimir I of Opole, also Casimir I of Opole - Ratibor; Polish Kazimierz I Opolski; Czech Kazimír I. Opolský, (* 1178 or 1179, † May 13, 1230 ) was from 1211 to 1230 Duke of Opole - Ratibor. He came from the Opole Silesian branch of the Piast dynasty.
Origin and family
Kazimir was the only son of the Duke Mieszko I of Ratibor - Opole and Ludmilla († 1211 ), which was probably a Přemyslovna. It is regarded as the founder of the Premonstratensian Rybnik, which was laid in 1228 by Duke Casimir after Czarnowąsy. After 1212 Kazimir married to Viola of Bulgaria ( † 1251 ). The couple had children
- Mieszko II († 1246 )
- Władysław I of Opole († 1281 )
- Wenzeslawa ( † after 1230)
- Euphrosyne († 1292 ), married since 1257 with Duke Casimir I of Cujavia († 1267 ), in a second marriage with Duke Mestwin II of Pomerania.
Life
Kasimir followed in 1211 his late father Mieszko I as Duke of Opole - Ratibor and resided probably the first Duke of Opole. Before 1217 he convened to Opole and Ratibor immigrants ( hospites ) from the West, which he granted certain privileges and rights under German and Flemish law. These, in turn, he issued in 1217 also the aristocratic owners of the market Leschnitz. 1222 allowed Casimir the Breslau Bishop Lawrence the settlement of Germans in the episcopal area of Ujest. With a 1225 issued Memorandum he gave the German settlers of costs Thal those privileges, as they already had the citizens of Zülz. 1226 he authenticated at the request of the bishop of the city of Wroclaw Rosenberg whose ancient customs statutes. In the same year he confirmed to the monastery Leubus the donation of 1000 hooves, the Duke Jaroslaus between the rivers Hotzenplotz and Straduna given to the Cistercians of Pforta had. The recent donation was thus necessary because after Yaroslav's death in 1201 his father, Boleslaw, who also died a short time later, the Cistercian persuaded to abandon the area. His successor, Casimir's father Mieszko, indeed confirmed the donation, however, refused to disclose the 1000 hooves. 1228 awarded Kasimir the village of Falkenberg his Palatine Clemens and his brother Virbecha who had this to provide construction services to the Opole castle.
Casimir died in 1230., The guardianship of minor children took over Duke Henry I, realizing his power, in turn, could be extended to the whole of Silesia. Casimir's widow Viola, he pointed to the areas of Kalisch and Ruda.