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List of Pomeranian duchies and dukes

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Pomerania is a geographical region in northern Poland and Germany, on the south coast of the Baltic Sea. In a wider sense, it extends to the Vistula River in the east and the Recknitz River in the west. However, the name Pomerania often refers only to the historical duchy (later province) of Pomerania, which until 1630 was ruled by members of the House of Pomerania (Griffins, Greifen), thus excluding the eastern regions of Pomerelia, which until 1296 were ruled by members of the Samboriden (also House of Sobieslaw or Subislaw). Regional rulers in various parts of Pomerania were generally known as Herzog (German) or książę (Polish), which in their case can generally be translated as duke.

Overview

Main article: History of Pomerania

10th and 11th century - Dukes of the Slavic Pomeranian tribes

During the early Middle Ages, Pomerania was settled by West Slavic tribes, with Veleti, later Liutizian tribes dwelling west and Pomeranian tribes dwelling east of the Oder river. Little is known about the organisation and administration of the Pomeranians. As Polish dukes tried several times to subdue and mission parts of the Pomeranian settlement area, there are spare records of dukes in this area, but no records about the extension of their duchies or any dynastic relations.

The first written record of any local Pomeranian ruler is the 1046 mention of Zemuzil (in Polish literature also called Siemomysł) at an imperial meeting. Another chronicle written in 1113 by Gallus Anonymus mentions several dukes of Pomerania: Swantibor, Gniewomir, and an unnamed duke besieged in Kołobrzeg (Kolberg).

File:800px-Administrative division of pomerania and hist ducal residences.PNG
Location of the residence cities of the Dukes of Pomerania (blue) and Pomerelia (ocre) within the modern borders of Pomerania

12th and 13th century

In the 12th century, Poland, the Holy Roman Empire's Duchy of Saxony and Denmark conquered Pomerania, ending the tribal era. In three military campaigns of 1116, 1119, and 1121, most of Pomerania was conquered by the Polish duke Boleslaus III.

Pomerelian duchies (1116-1294) - Samborides

Pomerelia with Gdańsk (Danzig) was put under Polish control, ruled by the Samborides dynasty until 1294.

Duchy of Pomerania (1121-1630) and Schlawe-Stolp (1121-1227) - House of Pomerania

In Pomerania proper, Polish influence vanished in the next decade. The Stolp (Słupsk) and (Schlawe (Sławno) areas (lands of (Länder) Schlawe-Stolp )were ruled by Ratibor I and his descendants (Ratiboriden sideline of the Griffin House of Pomerania) until the Danish occupation of Schlawe and extinction of the line in 1227.

The western areas, stretching from Kolberg (Kołobrzeg) to Stettin (Szczecin) were ruled by Ratibor's brother Wartislaw I and his descendants (House of Pomerania, also called Griffins) until the 1630s. Wartislaw managed to conquer vast territories west of the Oder river, an area inhabited by Liutizian tribes weakened by past warfare, and included these territories into his Duchy of Pomerania. This duchy was in the 12th and 13th centuries centered around the strongholds of Stettin and Demmin and co-ruled from there by Wartislaws successors. After the 1147 Wendish crusade and the 1164 Battle of Verchen, the duchy joined Henry the Lion's Duchy of Saxony, and in 1181 the dukes took their duchy as a fief from the Holy Roman Emperor Barbarossa. The duchy remained in the Empire, although Denmark managed to take control of the southern Baltic including the Duchy of Pomerania from the 1180s until the 1227 Battle of Bornhöved.

From the 13th century, the duchy was set under pressure by its southern neighbor, the Margraviate of Brandenburg. In the 1236 Treaty of Kremmen and the 1250 Treaty of Landin, the duchy lost its western and southern areas (from Circipania to Uckermark) to Brandenburg and the dukes had to accept Brandenburg inheritance of the duchy.

Principality of Rügen (1168-1325) - House of Wizlaw

Main article: Rani (Slavic tribe)

The island of Rügen and the surrounding areas between the Recknitz, Peene and Ryck rivers were the settlement area of the West Slavic Rani (or Rujani) tribe, that was subdued by a Danish and Saxon expedition in 1168. The Griffin dukes of Pomerania aided this expedition as they were Saxon vassals at this time. After the successful expedition, the local Rani dynasty (known in German as Wizlawiden, that is the House of Wizlaw) became Princes of Rügen in a now Danish principality. In the 1180s, the Griffins were sent by the Holy Roman Emperor to take the principality for the empire, yet, Denmark turned out to succeed in the conflict and subdued most of the Southern Baltic instead. The border between Pomerania-Demmin and Rügen varied and was subject to ongoing conflict. In 1325, the last prince of Rügen, Wizlaw III, died without male heirs and the principality was claimed by both Mecklenburg and the Duchy of Pomerania. After the following two wars for Rügen inheritance, Rügen was integrated into the Duchy of Pomerania.

