Bolko I of Opole
Bolko I of Opole, also Boleslaw ( Boleslaw ) I of Opole, Opole Polish Bolko I., Czech Boleslav Opolský, (c. 1254/58; † May 14, 1313 ) was from 1281 to 1313 Duke of Opole. Politically, he was on the King of Bohemia Wenceslas II, whose confidence he enjoyed and the 1291 appointed him governor of Krakow page. 1292-1295 he was a captain of Malopolska and Krakow in 1312 governor of the Bohemian king John of Luxembourg.
Origin and family
Bolko came from the Opole Silesian branch of the Piast dynasty. His parents were Władysław I of Opole and Euphemia ( † after 1281 ), daughter of the great Polish duke Władysław Odon. Bolko married about 1280 Gremislawa (or Agnes NN, † 1301). The couple had sons
Life
After the death of Bolkos father Władysław I of Opole in 1281 the Duchy of Opole - Ratibor was divided into four duchies and passed on to his four sons:
- Mieszko I (1252/1256-1315) was initially together with the youngest brother Primislaus, who was under guardianship of Mieszko, the Duchy Ratibor with the areas of Teschen and Auschwitz. From the lands of the Duchy of Cieszyn Cieszyn and Auschwitz was established for him in 1290, the first reigning duke he was.
- Casimir II (1253/1257-1312) given the Duchy of Bytom and called himself since 1286 also Duke of Cosel;
- Primislaus (1268-1306) was initially under the tutelage of his eldest brother Mieszko, with whom he first together and from 1290 alone, the Duchy Ratibor reigned.
The reduced to the above areas Duchy of Opole was the third-born son Bolko, the Opole their permanent residence selected. The titulary Duke of Opole also used his three brothers. Thus, the togetherness of their areas should be emphasized. A year after the government takeover Bolko founded in 1282 the Cistercian monastery of heaven joke. His other start-ups, among other things include Lublinitz and Krappitz.
In the dispute of Duke Henry IV with the Breslau Bishop Thomas II, who again broke out in 1282 and which dealt, inter alia, to the questions of ownership of 65 villages that had been created without sovereign approval in the diocese country, as well as to the payment of the tithe, tried to Bolko to settle the dispute. In April 1287 he brought in Opole, the noble representative of Duke Henry for an interview with the bishop together, who had fled to Bolkos brother Mieszko I to Ratibor.
Politically, Bolko and his brothers turned to Bohemia. Already on January 9, 1289 took Bolkos brother Casimir of Bytom the first Duke of Silesian to the Bohemian suzerainty. While intra- Polish struggles after the death of the Duke Leszek II of Krakow led Bolko together with Primislaus / Primko I of Sprottau and Steinau a Silesian army of relief to Krakow, but the on February 26, 1289 a severe defeat by the forces of Bolesław Płocks and Władysław Elle Lang suffered. Primislaus / Primko was killed and Bolko got wounded and captured. On August 8, 1289 met in Opava Bolko and other Silesian dukes with King Wenceslas, from which they requested support for their political projects. The Duke was also present Schweidnitzer Bolko I. Wenzel stepped from the hitherto Bohemian town of Schomberg and some villages.
On January 17, 1291 joined King Wenceslas II in Olomouc an alliance with Bolko and his brother Mieszko. Thus, both committed themselves, Wenzel assist in enforcing its rights against anyone and vowed to take part in a possible campaign Wenceslas in person or, where appropriate, to send their men. In addition, they promised each time to open the king their castles. For the case of conquests made them Wenceslas a reward in view. In the spring of 1291 to Bolko and other Upper Silesian dukes involved in taking Cracow by the King's army and Wenceslas, who then began Bolko as his governor in Krakow.
In August 1292 Bolko was, together with his brother Casimir and the Dukes Henry V of Wroclaw - Legnica and Bolko I of Schweidnitz to accompany King Wenceslas, who made his entry in Krakow under the jubilation of German citizenship and nobility Malopolska and on 9 October. 1292 in stock at Sieradz Władysław the Elbow- forced to renounce Krakow and Sandomierz. There testified four days later Bolko, his brother Casimir, Nicholas I of Opava, Duke Bolesław of Mazovia and Przemysław II of Great Poland and the bishops of Gniezno, Prague and Olomouc, that Władysław the Elbow- the Czech King Wenceslas II as his liege was subjected. Subsequently appointed King Wenceslas Bolko of Opole for Governor of Malopolska. This office he held until 1295th successor was the Troppauer Duke Nicholas I.
In the dispute Władysław Elle Lang with his brother Henry III. of Glogau, which ended on March 10, 1296 with a comparison, Henry of Glogau was, who had gone over to the Bohemian party, and Bolko of Opole each half of the country Klobusien conceded (Land of the Warta ). Pentecost 1297 took Bolko along with other Upper Silesian dukes as well as with Henry of Glogau and Bolko I of Schweidnitz in the solemn coronation of Wenceslas II in Prague part. In the spring of 1298 he accompanied Wenceslas II to Vienna for talks with Albrecht of Austria. According to Albrecht election to the Roman-German king, he participated in the campaign against the deposed Adolf of Nassau, who was killed at the Battle of Göllheim on July 2, 1298. 1300 belonged Bolko with his brother Casimir retinue Wenceslas, who undertook a military campaign against Great Poland and settled then crowned King of Poland in Gniezno.
In 1311 Bolko supported together with the Bishop of Cracow Johann Muskata the listed from Kraków Vogt Albert uprising of the German citizenship of Krakow against Duke Władysław the Elbow-high. This is probably why the Bohemian King John of Luxembourg in 1312 appointed Bolko from Opole to his Krakauer governor. Served in this office Bolko to the reconquest of Krakow by Władysław the Elbow-high. Shortly before his death in 1313 sold Bolko the Wrocław citizens pedestrian inches in the cities of his duchy.
Bolko / Boleslaw of Opole died after more than 30 years of successful governance. His body was interred in the he built St. Anne's Chapel of the Franciscan monastery Opole. His duchy was divided among his three sons.