Lower Silesia History Early History Feudal Fragmentation Of

Early documents mention a couple of tribes most probably living in Lower Silesia: Bavarian Geographer (ca. 845): Slenzanie, Dziadoshanie; and a document of Prague bishopric (1086): Zlasane, Trebovane, Poborane, Dedositze. At the same time the Upper Silesia was inhabited by Opolanie, Lupiglaa, Golenshitse. In the 9th and 10th centuries the territory was subject to the Moravian and then Bohemian rulers of the neighbouring area covered by today's Czech Republic to the south. In 990 Silesia was incorporated into PolandThe Republic of Poland a country in Central Europe, lies between Germany to the west, the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south, Ukraine and Belarus to the east, and the Baltic Sea, Lithuania and Russia (in the form of the Kaliningrad Oblast exclave) t by Mieszko IMieszko I Reign From c. 960until May 5, 992 Royal House Piast Coat of Arms Orzel Piastowski Predecessor none Successor Boleslaw I Chrobry Parents Siemomysl''unknown Consorts Dubrawka Oda Children with Dubrawka Boleslaw I Chrobry Swietoslawawith OdaMieszko

1.2 Feudal fragmentation of Poland

Silesia was split into Lower and Upper parts in 1172 during the period of Poland's feudal fragmentation, when the land was divided between two sons of Ladislaus the ExileJan Matejko's painting Ladislaus/Vladislaus I the Short Wladyslaw I Lokietek , duke till 1300, 1305-1320 prince of Cracow (Krakow), from 1320 till 1333 king of Poland. Royal titles Title before coronation (1320): Wladislaus Dei gracia, dux Regni Polonie e (Wladyslaw Wygnaniec): Boleslaw the Tall ruling over the Lower Silesia with the capital in Wroclaw and Mieszko Platonogi ruling over Upper Silesia with the capital in Opole.

1.3 Under Bohemian crown and Austria (1348-1742)

In 1348 most of the Silesian duchies were ruled by the Polish-speaking Piast dukes under the feudal overlordship of Bohemian kings, and thus became part of the Holy Roman Empire (of the German Nation). In 1526 it became a part of Austria under the Habsburgs.

1.4 In Prussia (1742-1945)

Most of Silesia became Prussian in 1742 after the First Silesian War and turned into the Silesian province, divided into the districts of Lower Silesia ( Liegnitz), Middle Silesia ( Breslau), and Upper Silesia ( Oppeln). After World War I, Upper Silesia was divided between Germany, Poland and Czechoslovakia. The German portion was reorganized into two provinces: Lower Silesia and Upper Silesia .

1.5 In Poland (after 1945)

After World War II most of Lower Silesia was assigned to Poland by the Allies and reorganized into Wroclaw Voivodship (1945-1975). The German population was forcefully expelled. As a result of Local Government Reorganisation Act (1975) Poland's administration was reorganized into 49 voivodships, 4 of them in Lower Silesia: Jelenia Góra Voivodship, Legnica Voivodship, Walbrzych Voivodship and Wroclaw Voivodship (1975-1998). As a result of Local Government Reorganisation Act of 1998, these 4 provinces were joined into the Lower Silesian Voivodship (effective 1 January 1999), whose capital is Wroclaw.

2 See also

Regions of Poland Silesia

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Home > Lower Silesia

1 History

1.1 Early history