14th to 17th century - Growth and partitions of the Griffin duchy

The Duchy of Pomerania (yellow) in 1400, P.-Stettin and P.-Wolgast are indicated; purple: Diocese of Cammin (BM. Cammin) and the Teutonic Order state; orange: Margraviate of Brandenburg; pink: duchies of Mecklenburg

After the last duke of Demmin had died in 1264, and the 1236 territorial losses left Demmin at the westernmost edge of the Duchy of Pomerania, Wolgast arose as the new residence besides Stettin. In the course of the 14th century, Pomerania succeded in the wars for Rügen inheritance, expanding the duchy northwest to Barth. In the East, the duchy gained control over the Schlawe-Stolp and later also the Lauenburg (Lebork) and Bütow (Bytow) areas. In 1531, when Reformation reached Pomerania, the Diocese of Cammin areas around Kolberg (Kolobrzeg) came under control of the dukes, too. In the Thirty Years War, Sweden occupied Pomerania. The 1637 death of the last Griffin duke Bogislaw XIV and the 1648 Peace of Westphalia marked the end of the duchy. Farther Pomerania came to Brandenburg and Hither or Western Pomerania to Sweden, both later making up the Prussian Province of Pomerania.


Duchy of Pomerania

The Pomeranian Griffin

Wartislaw I was the first definite known member of the House of Pomerania, which ruled the duchy, with its extended territories, until 1637 when the ducal dynasty went extinct in the male line. They became vassals of Saxony (1164), and the Holy Roman Empire (1181). The duchy was temporarily partitioned into the petty principalities of Stettin, Wolgast, Barth, Rügenwalde, Demmin, Stolp, and Stargard.

In the 12th to 14th centuries, the Duchy of Pomerania was gradually Germanized and settled with Germans during the Ostsiedlung. Later, the western part became known as Hither Pomerania (Vorpommern) and the eastern part Further Pomerania (Hinterpommern). After the death of Duke Bogislaw XIV, the duchy was partitioned into Swedish Pomerania (Vorpommern) and a Brandenburg-Prussian Province of Pomerania (Hinterpommern, in 1720 and 1815 Vorpommern, too). The rulers of Brandenburg-Prussia, later Kings of Prussia and Emperors of Germany still used the title "Duke of Pomerania" until 1918.

Dukes

From 1155, the duchy was co-ruled by the dukes of Stettin and Demmin.

After Wartislaw III died heirless in 1264, Barnim I became sole duke of the whole duchy. After Barnim's death, the duchy was to be ruled by his sons Barnim II, Otto I and Bogislaw IV. The first years, Bogislaw, being the eldest, ruled in place of his too young brothers, too. In 1295, after Barnim's death, the duchy was partitioned in a northern duchy (Wolgast, ruled by Bogislaw), and a southern duchy (Stettin, ruled by Otto).

After 200 years of partition, the duchy was reunited for a short period when all her parts were inherited by Bogislaw X.

Partitioned in Stettin, Barth, Wolgast and Rügenwalde

(from 1637 western part of Pomerania inc. Stettin to Sweden: Swedish Pomerania) (1637-1657 counties of Lauenburg/Lebork and Bütow/Bytow to Poland, next to Brandenburg) (from 1648 eastern part of Pomerania to Brandenburg)

Duchy of Demmin

(to 1156 part of Duchy of Pomerania)

Dukes

After the 1236 loss of most of Circipania (to Mecklenburg) and the Stargard area (the latter Mecklenburg-Strelitz, to Brandenburg) and Wartislaw III's death, Pomerania-Demmin was 1264 inherited and incorporated into the Duchy of Stettin

Duchy of Stettin (Szczecin)

(to 1160 part of the Duchy of Pomerania)

Dukes

(from 1625 part of united Duchy of Pomerania)

Duchy of Wolgast

In 1295, the Duchy of Pomerania was divided roughly by the Peene and Ihna rivers, with the areas north of these rivers ruled by Bogislaw IV became Pomerania-Wolgast, whereas Otto I received Pomerania-Stettin south of these rivers.

