Wislaw III of Rügen

Wislaw III of Rügen (in German Wizlaw III. , in Polish Wisław III ) was born in 1265 or 1268, and is deceased the November 8th 1325. It is the last prince Slave of Rügen. Wislaw III is undoubtedly also the Minnesänger Wizlaw which one finds the Chanson S in the Jenaer Liederhandschrift .

Biography

Wislaw III of Rügen is the oldest son of the prince Wislaw II of Rügen and of the Agnès princess of Brunswick - Lunebourg. Probably under the influence of his mother, it receives the education of a Noble refined. Ungelarde of Stralsund († towards 1300), known also as a Chansonnier, is one of its Masters. An tragic event marks the youth of Wislaw. In the cathedral of Riga, it receives a stab of a tradesman nonsatisfied with one of its answers.

The name of Wislaw III is mentioned for the first time in a document gone back to 1283 which confirms a gift of his/her father to the Monastère of Neuenkamp (today Franzburg). When his/her father dies in 1302, Wislaw and its young brother Sambor enter in conflict for the succession. Wislaw reigns on Rügen whereas Sambor controls Stralsund. A peace treaty is concluded between the two princes in 1304, little before the death of Sambor. Wislaw is only found with the head of the Principauté. The same year, it establishes German like official language in the principality.

Not having a heir, a contract is concluded in 1310 between Wislaw and the king Eric VI from Denmark on the succession. The principality will have to integrate the Danish crown after the death of Wislaw. The secondary branches of the line of princes de Rügen, the lords of Gristow and Putbus, will have to give up the succession.

The reign of Wislaw is very safe peaceful. Its Suzerain Eric VI of Denmark and the Margrave Waldemar de Brandebourg fight to take the control of the the Baltic and its rich person commercial cities. The relations between Wislaw and the influential one and powerful town of Stralsund, located in its principality, are very difficult. Wislaw lost the control of the city. In 1316, the Danish fleet accompanied by Wislaw besieges the city. It is a failure and Wislaw must flee. Ruined by the war, Wislaw is obliged to conclude an peace agreement with Stralsund in 1317. It grants broad Privilège S to the city and gives up n the other hand any influence in the city of a money large sum.

Wislaw married twice. Before 1305, it married Marguerite which one is unaware of the origin. This marriage remained sterile. After the death of his first wife towards 1310, it married with Agnès of Lindow-Toff. This one gave him a girl (Euphémie) and a son (Jaromar). Unfortunately, his/her only son dies in 1325. Wislaw dies little of time after, the undoubtedly broken heart of sorrow. It is the end of the princely Dynastie of Rügen. Following the death of Eric VI in 1319, the agreement concluded with the Denmark had become null and void. In 1321, Wislaw had designated its nephew Warcisław, the Duc of Wolgast, to succeed to him.

Wislaw, the poet, author of maxims and songs

Wislaw is the author of 14 songs and 13 maxims contained in the Jenaer Liederhandschrift . Three songs are to us incomplete parvenues. Its work was to be more important because three sheets of songs of the Jenaer Liederhandschrift were lost. Its most known song is Loibere risen which was found in the repertory of many musical groups of the Moyen-âge. Today still, she is interpreted by Angelo Branduardi.

A controversy exists in the historians: Is Wislaw the poet the same person as prince Wislaw de Rügen?

Arguments of the historians who affirm that it is about the same person:

In the Jenaer Liederhandschrift , one speaks about “Wislaw the son”, not to confuse it with his/her father who bore the same name.
In a song, Wislaw speaks in praise of Ungelarde, a chansonnier of Stralsund which existed well.
Wislaw wrote a praise with the glory of the Graf Eric d' Holstein-Schauenburg. In the same document, it refers to the peace treaty signed between Sambor and Wislaw III in 1304.

Arguments of the historians who think that they are two different people:

the name of Wislaw is very common at the time. Many people could be named “Wislaw the son”.
work corresponds rather to the work of a poet with whole share, not with that of a noble dilettante.
It is not very probable that a prince of high ranking speaks in praise of noble of lower row, like Graf Eric d' Holstein-Schauenburg. The minnesinger usually belonged to the lower rows of the nobility.

The name of the prince and the poet is written several manners in the various publications: Wizlaw, Wizlav, Wizlaf, Wizlaff, Witzlaw, Witzlav, Witzlaf, Witzlaff .

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