Dukes of Pomerania

Pomerania is a geographical and historical region in northern Poland and Germany, on the south coasts of Baltic Sea on both sides of the Oder River and reaches to the Vistula river in the east and Reknitz river in the west.

In the second half of 10th century Pomerania was part of Poland, but the bishopric of Kolobrzeg established in 1000 was destroyed in ca. 1005. In the 1030s Polish state was destroyed and fragmented into several provinces, but soon rebuild when Casimir I the Restorer was victorius in the battle with Mazovians and Pomeranians in 1047. Polish king Boleslaw Smialy (1058-1080) is reported to have lost control of Pomerania.

The first written trace of the Pomeranian monarch is the 1046 mention of Zemuzil dux Bomeranorum (Siemomysl, duke of Pomeranians). The Chronicle of the Polish dukes written in 1113 by so called Gallus Anomynous mentions several dukes of Pomerania: Swantibor, Gniewomir, and an unnamed duke besieged in Kolobrzeg.

In three military campaigns of 1116, 1119, 1121 entire Pomerania was conquered by the Polish duke Boleslaw the Wrymouth (Boleslaw Krzywousty), and divided into four parts: Eastern Pomerania with Gdansk was put under direct Polish control and the duke had nominated his governors. Middle Pomerania with Slupsk and Slawno was made a Polish fief under a Pomeranian duke Racibor I. Western Pomerania with Kamien, Kolobrzeg and Bialogard were made a Polish fief ruled by duke Warcisław I. Szczecin and Wolin were semi-independent city-republics being Polish fiefs.

Polish governors in Eastern Pomerania gradually gained more and more power and evolved into semi-independent dukes, who ruled the duchy until 1294. In various times they were vassals of Poland and Denmark. The duchy was temporarily split into districts of Gdansk, Bialogarda, Swiecie, and Lubieszewo-Tczew.

Warcislaw I of Western Pomerania gave birth to the Griffin family of dukes who ruled the duchy until 1637. They managed to gather various territories and that way they were vassals of Poland, Denmark, Saxony, Brandenburg and Roman Empire (Germany). The duchy was temporarily split into districts of Szczecin, Wolgast, Barth, Darlowo, Demmin, Slupsk and Stargard.

Ancestors of Racibor I ruled the Duchy of Middle Pomerania until 1238, and next the area was an object of competition between the Dukes of Western Pomerania, Eastern Pomerania, Rugen and Brandenburg.

The island of Rugen was conquered by Denmark in 1168 and the local ruler give birth to a dynasty of dukes of Rugen, vassals of Denish kings. In 1325 the Principality of Rugen fell to Pomerania.

Contents

1 Duchy of Pomerania (Eastern) - Ksiestwo Pomorskie (Wschodnie)

1.1 Duchy of Bialogarda/Belgard (Ksiestwo bialogardzkie)
1.2 Duchy of Gdansk/Danzig (Ksiestwo gdanskie)
1.3 Duchy of Lubiszewo (Ksiestwo lubiszewskie)
1.4 Duchy of Swiecie/Schwetz (Ksiestwo swieckie)

2 Duchy of Pomerania (Middle) or Slawno/Schlawe - Ksiestwo Slawienskie

3 Duchy of Pomerania (Western) - Ksiestwo Pomorskie (Zachodnie)

3.1 Duchy of Szczecin/Stettin (Ksiestwo Szczecinskie)
3.2 Duchy of Wologoszcz/Wolgast (Ksiestwo wologoskie)
3.3 Duchy of Bardo/Barth (Ksiestwo bardowskie)
3.4 Duchy of Darlowo/Ruegenwalde (Ksiestwo Darlowskie)
3.5 Duchy of Dymin/Demmin (Ksiestwo dyminkie)
3.6 Duchy of Slupsk/Stolp (Ksiestwo Slupskie)
3.7 Duchy of Stargard (Ksiestwo stargardzkie)