Dukes

(from 1625 part of united Duchy of Pomerania)

Duchy of Barth

(to 1376 part of Duchy of Wolgast)

Dukes

(1478-1531 part of Duchy of Pomerania) (1531-1569 part of Duchy of Wolgast)

(from 1603 part of Duchy of Stettin)

Duchy of Rügenwalde (Darłowo)

(to 1569 part of Duchy of Stettin)

Dukes

Duchy of Stolp (Słupsk)

(to ca 1190 part of the duchy of Pomerania) (1190-1316 Duchy of Schlawe (part of Pomerelia)) (1316-1368 part of Duchy of Wolgast)

Dukes

(from 1459 part of Duchy of Wolgast)

Duchy of Stargard

(to 1377 part of Duchy of Stolp)

Dukes

(from 1459 to Duchy of Wolgast)

Duchy of Sławno/Schlawe

Descendants of Ratibor I (Ratiboride sideline of the Griffin House of Pomerania) ruled this duchy, that comprised the Sławno (Schlawe) and Słupsk (Stolp) area (thus also known as lands of (Länder) Schlawe-Stolp) until 1227. Thereafter, the area was an object of competition between the Dukes of Pomerania, Pomerelia, Rügen and Brandenburg. Upon the extinction of Ratibor's dynasty, most of the territory was inherited by the dukes of Pomerania, who thus gained yet more recognition for their being dukes of all Pomerania. For four centuries, they used the title Duke of Pomerania, and the territories they ruled became established as Pomerania to outsiders, Pomerelia being perceived as a separate duchy with its own name.

Dukes

  • 1121-1156 Ratibor I (from 1147/8 also duke of Pomerania)

(to ca 1190 part of Duchy of Pomerania)

In 1227, Stolp came to Pomerelia, Schlawe to Pomerania. In 1238-1316 both became part of Pomerelia, ruled by an autonomously acting dynasty of castellans, the Swenzones (German: Swenzonen, entering history in 1257 with Swenzo the Elder). In 1316, the area became part of the Duchy of Wolgast as Duchy of Stolp.

Principality of Rügen

Main article: Rani (Slavic tribe)

The island of Rügen and the adjactend mainland was conquered by Denmark in 1168, as was the Duchy of Pomerania in the 1180s, and the local ruler founded a dynasty of lords (princes, dukes, often without recognized higher title just lords) of Rügen, vassals of Danish kings. In 1325 the Principality of Rügen fell to the Duchy of Pomerania after two wars for Rügen inheritance with Mecklenburg.

Dukes (House of Wizlaw)

1168-1325 feudal fief of Denmark under local rulers:

From 1325 Duchy of Wolgast-Rügen or Rügen-Barth:

Dukes (House of Pomerania)

from 1474 part of Duchy of Wolgast from 1478 part of Duchy of Pomerania

Duchy of Pomerelia

The Pomerelian Griffin

The Samborides ruling Pomerelia gradually evolved into independent dukes, who ruled the duchy until 1294. At various times they were vassals of Poland and Denmark. The duchy was temporarily partitioned into the principalities of Gdańsk, Białogard, Świecie, and Lubieszewo-Tczew.

While the Duchy of Pomerania had been incorporated in the Holy Roman Empire, Eastern Pomerania (Pomerelia or Gdańsk Pomerania) was controlled by the Teutonic Knights and the Kingdom of Poland. Predominantly inhabited by Kashubians, Poles, and a German minority, the territory was annexed from Poland by the Kingdom of Prussia during the Partitions of Poland.

After 997 the first time mention is made of the area in the 'Vita St. Adalbert'


Dukes

1220-1271 divided into duchies of:

  • 1271–1294 Mestwin II (Mściwój II) of Pomerania, duke of Gdańsk Pomerania

Further history:

Duchy of Białogarda (Belgard a.d.Leba)

Duchy of Gdańsk (Danzig)

Dukes

Duchy of Lubiszewo (Lübschau)

Dukes

Duchy of Świecie (Schwetz)

  • to 1178 part of Pomerelia

Dukes

Further reading

  • Gerard Labuda (ed.), "Historia Pomorza", vol. 1-4, Poznan-Torun 1969-2003
  • Edmund Kopicki, "Tabele dynastyczne", "Wykazy panujacych", in: "Katalog podstawowych monet i banknotow Polski oraz ziem z historycznie z Polska zwiazanych", vol. IX, part I
  • Zugmunt Boras, "Ksiazeta Pomorza Zachdniego", Poznan 1969, 1978, 1996
  • Casimir Kozlowski, George Podralski, "Poczet Ksiazat Pomorza Zachdniego", KAW, Szczecin 1985
  • L. Badkowski, W.Samp. "Poczet ksiazat Pomorza Gdanskiego", Gdansk 1974
  • B. Sliwinski, "Poczet ksiazaat gdanskich", Gdansk 1997
  • Wojciech Myslenicki, "Pomorscy sprzymierzenscy Jagiellonczylow", Wyd. Poznanskie, Poznan 1979
  • J. Spors, "Podzialy administracyjne Pomorza Gdanskiego i Slawiensko-Slupksiego od XII do poczatkow XIV w", Slupsk 1983
  • K. Slaski, "Podzialy terytorialne Pomorza w XII-XII w.", Poznan 1960
  • Edward Rymar, Krewni i powinowaci ksiazat pomorskich w zrodłach sredniowiecznych (XII-początek XVI w.), Materialy Zachodniopomorskie, vol. XXXI
  • [2]
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