Przemysà Âaw I Noszak (, , ; 13 February 1334 â 23 May 1410), was a Duke of Cieszyn-Bytom-Siewierz from 1358 (during 1359âÂÂ1368 he lost Siewierz and in 1405 also lost Bytom), from 1384 ruler over half of both Gà Âogów and à Âcinawa (except during 1404âÂÂ1406) and after 1401 ruler over Toszek.
He was the third son of Casimir I, Duke of Cieszyn, by his wife Euphemia, daughter of Duke Trojden I of Czersk-Warsaw.
At first, it seemed that Przemysà Âaw had no better chance of getting any part of his father's inheritance; however, the early deaths of his older brothers Wà Âadysà Âaw (in 1355) and Bolesà Âaw (in 1356) made him the main heir of Duke Casimir I.
From 1355 Przemysà Âaw began his political life at the court of Emperor Charles IV, where a year later he received the dignity of court judge after the death of his brother Wà Âadysà Âaw. After his father's death in 1358 he took full control over Cieszyn, without interrupting his diplomatic career.
His marriage to Elisabeth, daughter of Bolesà Âaw, Duke of Koà ºle-Bytom in 1360 give him additional rights over the half of Bytom taken by his father Casimir I in 1357. The dispute over these lands with the Dukes of Oleà Ânica was definitely resolved in 1358. Casimir I remained as legal guardian over the three daughters of the late Duke of Bytom: Elisabeth (Przemysà Âaw's future wife), Euphemia and Bolka, who had to renounce all their claims over half of Bytom and Koà ºle, so the Dukes of Cieszyn took almost the whole inheritance of Duke Bolesà Âaw (except Koà ºle and half of Bytom, which was taken by the Dukes of Oleà Ânica). Unfortunately, the acquisition of Bytom didn't last.
Przemysà Âaw quickly became one of the most important figures in the court of Prague, and Emperor Charles IV entrusted him with numerous (and sometimes very difficult) tasks. In 1361 he helped to conclude the agreement between Prague and the margraves of Brandenburg and was involved in the acquisition of the Wittelsbach's succession by Charles IV. Also, he successfully dismantled the alliance between the King Louis I of Hungary and the German princes. Przemysà Âaw's position was supported by the fact that he participated in the famous Congress of Wierzynek in Kraków.
In 1380 he was sent to Paris where he was supposed to help maintain the alliance between Bohemia and France. This mission was, however, unsuccessful. He also tried to negotiate the peace between England and France, who were engaged in the Hundred Years' War. Przemysà Âaw also negotiated the marriage of Princess Anne of Bohemia, Charles IV's daughter, to Richard II, King of England. His own daughter, Princess Margaret traveled to England with Anne as her lady-in-waiting. As a reward for the successful negotiations, the Duke of Cieszyn received from King Richard II an annual salary of 500 pounds. Thanks to the negotiations with England, the relations between Przemysà Âaw and Charles IV's successor, Wenceslaus IV, were considerably improved. The Bohemian king, who was also King of the Romans, appointed the Duke of Cieszyn as his Vicar in the German countries. In this new office, Przemysà Âaw's diplomatic skills were used in several disputes between various members of the local nobility, for example, in the peaces of Heidelberg and Koblenz and in 1389, during the negotiations about the borders between the Bohemian Kingdom and Meissen.
In the second half of the 1380s, Przemysà Âaw became active in the internal politics of Bohemia. In 1386 he acted as Governor of Bohemia when King Wenceslaus IV was abroad. Tensions between the local and foreign nobility escalated and he was eventually removed from his positions by the Bohemian nobility. His position was filled by Jan II of Iron, Duke of Racibórz. This resulted in a deep hostility between the two Dukes. The high point of this dispute was the murder of the Cieszyn Duke's eldest son Przemysà Âaw on 1 January 1406 in the town of Rybnik, during his return from Gliwice to Cieszyn, by a certain Martin Chrzan, who acted under instructions of Duke Jan II. The conflict was finally ended by a peace treaty signed on 7 November 1407 in à »ory.
As a result of the unstable situation in Bohemia, banditry acts increased. Przemysà Âaw's diplomatic efforts resulted in a treaty with King Wà Âadysà Âaw II Jagieà Âà Âo of Poland, signed on 12 June 1397, where both sides pledged to fight banditry in the borderlands. Przemysà Âaw gained the trust of the Polish king, who appointed him Governor of Kraków, where he remained until 1401. The Duke also took part in negotiations with the Polish Teutonic Knights in 1410, but without positive results.
After 1378 Przemysà Âaw increasingly began to suffer from gout. The disease eventually left the former vigorous Duke a complete invalid, so he was forced to use a litter. It was at this time that the Duke of Cieszyn became known by his nickname: Noszak (from Polish "nosiÃÂ", to carry) The progressive disease forced Przemysà Âaw in 1396 to abandon his interference in Bohemian politics.
During his reign, Przemysà Âaw also extended his possessions and gained lands surrounding Toszek and Pyskowice and half of the Bytom and Gliwice lands. In 1359 he sold Siewierz to Duke Bolko II the Small of à Âwidnica for the amount of 2,300 fines (the land returned to him only after Bolko II's death in 1368). After the dispute with Konrad I of Oleà Ânica, Przemysà Âaw managed to obtain, in the redistribution of the Duchy of Koà ºle-Bytom, the southern part of the Duchy. During 1378-1382 he also took from his relative the Dukes of Racibórz the town of à »ory. Finally, with the support of King Wenceslas IV, in 1384 he obtained half of both Gà Âogów and à Âcinawa and one year later (in 1385), he bought Strzelin to Duke Bolko III of ZiÃÂbice. Also, Przemysà Âaw annexed to his Duchy the town of Zator, given to him by the Emperor Charles IV in 1372. In 1401, the Duke of Cieszyn acquired the town of Toszek.
As the closest male relative of Duke Jan III of Oà ÂwiÃÂcim, Przemysà Âaw obtained the right of succession of his Duchy in case of his death without issue; in 1405, after Jan III's death, the Duke of Cieszyn inherited Oà ÂwiÃÂcim, but immediately he ceded them (with Zator) to his eldest son and namesake Przemysà Âaw, who one year before (in 1404) received the government of half of Gà Âogów and half of à Âcinawa. After Przemysà Âaw's death in 1406, half of Gà Âogów and half of à Âcinawa returned to the Duke of Cieszyn. Oà ÂwiÃÂcim was inherited by the late Duke's only son, Casimir, who, a minor at that time, was placed under the regency of his grandfather, and after his death, of his uncle Bolesà Âaw I, who received the independent rule of Bytom and Toszek in 1405.
He is regarded as one of the most skilled Piast Dukes of Cieszyn. He was a skilled diplomat and negotiator, experienced in many diplomatic efforts in several European countries. His internal politics in the Duchy thus remains little known.
Przemysà Âaw I Noszak died on 23 May 1410 and was buried in the Dominican church of Cieszyn.
By 1360, Przemysà Âaw married Elisabeth (b. ca. 1347/50 â d. 1374), daughter of Bolesà Âaw, Duke of Koà ºle -Bytom. They had four children:
|-
|-
|-
|-
|-
|-
|-