Dukes of Pomerania

Medieval regional rulers in various parts of Pomerania were generally known as ksiaze, which in their case was generally translated as duke.

Pomerania, at its greatest extent, was never a unified state or polity in the Middle Ages, but was always divided into at least two parts and often more.

At its greatest extent it comprised all of the coast of the Baltic Sea from Rügen to Königsberg (now Kaliningrad). Thus it is a geographical and historical region in northern Poland and Germany, on the south coast of the Baltic Sea on both sides of the Oder River and extends to the Vistula river in the east and the Reknitz River in the west. However, the name Pomerania often referred only to Western and Middle Pomerania, areas which for much of the time were under one ducal dynasty, whereas so-called Eastern Pomerania is often known as Pomerelia, and it later became much absorbed into the Ordenstaatof Prussia. Western parts of Pomerania were inhabited by Kashubians, a Polabian people.

During the early Middle Ages Pomeranians were presumably ruled by indigeneous rulers, probably divided into several petty principalities. In the second half of the 10th century, Pomerania seems to have been, at least for a short period, part of the budding state of Poland, or under its overlordship, but the bishopric of Kołobrzeg established in 1000 was destroyed ca. 1005. In the 1030s Polish state was fragmented into several provinces, but was soon reconstituted when Casimir I the Restorer was victorious in the battle against the Masovians and Pomeranians in 1047. It seems that the Polish king Boleslaus I (1058-1080) lost control of Pomerania once again.

The first written record of any local Pomeranian ruler is the 1046 mention of Zemuzil dux Bomeranorum (Siemomysł, duke of the Pomeranians). The Chronicle of the Polish dukes written in 1113 by the so called Gallus Anonymus mentions several dukes of Pomerania: Swantibor, Gniewomir, and an unnamed duke besieged in Kołobrzeg.

In three military campaigns of 1116, 1119, 1121 the whole of Pomerania was reconquered by the Polish monarch Boleslaus III (Bolesław Krzywousty), and divided into four parts: Eastern Pomerania with Gdańsk was put under direct Polish control and the duke had nominated his governors. This area is freqently known as Pomerelia. Middle Pomerania with Słupsk and Sławno was made a Polish fief under a Pomeranian duke Ratibor I. Western Pomerania with Kamień, Kołobrzeg and Białogard was made a Polish fief ruled by duke Vartislaus I. Szczecin and Wolin were semi-independent city-republics, being directly subject to the overlordship of the kings of Poland, and not to any local Pomeranian ruler.

Polish governors in Pomerelia gradually gained more and more power and evolved into semi-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.

Vartislaus I of Western Pomerania was founder and ancestor of the so-called Griffin family of dukes who ruled the duchy, with its extended territories, until 1637 when the ducal dynasty went extinct in the male line. They managed to gather a variety of other territories too and in that way they became vassals of Poland, Denmark, Saxony, Brandenburg and the Holy Roman Empire. The duchy was temporarily partitioned into the petty principalities of Stettin, Wolgast, Barth, Darłowo, Demmin, Słupsk and Stargard.

Descendants of Ratibor I ruled the Middle Pomeranian duchy until 1238. The area was an object of competition between the Dukes of Western Pomerania, Pomerelia, Rügen and Brandenburg. Upon the extinction of Ratibor's dynasty, most of the territory was inherited by the dukes of Western 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.

The island of Rügen was conquered by Denmark in 1168 and the local ruler founded and became the ancestor of 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 Pomerania.

Duchy of Pomerelia (Eastern Pomerania) - Księstwo Pomorskie (Wschodnie)

ca 979 subjugated by Mieszko I of Poland

from 11th century under local dynasty :
*ca 1046 Siemomysł ??? (Zemuzil)
*1106 Świętobór ??? (Swantibor)
*1109,1113-1121 Świętopełk (Swantipolk)
*1155-1178 Subisław I
*1178-1027 Sambor I
*1207-1220 Mestwin I (also Mściwoj/Mszczuj)
*1220-1271 divided into duchies of:
**Gdańsk
**Białogarda
**Lubieszewo
**Świecie (see below)
*1260-1266 Świętopełk II, Duke of Pomerelia (Świętopełk II Wielki/Swantipolk)
*1271-1294 Mestwin II (also Mściwój/Mszczuj)
*1294-1296 Premislas II of Poland (duke and king of Poland)
*1296-1299 Ladislaus I of Poland (Władysław I Łokietek, duke of Cuiavia)
*1299-1305 Wenceslaus II of Bohemia (Wacław II Czeski, king of Bohemia and Poland)
*1305-1306 Wenceslaus III of Bohemia (Wacław III Czeski, king of Bohemia and Poland)
*1306-1309 Ladislaus I of Poland (Władysław I Łokietek, 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 (województwo pomorskie, part of Kingdom of Poland)
*1772-1919 West Prussia (Westpreussen, part of Kingdom of Prussia)

Duchy of Bialogarda/Belgard (Ksiestwo bialogardzkie)

*1207 Subislaw II
*1215/1229-1257 Raciborz Pomorski
*from 1257 part of Pomerelia

Duchy of Gdańsk/Danzig (Księstwo gdańskie)

*to 1215 part of Duchy of Pomerelia
*1215-1266 Świętopełk II the Great (Świętopełk II Wielki)
*1266-1271 Warcisław II
*from 1271 part of the Duchy of Pomerelia

Duchy of Lubiszewo (Ksiestwo lubiszewskie)

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

Duchy of Swiecie/Schwetz (Ksiestwo swieckie)

*to 1178 part of Pomerelia
*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 Pomerelia

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 Pomerelia
*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 Casimir I
*1180-1187 Boguslaw I
*1187-1220 Boguslaw II and Casimir 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, Casimir 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 Casimir 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 Casimir I
*1202-1219/20 Casimir 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 Pomerelia)
*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:
*1325-1326 Warcislaw IV
*1326-1368 Boguslaw V, Warcislaw V, Barnim IV
*1368-1372 Warcislaw VI, Boguslaw VI
*1372-1394 Warcislaw VI
*1394-1415 Warcislaw VIII
*1415-1432/6 Swietobor II
*1432/6-1451 Barnim VIII
*1451-1457 Warcislaw IX
*1457-1478 Warcislaw X

from 1474 part of Duchy of Wologoszcz/Wolgast (Ksiestwo wologoskie)

from 1478 part of Duchy of Pomerania

Dukes of Pomerania: Encyclopedia BETA

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