Duchy of Oświęcim
The Duchy of Auschwitz (Polish Księstwo Oświęcimskie; Czech Osvětimské knížectví ) was created in 1315 as a result of the division of the Duchy of Cieszyn. It was ruled by the Silesian Piast dynasty, which sold it in 1457 to Poland. Residenzort was the town of Auschwitz.
History
The area of Auschwitz was originally part of Lesser Poland. Together with other neighboring areas transferred it in 1178, the then Senior Casimir II " the Just " the Ratiborer Duke Mieszko I. " sacrum ", which it incorporated together his duchy Ratibor and 1202 with this the Duchy of Opole. In its division in 1281 Auschwitz came to the Duchy of Teschen, the first Duke Mesko I was. He turned to political Bohemia and paid homage on January 17, 1291, together with his younger brother Bolko I. Olomouc King Wenceslas II, with whom she simultaneously graduating an alliance which amounted to a feudal agreement.
After Meskos death in 1315 († 1321/24 ), the area around Auschwitz extracted and collected into an independent duchy for his second-born son Władysław. Władysław 's son John I went in 1327 a vassal relationship with the Czech king John of Luxembourg one. As a fief of the crown of Bohemia, the Duchy was assumed together with the other Silesian duchies in 1348 the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. Having the direct line to the Auschwitz death of Duke John III. 1405 went out, inherited Przemislaus Auschwitz, the. , A son of the Duke of Teschen Przemislaus I. This the Duchy of Auschwitz fell after only a year later made his son's death to After his death in 1410 it fell to his grandson, Casimir, a son Przemislaus I of Auschwitz. Since Casimir was not yet of age, he stood up in 1414 under the tutelage of his uncle Bolko I. After Casimir's death in 1434, the eldest son inherited the Wenzel area managed at the same time for his younger brothers Primislaus / Przemko III. and John IV († 1495/97 ). 1445 there was a division, which for the area of Wenceslas Zator was spun off and Primislaus / Przemko the Duchy Tost received. The so reduced duchy of Auschwitz was the youngest brother of John IV in 1454 He put a homage to the Polish king Casimir IV Jagiello from, making the duchy came under Polish suzerainty. By three years later completed sale to King Casimir IV Jagiello, the Duchy of Auschwitz was spun off and incorporated Silesia in Poland. In 1564 it rejoined Zator.
After the First Partition of Poland in 1772, the area of Auschwitz came to Austria and was administratorisch connected to Galicia. In order to register their claims to the former Duchy of Bohemia, Archduchess Maria Theresia dubbed in her capacity as Queen of Bohemia including as Duchess of Auschwitz Zator. In 1818 the territory of the former Duchy of Auschwitz Zator was part of the German Confederation, but was still under the crown land Galicia. After the First World War the area in 1918 fell to the Second Polish Republic.