Leszek II the Black

Leszek the Black (Polish Leszek Czarny II, * 1241, † 1288) was from 1261 Duke of Sieradz, from 1267 Duke of Łęczyca, 1273-1278 Duke of Cujavia in Inowrocław, and, from 1279, as Leszek II, Duke of Lesser Poland in Sandomierz and Cracow, Senior Duke of Poland by the latter. Duke Leszek came from the dynasty of Piast.

Leszek was the eldest son of Duke Casimir of Cujavia and a half-brother of the future Polish king Władysław I the Elbow- and a grandson of Conrad of Mazovia. Since the modesty of Bolesław had no male issue, he decided to pass the throne Leszek Krakow from Łęczyca and Sieradz, the son of his cousin Casimir of Cujavia. This time it all happened without a fight to the Presbytery.

During his reign, in Lesser Poland, the first ideas of a reunited Kingdom of Poland, which ultimately led after nearly two centuries of division to unification of the Polish state emerged. Leszek, named after his hair color of black, confessed to the ideology to unite the country by looking for the support of citizens and fought against the uprisings of the nobility. However, he could not reach his goal. A year before his death, in 1287, the country was invaded again by the Nogai Tatars - Horde Kara Nogai Khan and Leszek escaped with the escape into the Kingdom of Hungary. The invaders came to the gates of Krakow, but could not take the city. After his death began long-standing dispute over the Cracow throne.