Conrad II of Czersk

Captivity in Lithuania

Conrad appears in the history in 1262, when the Lituaniens of the large-duke Treniota launch an offensive of great scale against the Duché of Mazovie. He and his/her father was done encircled in the small one extremely of Jazdów. Siemovit Ier de Mazovie is killed at the time of the Lithuanian attack, Conrad is made prisoner by the Lithuanians.

Siemovit having died, Conrad being prisoner of the Lithuanians and his Boleslas brother being too young to reign, the Régence of the duchy of Mazovie is ensured by Boleslas the Piles, the duke of Large-Poland, and by Perejesława, the mother of Conrad. After two years of captivity in Lithuania, Conrad II returns in Mazovie and takes the succession of his/her father.

Duke of Mazovie

In the field of the foreign politics, it continues to follow the line of his father, while cooperating closely with Boleslas V the Virtuous (duke of Small Poland), Lech II the Black (duke of Sieradz) and Boleslas the Piles (duke of Large-Poland). It fights at the sides of the Hungarian in the Guerre which opposes them to the Bohemia. In 1271, it takes part in particular in the punitive forwarding of the coalition prohongroise against Henri IV the Juste, the duke of Wrocław, to prevent this one from giving a support for Bohemia. Two years later, the same coalition attacks Ladislas d' Opole, which wanted to benefit from the war between Hungary and Bohemia to play its own chart, and to seize the throne of Cracow.

Duke of Czersk

In 1275, when his/her brother reaches the age of the majority, it must divide Mazovie with him. It yields to him the duchy of Płock and preserves only the duchy of Czersk. This division of satisfied step Boleslas and a conflict of long life opens between the two brothers.

When Boleslas V the Virtuous one dies the December 7th 1279, its heir Lech II the Black succeeds to him. The Civil war in Mazovie prevents Conrad from asserting the throne of Cracow. That does not prevent it from joining the camp of the opponents to the duke of Cracow and Sandomierz.

Fight for the throne of Cracow and Sandomierz

In 1282, Conrad launches an attack against Lech II the Black which shows a fiasco, the army of Conrad succeeding in only briefly seizing Radom and of Sandomierz. In 1285, Conrad II of Czersk is prepared better with the war. In an joint action with the Noble S which are opposed to Lech II the Black, it invades the Petite Poland, obliging the duke of Cracow to take refuge in Hungary. However, it does not succeed in seizing the Wawel, defended by the faithful ones of Lech. The decisive battle takes place the May 3rd 1285. With the assistance of the Hungarians, Lech crush the opponents. Conrad must flee and finds refuge with Czersk.

The death of Lech II the Black, the September 30th 1288, makes it new possible to Conrad to go up on the throne of Cracow. This one remains in Ruthénie, at its ally Vladimir de Galicie whose he requests the assistance. It must face other candidates with the throne: Henri IV the Juste, the duke of Wrocław, and his/her own Boleslas brother. Nevertheless, Conrad does not give up. In 1289, when the balance seems to lean in favor of Henri IV the Juste, it concludes an agreement with his/her Boleslas brother. The exact terms of this agreement are not known for us. Probably that in exchange of the abdication of Conrad of the throne of Cracow, Boleslas would accept the division of Mazovie such as it was made in 1275 and would let Conrad reign on Sandomierz. This agreement is not concretized. In spite of the victory of Boleslas II over Henri IV the Juste (Battle of Siewierz), Conrad II is isolated throne of Sandomierz by Ladislas Ier the Brief.

Death and descent

Conrad II of Czersk dies the October 11th 1294 and is buried with Warka. Its family passes under the protection of Boleslas II of Mazovie, against which it had fought all its life. Towards 1270, Conrad had married Hedwige, the sister of Boleslas II the Bald person, with whom it had a fore-mentioned girl Anne, who married the duke Przemyslaw de Racibórz.

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