Peace of Bautzen

The Peace of Bautzen or the Peace of Budziszyn (German: Frieden von Bautzen; Polish: Pokój w Budziszynie) was a treaty concluded on January 30, 1018 between the Ottonian Holy Roman Emperor Henry II and the Piast ruler of Poland Boleslaw I which ended a series of Polish-German wars over the control of Lusatia and Upper Lusatia (Milzenerland or Milsko, the eastern part of the margraviate of Meissen (Misnia)) as well as Bohemia, Moravia and Slovakia.

Boleslaw had enjoyed the close friendship of the emperor Otto III and after his death supported one of Otto's followers, Eckard I, Margrave of Meissen for the position of Holy Roman Emperor, against the claims of Henry II. After Eckard's death in 1002 Boleslaw took over Eckard's domain of Meissen as well as the march of Lusatia. Once Henry secured his position within Germany an agreement was reached which left Boleslaw with Lusatia and Upper Lusatia while Boleslaw in turn recognized Henry as Holy Roman Emperor.

Fighting soon resumed however, after an unsuccessful assassination attempt against Boleslaw, which he believed had been ordered by Henry (who denied the charge) occurred soon after the peace was concluded. Boleslaw took control of Bohemia (having previously acquired Moravia and Slovakia). In the ensuing struggle Boleslaw allied himself with the Holy Roman Empire's noble opposition to Henry, while the emperor sought support among the Lutici, a Slavic pagan Polabian tribe. An intermediate peace was concluded in Merseburg in 1013 which preserved the territorial status quo, with Boleslaw holding on to Moravia and Slovakia, while Jaromir was made the ruler of Bohemia (though he was soon deposed by his brother Oldrich). Boleslaw however agreed to support the Emperor's Italian campaign. Open warfare continued when Boleslaw I did not comply with this condition, and instead supported Henry II's Italian adversaries. Henry II was however unable to defeat Boleslaw I, and agreed on a peace in Bautzen (1018) which left Boleslaw I in charge of the Lusatian march and Upper Lusatia. The two rulers also strengthened the dynastic bonds between them through Boleslaw's marriage with Oda, first daughter of Margrave Eckard. The emperor also promised to aid Boleslaw in his expedition against Ruthenia in the summer of 1018 with contingents of German and Hungarian troops which enabled the Polish ruler to capture Kiev and annex a part of Red Ruthenia.