Bolesław IV the Curly facts for kids

Bolesław IV the Curly (Polish: Bolesław Kędzierzawy; born around 1122 – died January 5, 1173) was an important ruler from the Piast dynasty. He was the Duke of Masovia starting in 1138. Later, he became the High Duke of Poland in 1146 and ruled until his death in 1173.

Early Life of Bolesław IV

Bolesław was the third son of Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth of Poland. His mother was Salomea of Berg. His older brothers, Leszek and Casimir, died young. This made Bolesław the oldest son of his parents.

When his father died in 1138, Bolesław was about 13 years old. He was old enough to rule the lands he inherited. These lands were the newly created Duchy of Masovia. It included Masovia and eastern Kuyavia.

In his early years as ruler, Bolesław was guided by his mother. He also listened to Voivode Wszebor. They were worried about his older half-brother, High Duke Władysław II. Władysław wanted to unite all of Poland. He tried to remove the younger dukes from their lands.

Family Conflicts and Power Struggles

Trouble started in 1141. Bolesław's mother, Salomea, held a secret meeting. She met with her sons in Łęczyca. They decided to arrange a marriage for Bolesław's youngest sister, Agnes. She was to marry Mstislav II of Kiev. This was to gain allies against Władysław II.

The junior dukes lost this first fight. Vsevolod II of Kiev chose to ally with Władysław II instead. This alliance was made stronger by a marriage. Vsevolod's daughter married Władysław's oldest son, Bolesław the Tall. Bolesław IV and his brothers were even sent to Kievan Rus' as ambassadors.

The peace lasted only two years. In 1144, Salomea died. According to Bolesław III's will, her lands should return to the Seniorate Province. This province was ruled by High Duke Władysław II. Władysław wanted to keep these lands for himself. But Bolesław and his brothers wanted them for Henry and Casimir II. This disagreement led to a civil war.

The war began in 1145. At first, Bolesław IV and his brothers fought well. They stopped Władysław's forces at the Pilicą River. Their former voivode, Wszebor, helped them with his military skills. But then, Kievan troops joined Władysław. Bolesław had to give up his claims to his mother's lands.

Władysław then decided to remove his stepbrothers from their lands completely. But the junior dukes found a new ally. This was Władysław's powerful voivode, Piotr Włostowic. Włostowic thought Władysław's plans were too extreme. Władysław punished Włostowic by having him blinded and muted. Włostowic then went to Kiev. He convinced the Kievans to break their alliance with Władysław.

Władysław II is Expelled

In early 1146, many people rebelled against Władysław. This was partly because of what happened to Piotr Włostowic. Władysław seemed close to winning. He conquered Masovia and besieged Poznań. But then, a rebellion started in Władysław's own lands. Also, the Archbishop of Gniezno excommunicated him. This meant he was removed from the Church.

Because of this, Władysław suffered a big defeat. He and his family had to flee Poland. They went to Bohemia and then to Germany. King Conrad III gave them a place to stay.

The junior dukes then divided Poland among themselves. Bolesław took the Duchy of Silesia and the Seniorate Province at Kraków. He also became the High Duke. His brother Mieszko III kept western Greater Poland. Henry finally received his promised land of Sandomierz. Casimir II, the youngest brother, still had no lands.

Dealing with Other Rulers

Władysław II's wife, Agnes of Babenberg, was King Conrad III's half-sister. She convinced her brother to send an army to Poland. But this army was quickly defeated in August 1146. They were stopped near the Oder river.

In the next few years, Bolesław IV and his brothers tried to stay on good terms with the German rulers. In 1148, they met with Margrave Albert the Bear in Kruszwica. Albert was a German leader who had reached the Polish border. Bolesław arranged for his sister Judith to marry Albert's son, Otto. Bolesław and Mieszko also helped the Germans fight against the Lutici tribes. This helped Germany control the middle Spree region. Another important ally was Margrave Konrad of Meissen.

Bolesław also had difficulties with the Roman Curia (the Pope's government). In 1147, a Papal representative recognized Bolesław as the new High Duke. But a year later, Władysław's wife Agnes caused more trouble. A new Papal representative arrived. He declared a ban over Poland because Bolesław refused to bring Władysław back. But the Polish church leaders supported the junior dukes. So, this ban had little effect.

