Mestwin I, Duke of Pomerania

Mestwin I. (Polish Mściwoj, Mszczuj; * 1160, † May 1, 1219 or 1220 ) was from 1207 the governor of East Pomerania of the dynasty of Samborid under the supremacy of the Polish Senior Duke of Cracow. In the years 1210-1211 he was briefly a vassal of the Danish royal family.

Life and political career

Mestwin was a son of the Polish governor Sobiesław I, the first known Samborid, and a sister of Voivode Żyrosław of Cujavia of the family of Pował whose name is not known. His predecessor as governor was his brother Sambor I, after whom the dynasty is usually named.

In the Oliva panels Mestwin has the nickname " pacificus " ( the peaceable things ). When about 1207 the family Pował, who came from his mother, became extinct, he made his hereditary rights to the field of castellany Wyszogród (now Fordon then). He was married to Zwinisława († 1240), the daughter of Duke Mieszko of Poland was likely or the local gentry came from. His reign coincided with the hegemony of Denmark across the southern Baltic Sea region. King Waldemar II subjugated Mecklenburg, Pomerania, and briefly the Duchy of Samborid, Pomerania. The Free Cities of Lubeck and Hamburg had also recognized his sovereignty protection.

Mestwin had in 1210 the Danish king pay fealty, when he had taken on a military expedition into the Pruzzenland Danzig. Probably on June 24, 1209 donated Mestwin I., "by the grace of God Prince in Gdansk", " to a monastery for nuns, which serve God and the Virgin Mary ," several villages between the Radaune and its tributary Stolpe. Since he had the consent of his four sons and his wife, added the princess as their share being added all the Oxhöfter Champ ( Kępa Oksywska ), the village Bolschau in the castle district and the village Belgard Grabowo at Schwetz. In the documents is set to "voluntarily and devout mind, together with all her jewels ."

Built soon after 1209 convent of the monastery Zuckau one suspects at the mouth of the mistake in the Radaune. The monastery in Zuckau was a Premonstratensian nunnery. Its creation was not done with the help of neighboring Pomeranian offices. This was, perhaps by the Danish - prevents Pomeranian fighting in that time. Mother monastery for Zuckau was rather the Saint Vincent pin at Breslau, which was occupied since 1180 by Premonstratensians. Already in 1201, Pope Innocent III. St. Vincent pin including a Jacobi Church in Zuckau. The tradition does not show how the connection between the royal family and the Wroclaw Gdansk Saint Vincent pin came about. The foundation of a convent apparently corresponded to a need. There should be a supply and training center for the daughters of the royal house and the Pomeranian nobility to be created. This happened in other countries as well.

Zuckau became the home monastery of female members of the royal house Pomeranian. Witosława, daughter of the founders' and sister of Swantopolk II and Sambor II is known as " magistra " ( Champion) of this monastery established in 1275 and 1289. In addition to a novice the convent school entertained later a boys 'and a girls' school.

From Mestwin I. it is also known that he appeared at a meeting of Polish Large and high clergy in Mąkolin in 1212 as Duke ( dux ), since he had already solved in 1211 by the Danish supremacy. To 1213, on the occasion of a confirmation for the monastery Zuckau, but he referred to himself again as " princeps " (in the sense of a governor ). Mestwin died on May 1, 1219, or 1220.

Mestwin I divided before his death, his territory by Slavic custom among his four sons on. Swantopolk, the eldest, the area received around Danzig, Wartislaw the southern part of the country with Schwetz and Mewe, Sambor was the residence Lubiszewo of Dirschau and Ratibor the western part with the head office in Belgard. Wartislaw died in Schwetz to 1229, the brothers split up his territory. Swantopolk gained supremacy over the whole of Pomerania by the possession of Gdansk and the castles Sartowitz, Zantir and Schwetz the Vistula River.

Marriage and issue

Mestwin had from his marriage to Zwinisława four sons and five daughters:

  • Swantopolk II (ca. 1195-1266 ), governor, from 1227 Duke of Pomerania in Gdansk
  • Wartislaw I (c. 1195-1227/1233 ), Duke of Pomerania in Schwetz and Mewe
  • Sambor II (approx. 1211/12-1276/1278 ), governor, from 1227 Duke of Pomerania in love show and Dirschau
  • Ratibor (ca. 1212-1272 ), Duke of Pomerania in Belgard
  • Mirosława (ca. 1190-1233/1240 ), as the wife of Prince Bogusław III. by marriage Duchess of Pomerania
  • Jadwiga (ca. 1200-1249 ), as the wife of Duke Władysław Odonic by marriage Duchess of Greater Poland
  • Witosława (ca. 1205-1290 ), prioress of the convent of Zuckau
  • NN ( -? ), A nun in the convent of Zuckau
  • NN ( -? ), A nun in the convent of Zuckau
Stadtholder Samborides Sambor I, Duke of Pomerania Fordon, Bydgoszcz Mieszko III the Old Duchy of Pomerania Gdańsk Wrocław Novitiate Gniew Tczew Sambor II, Duke of Pomerania Theodor Hirsch Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie Integrated Authority File
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