History of Silesia - Kingdom of Bohemia

Kingdom of Bohemia

The ties with Bohemia revived Silesia's economy, which until then mainly profited from the High Road, an important trade road between Eastern and Western Europe which crossed the country. According to the wishes of the House of Luxembourg Breslau, Silesia's main emporium, established new contacts with Budapest and Venice to the south, Thorn and Danzig to the north and became a member of the Hanseatic League. The economic prosperity supported the development of a rich municipal culture, which found its expression in important religious and secular buildings as well as the attendance of many Silesians at the surrounding universities of Kraków, Leipzig and Prague, the latter being the most popular until the decree of Kutná Hora (1409).

With the death of Charles IV in 1378 and the following disputes in the house of Luxemburg the protection of Silesia by Bohemia ended; strife spread out and robber barons devastated the country. The regional public peaces, declared by local Silesian princes, did not change the situation, which became much worse in the following Hussite wars.

The burning of Jan Hus at Konstanz led to religious and national agitation in Bohemia, which was tolerated by king Wenceslaus. After his death in 1419 the Czechs refused to accept Sigismund as their new king as he let Hus be executed. Sigismund in return called a Reichstag in Breslau, the first one to the east of the Elbe, to determine actions against the revolting Czechs. Eighteen Silesian rulers rendered homage to the king and promised help against his foes. In 1421 a Silesian army repeatedly invaded (northeastern) Bohemia, but was defeated by the Hussites. As Moravia also joined the Hussite movement Silesia and Lusatia became isolated in the Bohemian lands and the foremost object of hate for the most radical Czechs, the Taborites. In January 1425 began permanent pressure on Silesian lands, so-called "beautiful rides". After 1427 the Hussites—supported by some Polish lords (Dobiesław Puchała, Sigismund Korybut) and Silesian dukes (Bolko V the Hussite)—invaded Silesia many times, destroyed more than 30 towns and ravaged the country. On the other hand, united armies of local dukes and wealthy towns (Breslau etc.) plundered Bohemian-Silesian borderland and eastern Bohemia (area around Náchod and Trutnov). Some Silesian towns, like Gleiwitz, Kreuzburg, Nimptsch or Ottmachau, became Hussite bases for several years and were a constant threat for the surrounding regions. The Hussite menace lasted until 1434, when they were defeated by the more moderate Ultraquists at Lipany in Bohemia. Sigismund now became king of Bohemia and united Silesia (except lands of Bolko V) by a public peace and the appointment of bishop Konrad, duke of Oels, as senior governor (German: Oberlandeshauptmann).

The death of Sigismund in 1437, however, was soon followed by new challenges for Silesia. The Bohemian crown was now disputed between Albert II of Habsburg and Władysław III of Poland. After Albrecht's early death in 1439 his widow Elisabeth renewed these claims. Silesia, lying between Poland and Bohemia, became a constant battleground of both powers. Wladislaus moreover demanded Silesia and covered the country with war. The majority of Silesian princes however supported Elisabeth. After Wladislaus died in 1444, Bohemia's interim regent George of Poděbrady was elected new king of Bohemia in 1458 and enfeoffed his two sons with the Silesian duchies of Münsterberg (Ziębice) and Opava (Troppau), but also Bohemian territory Kladsko (Glatz), which thereby became closer connected to Silesia. He moreover appointed Czech peers as governors of Silesian hereditary principalities and thus made Czech temporarily the official language for large parts of Silesia.

George of Podiebrad's enemies in 1469 elected Matthias Corvinus, king of Hungary and former son-in-law of George, as his rival king of Bohemia. Silesia was divided on the matter, and the power struggle between George and Matthias was predominantly carried out on territory of Silesia and Moravia. The fighting did not stop with George's death in 1471 but continued under his underage successor Vladislaus. After long battles a compromise was found: both kept their title as king of Bohemia, Vladislaus received the Bohemian heartland whereas Matthias took Moravia, Lusatia and Silesia.

