Page "Władysław I the Elbow-high" Paragraph 8

Władysław was born circa 1260 as the third son of Kazimierz I Kujawski, Duke of Łęczyca, Sieradz and Kuyavia.

After the death of his father, he inherited Kuyavia, while the remaining two duchies went to his brothers, Leszek Czarny ( the Black ) and Ziemomysł.

However, following the deaths of both brothers, the entire inheritance passed to Władysław, who began the task of re-uniting the Kingdom of Poland.

His next step was winning Lesser Poland, for which he had to contest the local prince, Przemysł II.

Following Przemysł's death in 1296, Władysław proclaimed himself his successor and established himself in Lesser Poland, as well as Pomerania.

While Władysław enjoyed the support of the Lesser Polish peasants, knights, and part of the clergy, who preferred a prince from the domestic Piast dynasty, he had to defer to Václav II of Bohemia, who had the support of the local lords.

In 1304 Władysław entered and occupied Lesser Poland with an army of his supporters, which, according to the 15th-century historian Jan Długosz, consisted of more peasants than knights.

He also conquered Pomerania around Gdańsk, but since he did not win the favour of the local lords and settlers from Brandenburg who had migrated to that area, he was forced to give up the idea of complete control of the Baltic coast.