Boleslaus II of Masovia
Encyclopedia
Boleslaw II of Masovia or Boleslaw II of Płock (ca. 1251 – 20 April 1313) was a ruler of Masovia. He was the younger brother Konrad II of Masovia
Konrad II of Masovia
Konrad II of Masovia was the eldest son of Siemowit I of Masovia and his wife Perejesława, daughter of Daniel of Galicia....

 and son of Siemowit I of Masovia. His mother was Pereyaslava , daughter of Daniel of Galicia.

Boleslaus became Duke of Masovia in 1262. In 1275, he shared Masovia with his brother and he became Duke of Płock. From 1294, Boleslaus reigned over all of Masovia. In 1288 he became Duke of Sandomierz. In 1310 he offered some of Masovia to his son (the Duchy of Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...

 and the Duchy of Czersk
Czersk
Czersk is a town in northern Poland in Chojnice County, Pomeranian Voivodeship.On July 1, 2006 this municipality celebrated 80 years of granting this community the status of city....

).

Duke of Płock

In 1262 Boleslaus' father, Siemowit was killed by the Lithuanians who also captured his brother. The regency of the duchy of Masovia was then ensured by Boleslaw the Pious and Boleslaus' mother Pereyaslava.

In 1275 when he reached the age of majority, Masovia was shared between him and his brother. He received the Duchy of Płock. Boleslaw did not like how much of the Duchy he was receiving and a prolonged conflict between the two brothers broke out. In 1279, there was an alliance with the Lithuanians and Boleslaus married Sophia, the daughter of Grand Duke Treniota
Treniota
Treniota was the Grand Duke of Lithuania .Treniota was the nephew of Mindaugas, the first and only king of Lithuania. While Mindaugas had converted to Christianity in order to discourage Livonian Order and Teutonic Knights attacks on Lithuania, becoming king in the process, Treniota remained a...

 of Lithuania. Boleslaus was also an ally of his cousin Władysław I the Elbow-high, who was then Duke of Kuyavia
Kuyavia
Kujawy , is a historical and ethnographic region in the north-central Poland, situated in the basin of the middle Vistula and upper Noteć Rivers, with its capital in Włocławek.-Etymology:The origin of the name Kujawy was seen differently in history...

.

Fighting for Krakow and Sandomierz

On 30 September 1288, Leszek II the Black
Leszek II the Black
Leszek the Black , named after his black hair, was one of the High Dukes of the fragmented Kingdom of Poland. He ruled from 1279 to 1288, and was married to Agrippina of Slavonia with no children.- Life :...

 died without leaving an heir. Part of the nobility of Lesser Poland supported the accession of Boleslaus. He faced Henry IV the Probus, the Duke of Wrocław, who aimed to succeed in Krakow
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...

 as well as Boleslaus did. In 1288, Boleslaus seized Sandomierz
Sandomierz
Sandomierz is a city in south-eastern Poland with 25,714 inhabitants . Situated in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship , previously in Tarnobrzeg Voivodeship . It is the capital of Sandomierz County . Sandomierz is known for its Old Town, a major tourist attraction...

 and Krakow
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...

. On 236 February 1289 he defeated Henry IV the Probus.

Despite the victory, the inhabitants of Cracow offered power to Henry IV rather than Boleslaus. Powerful Lesser Poland rallied to Henry IV, ending the hopes of Boleslaw ascending the throne in Cracow. This left the Duchy of Sandomierz to his brother Conrad II of Masovia. This dissatisfied the nobles of Lesser Poland, accustomed to see the Duke of Krakow reign over Sandomierz. Finally, Boleslaw left Lesser Poland to Władysław I the Elbow-high and retired to his duchy. The only positive aspect of this struggle for the throne of Krakow was the reconciliation with his brother Conrad.

Alliance with Bohemia

Boleslaus' wife Sophia died so he remarried in early 1291 to Kunigunde
Kunigunde of Bohemia
- References :...

, the sister of Wenceslaus II of Bohemia. The same year, Wenceslaus seized Krakow. Boleslaus saw his position strengthen. The following year, his stepfather came to his aid in his war against Władysław I the Elbow-high.

Duke of Mazovia and war with Bohemia

The alliance between Masovia and Bohemia did not last very long. On October 11, 1294 Conrad II died, Boleslaus became ruler of all Masovia. Feeling stronger, he broke his alliance with Bohemia and turned to Władysław I.

In 1295 Przemysl II became King of Poland. The following year, after the assassination of Przemysl II, Boleslaus and Władysław went into a brief was against Henry III of Głogów for the succession in Poland.

In 1300, the deterioration of relations between Bohemia and Masovia pushed Wenceslas II to attack Masovia. Boleslaus resists and does not change his political line. He did not recognize Wenceslas as King of Poland so he returned Kunigunde to Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...

 in 1302, despite fathering three children by her.

Later life and family

In the early 1300s Boleslaus founded the stronghold of Warsaw. After 1305 the political activities of Boleslaus were reduced. In 1310 he transferred part of Mazovia to his eldest two sons. Siemowit receiveed the Warsaw area and Trojden received Czersk. In 1311, Borzysław becomes his Chancellor.

Boleslaus II of Mazovia died on April 20, 1313.

In 1279 he married firstly to Sophia, the daughter of Grand Duke Treniota of Lithuania, they had the following children:
  1. Siemowit II of Masovia
    Siemowit II of Masovia
    Siemowit II of Masovia was Duke of Masovia from 1310 to 1345. He was a member of the House of Piast. Siemowit was Duke of Warsaw and Liw . In 1313, he became the ruler of Duchy of Rawa...

    , Duke of Masovia (1310–1345)
  2. Trojden I of Masovia, Duke of Masovia, Czersk and Warsaw (1310–1341)
  3. Anna married Władysław of Legnica, divorced


In 1291 he married Kunigunde
Kunigunde of Bohemia
- References :...

, daughter of Ottokar II of Bohemia
Ottokar II of Bohemia
Ottokar II , called The Iron and Golden King, was the King of Bohemia from 1253 until 1278. He was the Duke of Austria , Styria , Carinthia and Carniola also....

, they had the following children:
  1. Wenceslaus of Płock
    Wenceslaus of Płock
    Wenceslaus of Płock was a member of the House of Piast. He was Duke of Płock from 1313 until his death and was a vassal of Bohemia from 1329.- Duke of Płock :...

     (ca. 1293 - 1336), became Duke of Plock
  2. Euphrosyne
    Euphrosyne of Masovia
    Euphrosyne of Masovia also known as Eufrozja was Duchess of Auschwitz by her marriage.Euphrosyne was the daughter of Boleslaus II of Masovia, Prince of Plock and his second wife Kunigunde, daughter of Ottokar II of Bohemia. Genealogist Oswald Balzer determined that it was most likely that...

     (b. ca. 1292 - d. 26 December 1328/29), married Władysław of Oświęcim
    Władysław of Oświęcim
    Władysław of Oświęcim , was a Duke of Oświęcim from 1315 until his death.He was the eldest son of Mieszko I, Duke of Cieszyn by his wife, probably called Grzymisława.-Life:...

    and had issue
  3. Bertha (before 1299 - after 1311), nun at Monastery of St. George
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