Casimir III the Great of Poland (1310-1370)

Casimir III the Great
Casimir III the Great
	King of Poland
Reign	1333–1370
Coronation	25 April 1333
Predecessor	Vladislaus I the Elbow-high
Successor	Louis the Great
House	Piast

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English:	Casimir III the Great

Casimir III the Great Piast of Poland, King of Poland, was born 30 April 1310 in Kowal, Poland to Władysław I the Elbow-high of Poland (1261-1333) and Hedwig of Poznań (1266-1339) and died 5 November 1370 Kraków, Poland of unspecified causes. He married Aldona of Lithuania (c1309-1339) 1325 ^JL . He married Adelheid von Hessen (c1323-aft1371) 29 September 1341 ^JL . He married Christina Rokiczanka (c1330-c1375) . He married Hedwig of Żagań (c1350-1390) 1365 ^JL .

Casimir III the Great (Polish: Kazimierz Wielki) (30 April 1310 – 5 November 1370) who reigned in 1333–1370, was the last King of Poland from the Piast dynasty, the son of King Władysław I the Elbow-high and Duchess Hedwig of Poznań.^[1]

Born in Kowal, Casimir the Great first married Anna, or Aldona Ona, the daughter of the Prince Gediminas of Lithuania. The daughters from this marriage were Cunigunde (d. 1357), who was married to Louis VI the Roman, the son of Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor, and Elisabeth, who was married to Duke Bogislaus V of Pomerania. Aldona died in 1339 and Casimir then married Adelaide of Hesse. He divorced Adelheid in 1356, married Christina, divorced her, and while Adelaide and possibly also Christina were still alive (ca. 1365) married Hedwig (Jadwiga) of Głogów and Żagań.

His three daughters by his fourth wife were very young and regarded as of dubious legitimacy because of their father's bigamy. Because all of the five children he fathered with his first and fourth wife were daughters, he would have no lawful male heir to his throne.

When Casimir, the last Piast king of Poland, died in 1370 from an injury received while hunting, his nephew King Louis I of Hungary succeeded him to become king of Poland in personal union with Hungary.

The Great king

Casimir is the only Polish king who both received and kept the title of the Great in Polish history (Bolesław I Chrobry is also called the Great, but his title Chrobry (Valiant) is now more common). When he received the crown, his hold on it was in danger, as even his neighbours did not recognise his title and instead called him "king of Kraków". The economy was ruined, and the country was depopulated and exhausted by war. Upon his death, he left a country doubled in size (mostly through the addition of land in today's Ukraine, then the Duchy of Halicz), prosperous, wealthy and with great prospects for the future. Although he is depicted as a peaceful king in children's books, he in fact waged many victorious wars and was readying for others just before he died.

Casimir the Great built many new castles (including Wawel Castle), reformed the Polish army and Polish civil and criminal law. At the Sejm in Wiślica, 11 March 1347, he introduced salutary legal reforms in the jurisprudence of his country. He sanctioned a code of laws for Great and Lesser Poland, which gained for him the title of "the Polish Justinian" and founded the University of Kraków which is the oldest Polish university, although his death temporarily stalled the university's development (which is why it is today called the "Jagiellonian" rather than "Casimirian" University).

He organized a meeting of kings at Kraków (1364) in which he exhibited the wealth of the Polish kingdom.

Concession to the nobility

In order to enlist the support of the nobility, especially the military help of pospolite ruszenie, Casimir was forced to grant important privileges to their caste, which made them finally clearly dominant over townsfolk (burghers or mieszczaństwo).

In 1335, in the Treaty of Trentschin, Casimir relinquished "in perpetuity" his claims to Silesia. In 1355 in Buda, Casimir designated Louis I of Hungary as his successor. In exchange, the szlachta's tax burden was reduced and they would no longer be required to pay for military expeditions expenses outside Poland. Those important concessions would eventually lead to the ultimately crippling rise of the unique nobles' democracy in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.

His second daughter, Elisabeth, Duchess of Pomerania, bore a son in 1351, Casimir IV of Pomerania. He was slated to become the heir, but did not succeed to the throne, dying childless in 1377, 7 years after King Casimir. He was the only male descendant of King Casimir who lived during his lifetime.

Also, his son-in-law Louis VI the Roman of Bavaria, Margrave and Prince-elector of Brandenburg, was thought as a possible successor as king of Poland. However, he was not deemed eligible as his wife, Casimir's daughter Cunigunde, had died already in 1357, without children.

