Bolesław II the Bold facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bolesław II the Bold |
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| Duke of Poland | |
| Reign | 1058–1076 |
| Predecessor | Casimir I the Restorer |
| Successor | Władysław I Herman |
| King of Poland | |
| Reign | 1076–1079 |
| Coronation | 26 December 1076 Gniezno Cathedral, Poland |
| Predecessor | Mieszko II Lambert |
| Successor | Przemysł II |
| Born | c. 1042 Kingdom of Poland |
| Died | 2 or 3 April 1081/1082 Kingdom of Hungary |
| Burial | Ossiach Abbey (disputed) |
| Spouse | Wyszesława of Kiev |
| Issue | Mieszko |
| Dynasty | Piast |
| Father | Casimir I the Restorer |
| Mother | Maria Dobroniega of Kiev |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Bolesław II the Bold, also known as the Generous (Polish: Bolesław II Szczodry ; Śmiały; born around 1042 – died 2 or 3 April 1081 or 1082), was an important ruler of Poland. He served as the Duke of Poland from 1058 to 1076. Later, he became the third King of Poland, ruling from 1076 to 1079. He was the oldest son of Duke Casimir I the Restorer and Maria Dobroniega of Kiev.
Many historians believe Bolesław II was one of the most skilled rulers from the Piast family. During his time, he helped strengthen the church in Poland. He brought back the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gniezno in 1075 and started the Roman Catholic Diocese of Płock. He also founded Benedictine monasteries in places like Mogilno, Lubin, and Wrocław.
Bolesław II was also the first Polish king to make a lot of his own coins. Before him, most coins used in Poland came from other countries. He opened royal mints in Kraków and Wrocław and improved the money system. This brought a lot of wealth to the kingdom. All these changes greatly helped Poland's economy and culture grow.
A writer named Gallus Anonymus said that people called Bolesław largus, which means "the Generous." He earned this name because he built many churches and monasteries across Poland. The nickname "the Bold" (Śmiały) was given to him much later in history.
Contents
Becoming Duke of Poland
When his father, Casimir, passed away in 1058, Bolesław II became the Duke. As the oldest son, he took control of the main regions of Poland, including Greater Poland, Lesser Poland, Mazovia, Pomerelia, and Silesia. His younger brothers, Władysław I Herman and Mieszko Kazimierzowic, governed other areas. However, Mieszko died young in 1065, and his lands then came under Bolesław II's rule.
Bolesław's father had left Poland in a stable condition. Bolesław II continued his father's plan to make alliances with neighboring kingdoms. His goal was to surround Poland with friendly countries. This way, Poland could stand strong against the powerful Holy Roman Empire to the west. This is why he often got involved in conflicts in other countries.
Poland's Foreign Policy
From 1060 to 1063, Bolesław II helped his uncle, King Béla I of Hungary, in a fight over who would rule Hungary. Béla I was against his nephew, Solomon, King of Hungary, who was supported by the German King Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor. With Polish troops, Béla I gained power in 1061.
Bolesław II worked with groups in Hungary that were against the Holy Roman Empire. This helped Poland stay independent from the Empire. However, it also led to problems with the Duchy of Bohemia, which was an ally of the Empire. Bolesław II made things worse with Duke Vratislaus II of Bohemia by refusing to pay yearly tributes for Silesia. He also encouraged Bohemian nobles to rebel. In 1063, Bolesław II tried to capture the town of Hradec nad Moravicí but failed. Later, relations with Vratislaus II improved a bit when Vratislaus married Bolesław II's sister, Princess Świętosława of Poland.
In 1063, King Béla I of Hungary died. Bolesław II could not help Béla's son, Géza I of Hungary, against German troops. As a result, Henry IV put Solomon back on the Hungarian throne. In 1069, Grand Prince Iziaslav I of Kiev and his wife Gertrude of Poland, Bolesław's aunt, were overthrown. A Polish army campaign helped them get their power back in Kiev.
In 1071, Bolesław II attacked Bohemia again. He refused to let King Henry IV help settle the dispute. An agreement was made between Poland and Bohemia, but Bolesław II ignored it. He attacked again in 1072 and still refused to pay tributes for Silesia. Henry IV planned to attack Poland, but he faced a rebellion in Saxony in 1073.
Because Bolesław II was so busy with Hungary, Bohemia, and Kiev, he didn't pay enough attention to Poland's coast. This led to Gdańsk Pomerania (Pomerelia) breaking away from the Polish Kingdom around 1060 or 1066.
Becoming King of Poland
In 1073, Hildebrand of Sovana, an enemy of the German king, became Pope Gregory VII. Bolesław II saw the Pope as a natural ally. He began to introduce the Pope's reforms in the Archbishopric of Gniezno and started talks to get a royal crown for himself. He also encouraged the rebellion in Saxony, which forced Henry IV to retreat. Bolesław II used this chance to attack Henry IV's ally, Vratislaus II of Bohemia. He also allied with Grand Prince Vladimir II Monomakh of Kiev.
Because Bolesław II supported the Pope during the Investiture Controversy, he was granted the royal crown of Poland. On Christmas Day of 1076, Archbishop Bogumił crowned him king in the Gniezno Cathedral. A representative from the Pope was also there. When King Henry IV showed regret at the Walk to Canossa in 1077, he also recognized Bolesław II's title as king. However, Bolesław's new power and his pride made the Polish nobles uneasy. They worried that the king was becoming too powerful.
End of His Reign
In 1077, Bolesław II's troops helped two people become rulers: Ladislaus I of Hungary, another son of Béla I, and again Iziaslav I of Kiev in Kiev. In 1078, while returning from the Kiev campaign, Polish troops took over Red Ruthenia. However, in 1079, the conflict with the Polish nobles grew into a full rebellion. Bolesław was removed from power and forced to leave the country.
Historical records suggest that Bishop Stanislaus was involved with the nobles who opposed the king. They may have planned to remove Bolesław and put his brother, Władysław I Herman, on the throne. Bolesław II declared Stanislaus guilty of treason. The king then took action against Bishop Stanislaus of Kraków.
Bolesław found safety at the court of Ladislaus I of Hungary, who owed his crown to the deposed Polish king. However, according to the writer Gallus Anonymus, Bolesław II's terrible behavior towards his Hungarian hosts led to his early death. He was likely killed by an assassin, possibly by poisoning, in 1081 or 1082. He was about 40 years old.
Ossiach Legend
A popular story says that Bolesław went to Rome to ask Pope Gregory for forgiveness. The Pope told him to wander secretly as a silent, regretful person. One summer evening in 1082, he arrived at the Ossiach Abbey, a Benedictine monastery in Carinthia. He was welcomed there and did all sorts of hard work. Eventually, he was forgiven and died.
Near the walls of Ossiach, there is a tomb with a picture of a horse. It has an inscription that says, "Bolesław, King of Poland, murderer of Saint Stanislaus, Bishop of Kraków." In 1960, under the direction of Countess Karolina Lanckorońska, the tomb was opened. Inside, they found male bones and parts of a Polish knight's armor from the 11th century.
However, this legend appeared centuries after the king's death. It was first mentioned by a writer named Maciej Miechowita in 1499. The true burial place of Bolesław II is still unknown. Another idea is that his remains were moved in 1086 to the Benedictine abbey of Tyniec near Kraków.
Images for kids
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Putative tomb of Bolesław at Ossiach
See also
In Spanish: Boleslao II el Temerario para niños