4 Principality of Rugia/Rugen/Rana - Ksiestwo Rugijskie/Ranskie

5 Further reading

Duchy of Pomerania (Eastern) - Ksiestwo Pomorskie (Wschodnie)

ca 995 subjugated by Mieszko I of Poland
from 11th century under local dynasty

ca 1046 Siemomysl ??? (Zemuzil)
1106 Swantibor ??? (Swietobor)
1109,1113-1121 Swantipolk (Swietopelk)
1155-1178 Subislaw I
1178-1027 Sambor I
1207-1220 Mestwin I (also Msciwoj/Mszczuj)
1220-1271 divided into duchies of:
- Gdansk
- Bialogarda
- Lubieszewo
- Swiecie (see below)
1260-1266 Swantipolk II the Great (Swietopelk II Wielki)
1271-1294 Mestwin II (also Msciwoj/Mszczuj)
1294-1296 Przemysl II of Poland (duke and king of Poland)
1296-1299 Ladislaus I of Poland (Wladyslaw I Lokietek, duke of Cuiavia)
1299-1305 Wenceslaus II of Bohemia (Waclaw II Czeski, king of Bohemia and Poland)
1305-1306 Wenceslaus III of Bohemia (Waclaw III Czeski, king of Bohemia and Poland)
1306-1309 Ladislaus I of Poland (Wladyslaw I Lokietek, duke of Poland)
1309-1454 part of Teutonic Order Knights State
1454-1466 13-years war between Poland and Teutonic Order
1466-1772 Pomeranian voivodship (wojewodztwo pomorskie, part of Kingdom of Poland)
1772-1919 West Prussia (Westpreussen, part of Kingdom of Prussia)

Duchy of Bialogarda/Belgard (Ksiestwo bialogardzkie)

Duchy of Gdansk/Danzig (Ksiestwo gdanskie)

to 1215 part of Duchy of Eastern Pomerania
1215-1266 Swietopelk II the Great (Swietopelk II Wielki)
1266-1271 Warcislaw II
from 1271 part of the Duchy of Eastern Pomerania

Duchy of Lubiszewo (Ksiestwo lubiszewskie)

1178-1200/1207 Grzymislaw II
1215/1228-1266/1278 Sambor II
from 1266/1278 part of the Duchy of Eastern Pomerania

Duchy of Swiecie/Schwetz (Ksiestwo swieckie)

to 1178 part of Eastern Pomerania
1178-1200/1207 Grzymislaw II
1215/1223-1229/1230 Warcislaw I
1229-1255/1266 Swietopelk II Wielki
1255/12661271 Msciwoj II
from 1271 part of united Duchy of Eastern Pomerania

Duchy of Pomerania (Middle) or Slawno/Schlawe - Ksiestwo Slawienskie

?-1156 Racibor I (from 1147/8 also duke of Western Pomerania)
to ca 1190 part of Western Pomerania
1190-1223 Boguslaw III
1223-1238 Racibor II
1238-1316 part of Eastern Pomerania
from 1316 as Duchy of Slupsk part of Duchy of Wolgast (Western Pomerania)

Duchy of Pomerania (Western) - Ksiestwo Pomorskie (Zachodnie)

1121 Swietopelk ???
1121-1147/8 Warcislaw I
1147/8-1156 Racibor I
1156-1180 Boguslaw I and Kazimierz I
1180-1187 Boguslaw I
1187-1220 Boguslaw II and Kazimierz II

After 1202 Pomeranian Duchy is divided into several duchies, most important being Wolgast and Szczecin duchies, united into one Pomeranian state from time to time.

1264-1278 Barnim I Dobry
1278-1295 Barnim II, Otto I and Boguslaw IV
1478-1523 Boguslaw X
1523-1531 Jerzy I and Barnim XI Pobozny
1625-1637 Boguslaw XIV
from 1637 western part of Pomerania inc. Szczecin to Sweden
1637-1657 counties of Lebork and Bytow to Poland, next to Brandenburg
from 1648 eastern part of Pomerania to Brandenburg