The Poles repulsed many raids of the Tatar-Mongols. However, Casimir III the Great submitted to the Golden Horde and undertook to pay tribute in order to avoid more conflicts.^[2] The 7 Mongol princes were sent by Jani Beg khan to assist Poland.^[3]

Casimir had no legitimate sons. Apparently, he deemed his own descendants either unsuitable or too young to inherit. Thus, and in order to provide a clear line of succession and avoid dynastic uncertainty, he arranged for his nephew, King Louis I of Hungary, to be his successor in Poland. Louis was proclaimed king on Casimir's death in 1370, and Casimir's sister Elisabeth (Louis's mother) held much of the real power until her death in 1380.

Relationship with Polish Jews

King Casimir was favorably disposed toward Jews. On 9 October 1334, he confirmed the privileges granted to Jewish Poles in 1264 by Bolesław V the Chaste. Under penalty of death, he prohibited the kidnapping of Jewish children for the purpose of enforced Christian baptism. He inflicted heavy punishment for the desecration of Jewish cemeteries.

Although Jews had lived in Poland since before the reign of King Casimir, he allowed them to settle in Poland in great numbers and protected them as people of the king.^[4]

Relationships and children

Casimir III married four times.

Aldona of Lithuania

On 30 April or 16 October 1325, Casimir married Aldona of Lithuania. She was a daughter of Gediminas of Lithuania and Jewna of Polotsk. They had two children:

Elisabeth of Poland (ca. 1326–1361). She married Bogusław V, Duke of Pomerania.
Cunigunde of Poland (1334–1357). Married Louis VI the Roman.

Aldona died on 26 May 1339. Casimir remained a widower for two years.

Adelheid of Hesse

On 29 September 1341, Casimir married his second wife, Adelaide of Hesse. She was a daughter of Henry II, Landgrave of Hesse, and Elisabeth of Thuringia. They had no children.

Casimir started living separately from Adelaide soon after their marriage. Their loveless marriage lasted until 1356.

Christina

Casimir effectively divorced Adelaide and married his mistress Christina Rokiczana. Christina was the widow of Miklusz Rokiczani, a wealthy merchant. Her own origins are unknown. Following the death of her first husband she had entered the court of Bohemia in Prague as a lady-in-waiting. Casimir brought her with him from Prague and convinced the abbot of the Benedictine abbey of Tyniec to marry them. The marriage was held in a secret ceremony but soon became known. Queen Adelaide denounced it as bigamous and returned to Hesse without permission.

King Casimir continued living with Christine despite complaints by Pope Innocent VI on behalf of Queen Adelaide. The marriage lasted until 1363/1364 when Casimir again declared himself divorced. They had no children.

Hedwig of Żagań

In about 1365, Casimir married his fourth wife Hedwig of Żagań. She was a daughter of Henry V of Iron, Duke of Żagań and Anna of Mazovia. They had three children:

Anna of Poland, Countess of Celje (1366 – 9 June 1422). Married firstly William of Celje. Their only daughter was Anne of Cilli. Married secondly Ulrich, Duke of Teck. They had no children.
Kunigunde of Poland (1367–1370).
Hedwig of Poland (1368 – ca. 1407). Reportedly married ca. 1382 but the details are obscure.

With Adelaide still alive and Christine possibly surviving, the marriage to Hedwig was also considered bigamous. The legitimacy of the three last daughters was disputed. Casimir managed to have Anne and Cunigunde legitimated by Pope Urban V on 5 December 1369. Hedwig the younger was legitimated by Pope Gregory XI on 11 October 1371.

Cudka

Casimir also had three illegitimate sons by his mistress Cudka, wife of a castellan.

Niemierz (last mentioned alive in 1386). Oldest son. Survived his father, inherited lands around Stopnica.
Pelka (1342–1365). Married and had two sons. Predeceased his father.
Jan (d. 28 October 1383). Youngest son. Survived his father, inherited lands around Stopnica.

