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The Duchy of Oświęcim (Duchy of Auschwitz) was a Polish duchy with its capital in Oświęcim, established around 1315. It was one of many Duchies of Silesia.
History
It was created in 1315 in the aftermath of the ongoing 12th century fragmentation of Poland. Its lands were a part of the larger Duchy of Teschen (Cieszyn) until the Duchy of Oświęcim was split off from it as a separate entity in 1315 and Władysław I Oświęcimski becomes its first Duke.
In 1445 the duchies Zator and Toszek were created from some the lands of Duchy of the Oświęcim. At first the Duchy of Oświęcim fell under the Bohemian sphere of influence, but was reunited with Poland in 1454, when the last prince of Oświęcim, Jan IV Oświęcimski, declared himself to be a vassal of Polish king Kazimierz IV Jagiellończyk; 3 years later he sold his Duchy to Kazimierz.
At the Sejm of 1564, King Sigismund August issued privileges of incorporation recognizing both Duchies of Oświęcim and Zator as part of the Crown of Polish Kingdom, voivodeship of Kraków, although both retained their ducal titles.
Oświęcim and the lands of the former Duchy would become part of the Austrian Empire after the first partition of Poland, and were reattached to Poland in 1918.
Dukes of Oświęcim
Dukes of Oświęcim belonged to the Silesian branch of the Piast dynasty (see also Dukes of Silesia).
| 1314/5-1321/4 | Władysław I (son of Mieszko cieszyński, from 1290 co-regent, due to division of Oświęcim) |
| 1321/4-1372 | Jan I Scholastyk (son of Władysław I) |
| 1321/4-1325 | Eufrozyna Mazowiecka (wife of Władysław I, mother of Jan I, regent, d. 1329) |
| 1372-1375/6 | Jan II (son Jan I) |
| 1375/6-1405 | Jan III (son of Jan II, died childless) |
| 1405-1406 | Przemysław Oświęcimski (also known as Przemysław the Younger (Młodszy), son of Przemysł I Noszak (whose uncle was Mieszko cieszyński), from 1404 prince of half of Ścinawa and Głogów, from 1405 also in Toszku) |
| 1410-1433/4 | Kazimierz I Oświęcimski (son of Przemysł Młodszy, due to division in 1414 of Oświęcim, Toszek and Strzelin (in Strzelin until 1427)) |
| 1433/4-1484 | Przemysław Toszecki (son of Kazimierz I, also prince of Toszek due to its division in 1445) |
| 1433/4-1456 | Jan IV (Janusz) (brother of Przemysław Toszecki and son of Kazimierz I, also prince of Toszek, from 1445 due to a division of Oświęcim, 1465-1482 Gliwice, abdicated (Oświęcim transferred to Crown of Poland), d. 1496) |
Rulers claiming the title of Duke during Austrian partition of Poland
In the aftermath of the First Partition of Poland, until 1918, the Holy Roman Emperors, later Emperors of Austria were titled Duke of Auschwitz in English (in German: Herzog zu Auschwitz), which constituted part of their official grand title.
| Picture | Emperor | Acceded | Deceded |
|
Joseph II | 1772 | 20 February 1790 |
|
Leopold II | 20 February 1790 | 1 March 1792 |
|
Francis I | 1 March 1792 | 2 March 1835 |
|
Ferdinand I | 2 March 1835 | 2 December 1848 |
| File:Fjoseph1.jpg | Francis Joseph I | 2 December 1848 | 21 November 1916 |
|
Charles I | 21 November 1916 | 11 November 1918 |
References
- The History of the City of Oswiecim www.auschwitz.org.pl (based on "Auschwitz 1940-1945. Central Issues in the History of the Camp", published by the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, Poland)
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