The internal development of Silesia during the 15th century was marked by these external insecurities. Some peripheral regions of Silesia were lost. This was Siewierz, acquired by the bishop of Kraków in 1443 and formally incorporated into Poland only in 1790. Duchies of Oświęcim (in 1457) and Zator (in 1494) were sold to kings of Poland and were incorporated into the Kingdom in 1564. Other parts of Silesia were acquired by non- Silesian dynasties like the Wettins, who gained Sagan, or the House of Brandenburg, which gained the Duchy of Krosno. In 1523, George, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach bought Duchy of Karniów for 58900 Hungarian guldens. He was succeeded by his son and later by two margraves of Brandenburg. Hohenzollerns were eventually deprived of the Duchy of Karniów in 1620, during the Thirty year's war. After the death of the last Piast duke of Opole-Racibórz in 1532, his duchy was pawned to Margrave George for 183 333 guldens and remained in his possession till 1549. Between 1645 and 1666 duchy of Opole and Racibórz was in possession of the Polish monarchs from the House of Vasa. Bytom was acquired by Margrave George in 1532 and was lost by the Hohenzollerns in 1620 togeather with the Duchy of Karniów. Duchy of Głogów was ruled by Polish monarchs: John I Albert and Sigismund I the Old between 1490 and 1508. The economy declined, not only caused by the Hussite destruction but also because the commodity flow avoided both Bohemia and Silesia due to the general insecurity. The new direct trading route between Leipzig and Poznań threatened Silesias interests and was a reason for several trade wars between Silesia and Poland. Breslau lost its staple right in 1515, and the trade on the High Road towards the Black Sea lost its importance after the Turkish occupation of Italian colonies on the Black Sea. The trade with South East Europe, especially Hungary, however increased after the kings of Hungary became the overlords of Silesia, and the trade connections to Upper German cities were also strengthened.

The population declined since the late 14th century because of a late-medieval agricultural crisis, which was later intensified by the Hussite wars. While rural settlements desolated the cities lost a part of their population. This caused a population movement which led to an intermix of Germans and Slavs in Silesia. The respective minority soon adopted the language of the majority, which in turn resulted in a linguistic offset in Silesia. Most Polish linguistic enclaves in the south of Lower and Middle Silesia disappeared; these regions became largely German. In the western part of Silesia Polish language survived only in the region around Zielona Góra (Grünberg) and Otyń (Deutsch Wartenberg) and in the agricultural plain to the left of the Oder in a triangle between Wrocław (Breslau), Kąty Wrocławskie (Kanth), Strzelin (Strehlen) and Oława (Ohlau). On the other hand almost all German linguistic enclaves in Upper Silesia had vanished in the 16th century. Only the towns of Opava (Troppau), Kietrz (Katscher) and Bielsko (Bielitz) remained largely German. This process was moreover encouraged by the often usage of Czech as the official language in Upper SIlesia at that time, as both languages were still closely related at the time.

Efforts to implement a constitution for all Silesian estates and thus unite the fragmented country were positive aspects of the 16th century. First attempts by Sigismund in the 15th century were only temporarily successful, Matthias Corvins reforms however were far more effective. The king always had his representatives in Silesia, for a short time called Oberlandeshauptleute (senior governors), otherwise called advocates. Sometimes the competences of these advocates were split between Upper and Lower Silesia; these terms appeared for the first time in the 15th century. The Fürstentage ("Princely diet"), until then only irregular meetings, became yearly events, although sometimes split between Upper and Lower Silesia. The diets dealt with questions like tax collection (tax demands by the overlord were a novelty), the deployment of troops for public peace or coinage. A supreme "Princely court" (Czech: knížecí soud; German: Fürstenrecht) was established for the first time in 1498 to settle disputes between the king (then Vladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary), the princes and barons (free lords) & the estates of 3 duchies: Głogów (Glogau), Opole-Racibórz and Żagań (Sagan).