Ancestors

32.Bolesław III Wrymouth of Poland

16.Casimir II the Just

33.Salomea of Berg

8.Konrad I of Masovia

34.Conrad II of Znojmo

17.Helena of Znojmo

35.Maria of Rascia

4.Casimir I of Kuyavia

36.Igor Svyatoslavich the Brave

18.Svyatoslav III Igorevich

37.Evfrosinia? Yaroslavna of Halych

9.Agafia of Rus

38.Rurik Rostislavich of Kiev

19.Yaroslava Rurikovna

39.Anna of Turaŭ

2.Władysław I the Elbow-high

40.Władysław II the Exile

20.Mieszko IV Tanglefoot

41.Agnes of Babenberg

10.Casimir I of Opole

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21.Ludmilla

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5.Euphrosyne of Opole

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11.Wiola-Wencisława

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1.Casimir III the Great

48.Mieszko III the Old

24.Odon of Poznań

49.Elisabeth of Hungary

12.Władysław Odonic

50.Yaroslav Osmomysl of Halych

25.Viacheslava of Halych

51.Olga Yurievna of Suzdal

6.Boleslaus the Pious of Greater Poland

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13.Jadwiga of Pomerania

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3.Hedwig of Kalisz

56.Béla III of Hungary

28.Andrew II of Hungary

57.Agnes of Antioch

14.Béla IV of Hungary

58.Berthold IV, Duke of Merania

29.Gertrude of Merania

59.Agnes of Wettin and Rochlitz

7.Blessed Jolenta

60.Manuel Laskaris

30.Theodore I Laskaris of Nicaea

61.Ioanna Karatzaina

15.Maria Laskarina

62.Alexios III Angelos

31.Anna Komnene Angelina

63.Euphrosyne Doukaina Kamatera

Title and style

Casimir's full title was: Casimir by the grace of God king of Poland, lord and heir of the land of Kraków, Sandomierz, Sieradz, Łęczyca, Kuyavia, Pomerania (Pomerelia) and Ruthenia.

The title in Latin was: Kazimirus, Dei gracia rex Poloniæ ac terrarum Cracoviæ, Sandomiriæ, Syradiæ, Lanciciæ, Cuyaviæ, Pomeraniæ, Russiequæ dominus et heres.

Gallery

References

^ Halina Lerski (1996). "Casimir III the Great". Historical Dictionary of Poland, 966–1945. ABC-CLIO Press. pp. 249–250. ISBN 0313034567. http://books.google.ca/books?id=luRry4Y5NIYC&lpg=PA249&ots=jQWOYd3L6Z&dq=Casimir%20III%20the%20Great&pg=PA249#v=onepage&q=Casimir%20III%20the%20Great&f=false. Retrieved September 8, 2012.
^ CICO-X, pp.189
^ Peter Jackson-the Mongols and the West, p.211
^ "In Poland, a Jewish Revival Thrives—Minus Jews". New York Times. 12 July 2007. "Probably about 70 percent of the world's European Jews, or Ashkenazi, can trace their ancestry to Poland—thanks to a 14th-century king, Casimir III, the Great, who drew Jewish settlers from across Europe with his vow to protect them as "people of the king.""
^ Zamek Ogrodzieniecki w Podzamczu (Polish)

External links

His listing in "Medieval lands" by Charles Cawley. The project "involves extracting and analysing detailed information from primary sources, including contemporary chronicles, cartularies, necrologies and testaments."

Regnal titles
Casimir III the Great of Poland (1310-1370) House of Piast Born: 1310 Died: 1370
Preceded by Władysław I the Elbow-high	King of Poland 1333–1370	Succeeded by Louis I of Hungary
Preceded by Boleslaw-Yuri II	King of Halych-Volhynia 1340–1370	Succeeded by Louis I of Hungary

Children

Offspring of Casimir III the Great and Aldona of Lithuania (c1309-1339)
Name	Birth	Death	Joined with
Elisabeth of Poland (c1326-1361)	1326	1361	Bogislaw V. von Pommern-Wolgast (c1326-1374)
Cunigunde of Poland (1334-1357)	16 May 1335	26 April 1357 Berlin, Germany	Ludwig VI. von Bayern (1328-1365)

Offspring of Casimir III the Great and Hedwig of Żagań (c1350-1390)
Name	Birth	Death	Joined with
Anna of Poland (1366-1422)	1366	1422	William, Count of Cilli (c1361-1392) Ulrich II, Duke of Teck (c1365-1432)
Kunigunde of Poland (1367-1370)
Jadwiga of Poland (1368-c1407)

Offspring of Casimir III the Great and Cudka
Name	Birth	Death	Joined with
Niemierz of Stopnica (?-aft1386)
Pelka of Stopnica (1342-1365)
Jan of Stopnica (?-1383)

Residences

Footnotes (including sources)

[Lerski-1] Halina Lerski (1996). "Casimir III the Great". Historical Dictionary of Poland, 966–1945. ABC-CLIO Press. pp. 249–250. ISBN 0313034567. http://books.google.ca/books?id=luRry4Y5NIYC&lpg=PA249&ots=jQWOYd3L6Z&dq=Casimir%20III%20the%20Great&pg=PA249#v=onepage&q=Casimir%20III%20the%20Great&f=false. Retrieved September 8, 2012.

[2] CICO-X, pp.189

[3] Peter Jackson-the Mongols and the West, p.211

[4] "In Poland, a Jewish Revival Thrives—Minus Jews". New York Times. 12 July 2007. "Probably about 70 percent of the world's European Jews, or Ashkenazi, can trace their ancestry to Poland—thanks to a 14th-century king, Casimir III, the Great, who drew Jewish settlers from across Europe with his vow to protect them as "people of the king.""

[5] Zamek Ogrodzieniecki w Podzamczu (Polish)

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