Duchy of Szczecin/Stettin (Ksiestwo Szczecinskie)

to 1160 part of Duchy of Pomerania (western)
1160-1187 Boguslaw I
1156-1180 Boguslaw I, Kazimierz I
1202-1220 Boguslaw II
1220-1278 Barnim I Dobry
1278-1295 Barnim II, Otto I of Pomerania and Boguslaw IV
1295-1344 Otto I of Pomerania
1344-1368 Barnim III Wielki
1368-1372 Kazimierz III
1372-1404 Swietobor I and Boguslaw VII
1404-1413 Swietobor I
1413-1428 Otto II and Kazimierz V
1428-1435 Kazimierz V
1435-1451 Joachim I Mlodszy
1451-1464 Otto III
1464-1474 Eryk II
1474-1523 Boguslaw X
1523-1531 Jerzy I and Barnim X
1531-1569 Barnim IX
1569-1600 Jan Fryderyk
1600-1603 Barnim X
1603-1606 Boguslaw XIII
1606-1618 Filip II
1618-1620 Franciszek I
1620-1625 Boguslaw XIV
from 1625 part of united Duchy of Pomerania (Western)

Duchy of Wologoszcz/Wolgast (Ksiestwo wologoskie)

to 1295 part of Duchy of Pomerania (Western)
1295-1309 Boguslaw IV
1309-1326 Warcislaw IV
1326-1365 Boguslaw V, Warcislaw V and Barnim VI
1365-1368 Boguslaw V and Warcislaw V
1368-1376 Boguslaw VI and Warcislaw IV (?)
1376-1393 Boguslaw VI
1393-1394 Warcislaw VI
1394-1405 Barnim VI
1405-1451 Barnim VII and Warcislaw IX
1451-1457 Warcislaw IX
1457-1474 Eryk II
1474-1478 Warcislaw X
1478-1523 Boguslaw X
1523-1531 Barnim IX and Jerzy I
1532-1560 Filip I
1567-1569 Boguslaw XIII, Ernest Ludwik, Jan Fryderyk and Barnim X
1569-1592 Ernest Ludwik
1592-1625 Filip II Juliusz
from 1625 part of united Duchy of (Western) Pomerania

Duchy of Bardo/Barth (Ksiestwo bardowskie)

to 1376 part of Duchy of Wolgast
1376-1415 Warcislaw VI
1394-1415 Warcislaw VII
1415-1451 Barnim VIII
1457-1478 Warcislaw IX
1478-1531 part of Duchy of Pomerania (Western)
1531-1569 part of Duchy of Wolgast
1569-1603 Boguslaw XIII
from 1603 part of Duchy of Szczecin

Duchy of Darlowo/Ruegenwalde (Ksiestwo Darlowskie)

to 1569 part of Duchy of Szczecin
1569-1603 Barnim X
1603-1606 Boguslaw XIII
1606-1617 Jerzy III i Boguslaw XIV
1617-1620 Boguslaw XIV
from 1569 part of Duchy of Szczecin

Duchy of Dymin/Demmin (Ksiestwo dyminkie)

to 1160 part of Pomeranian Duchy
1160-1180 Kazimierz I
1202-1219/20 Kazimierz II
1219/20-1264 Warcislaw III
from 1264 to Duchy of Szczecin

Duchy of Slupsk/Stolp (Ksiestwo Slupskie)

to ca 1190 part of Western Pomerania
1190-1316 Duchy of Slawno (part of Eastern Pomerania)
1316-1368 part of Duchy of Wolgast
1368-1373 Boguslaw V Stary
1374-1377 Kazimierz IV
1377-1395 Warcislaw VII
1395-1402 Boguslaw VIII i Barnim V
1402-1403 Barnim V
1403-1418 Boguslaw VIII
1418-1446 Boguslaw IX
1449-1459 Eryk I
from 1459 part of Duchy of Wolgast

Duchy of Stargard (Ksiestwo stargardzkie)

to 1377 part of Duchy of Slupsk
1377-1402 Boguslaw VIII i Barnim V
1402-1418 Boguslaw VIII
1418-1446 Boguslaw IX
1449-1459 Eryk I
from 1459 to Duchy of Wolgast

Principality of Rugia/Rugen/Rana - Ksiestwo Rugijskie/Ranskie

1168-1325 feudal fief of Denmark under local rulers
1162-1170 Tezlaw
1170-1217 Jaromar I
1218-1249 Wislaw I
1249-1260 Jaromar II
1260-1302 Wislaw II
1303-1325 Wislaw III

From 1325 Duchy of Wolgast-Rugen or Rugen-Bardo:

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