Things got worse for Bolesław in 1157. King Conrad's nephew, Frederick Barbarossa, was now the Emperor. Agnes, Władysław's wife, kept pressuring him. So, Barbarossa decided to invade Poland. This time, his army was very strong. Bolesław chose not to defend the border areas. The Imperial army quickly advanced and besieged Poznan.

Bolesław had to agree to humiliating terms. On August 30, 1157, he became a vassal of the Empire. He knelt and begged the Emperor for forgiveness. In return, he was allowed to keep ruling Poland. But he had to pay a huge amount of money to the Emperor. For some reason, Władysław II was not put back on the throne. Bolesław swore loyalty to the Emperor in Magdeburg. He also gave his younger brother, Casimir II, as a hostage. Władysław died in exile two years later. He never returned to Poland.

In 1163, Władysław's sons, Bolesław I the Tall and Mieszko IV Tanglefoot, returned to Silesia. The Emperor insisted on this. But their return did not affect Bolesław's power as High Duke. The Silesian Piasts were able to keep their lands like Wrocław, Legnica, and Głogów.

Crusade Against the Prussians

After his defeat by the Germans, Bolesław planned to conquer the pagan Prussians. These tribes lived beyond Poland's northeastern border. They often raided Bolesław's Masovian province. So, the High Duke announced a crusade against them. He got support from both the Pope and the Emperor.

The first campaigns were successful. But efforts to fully conquer these lands failed in 1166. During one battle, Bolesław's younger brother, Henry of Sandomierz, was killed.

Rebellion of Casimir the Just

After Henry's death, Bolesław took Sandomierz for himself. This went against his father's will. Casimir II the Just, Bolesław's youngest brother, was supposed to inherit these lands. He was the only one of Bolesław III's sons who still had no land. This made Casimir very angry.

Casimir was supported by his older brother, Duke Mieszko III the Old. Many nobles and church leaders also joined him. In February 1168, the rebels met in Jędrzejów. They declared Mieszko III the new High Duke. Casimir was officially given Sandomierz. But Bolesław managed to keep his rule. He agreed to some of the rebels' demands. He divided Henry's duchy into three parts. Casimir received the lands of Wiślica. Bolesław kept Sandomierz proper. The rest went to Mieszko III.

After the failed Prussian Crusade, the Silesian dukes tried to remove Bolesław. They wanted to take the Seniorate Province and rule Poland. Bolesław's army was defeated the next year. So, he had to make peace with his Silesian nephews.

In 1172, Duke Mieszko III rebelled again. This time, he supported his grandnephew Jarosław of Opole. Jarosław was forced to become a priest when he was young. This meant he could not inherit Silesia. He wanted his own lands. The rebellion was so strong that Jarosław's father had to flee. Emperor Frederick Barbarossa again invaded Poland and defeated the rebels. Bolesław ordered Mieszko III to Magdeburg. Peace was made with the Empire after a payment of 8,000 silver coins. Silesia was given back to Bolesław I the Tall. Despite his victory, Bolesław accepted that his Silesian nephews would rule their lands mostly on their own.

Soon after, another rebellion happened. Nobles in Lesser Poland were unhappy with Bolesław's strict rule. They invited Casimir II to take the Kraków throne. But Bolesław fought strongly against his younger brother. Both sides made agreements, and the riots stopped until the end of Bolesław's reign. Casimir took over Sandomierz after Bolesław's death in 1173. He became High Duke four years later.

Support for the Church

Bolesław was known for giving many gifts to the Church. He helped churches and monasteries become richer. These included the Church of St. Mary and St. Catherine in Wrocław. He also supported the Benedictine monastery in Trzemeszno. Around 1151, he founded a church in Czerwińsk.

Family and Children

In 1137, Bolesław married Viacheslava. She was the daughter of Prince Vsevolod Mstislavich of Novgorod and Pskov. They had three children:

• Bolesław (born 1156 – died 1172)
• A daughter (born around 1160 – died after 1178). She married Vasilko Iaropolkovich.
• Leszek (born around 1162 – died 1186).

After his first wife died, Bolesław married Maria. Her background is not fully known. They had no children.

Bolesław's oldest son died in 1172 at age sixteen. It is said that Bolesław was very sad about this. His second and only surviving son, Leszek, took over the Masovian-Kujavian principality. Leszek was about eleven years old. Bolesław was succeeded as High Duke by his brother Mieszko III the Old.

See also

In Spanish: Boleslao IV el Rizado para niños

• History of Poland (966–1385)
• Macław