Przemysław of Racibórz

Primislaus of Ratibor (also Przemislaw of Ratibor, Premko of Ratibor, Przemko of Ratibor, Polish Przemysław raciborski; Czech Přemysl I. Ratibořský; * 1258, † May 7, 1306 ) was from 1281 to 1290, together with his eldest brother Mieszko and from 1290 to his death sole Duke of Ratibor. He came from a family Opole branch of the Silesian Piast dynasty.

Origin and family

His parents were Władysław I and Euphemia ( † after 1281 ), daughter of the great Polish duke Władysław Odon. In order to Primislaus 1289 married to Anna, daughter of Duke Conrad II of Mazovia. The couple had children

• Lestko ( 1290/92-1336 ), Duke of Ratibor, 1332 married to Agnes († 1362 ), daughter of Duke Henry II of Sagan and Matilda of Brandenburg- Salzwedel
• Anna († 1338/40 ), married to the Duke Troppauer Nicholas II
• Euphemia († 1359 ), first abbess of the Ratiborer Dominican convent
• Konstanze († 1351 )

Life

After the death of Primislaus father Władysław I of Opole in 1281 the duchy was divided for his sons into four duchies. Since Primislaus was not yet of age, he was initially under the tutelage of the eldest brother Mieszko I, whose co-regent he was to 1290. Both were first transferred the Duchy Ratibor with the areas of Teschen and Auschwitz. From the two latter areas, the Duchy of Teschen was founded in 1290 Mieszko so that Primislaus was the sole ruler of the Duchy of Ratibor from that date. Already in 1281 were the second-born brother Kasimir the Duchy of Bytom and the third-born brother Bolko the thumbnail to the above areas Duchy of Opole. As a sign of their togetherness used all four Dukes, the Duke of Opole titulary.

Already in 1285 offered Primislaus to his castle Ratiborer the Breslau Bishop Thomas II protection against the Wroclaw Duke Henry IV, who waged a long-running dispute about the immunity and rights to the tithe payments of German villages. In gratitude for Bishop Thomas founded later in the castle chapel Ratiborer a collegiate. 1288 attracted Primislaus and his brother Mieszko the Monastery Czarnowąsy remaining privileges itself. Presumably therefore the granting of town rights in Rybnik was prepared.

Like his brothers Primislaus turned politically to Bohemia. Already in 1292 he joined with the Czech King Wenceslas II an agreement which amounted to a feudal relationship. After 1299 he founded in Ratibor the Dominican convent, whose first abbess his daughter Euphemia. She and the Duke were from the Dominican prior Peregrinus ( Pilgrim ) Ratibor advise, who was also his confessor.

Premislaus died on 7 May 1306. His body was buried in the St. Jakobi Church Ratiborer. His widow Anna was assigned Loslau as a widow seat. Successor as Duke of Ratibor was his only son Lestko, which became extinct in 1336 the branch of the Silesian Piast Ratiborer.