Duchy of Greater Poland: Map & History
The Duchy of Greater Poland was a district principality that encompassed much of the historical region of Greater Poland, with a territory roughly corresponding to the present-day Greater Poland Voivodeship in west-central Poland.
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The Duchy of Greater Poland was a district principality that encompassed much of the historical region of Greater Poland, with a territory roughly corresponding to the present-day Greater Poland Voivodeship in west-central Poland. It emerged in the 12th century following the 1138 testament of Bolesław III Wrymouth, which divided the previously unified Kingdom of Poland into several hereditary duchies, initiating a period of feudal fragmentation. Although nominally part of the Polish realm, the duchy functioned as a semi-autonomous Piast principality, governed independently by its own dukes.
Modern Countries Once Part of Duchy of Greater Poland
At its mapped extent, Duchy of Greater Poland covered territory in 1 present-day country. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Duchy of Greater Poland's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Duchy of Greater Poland in Depth
History
Upon the death of the Polish Piast duke Bolesław III Wrymouth in 1138, his realm was divided according to his testament into four to five hereditary provinces, each assigned to one of his sons. He also established the Seniorate Province of Kraków, reserved for his eldest son, Władysław II, who was designated as the High Duke and nominal overlord of all Poland.
As one of the provinces created by the 1138 testament, Greater Poland was assigned to Mieszko III the Old, the third son of Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth. Initially, Mieszko III ruled the western part of the Greater Polish lands, centered around Poznań. His dominion bordered the Duchy of Silesia to the south, the Seniorate Province to the east, and the Pomeranian territories to the north.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Duchy of Greater Poland (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Duchy of Greater Poland Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Duchy of Greater Poland appears, with the other states of the time.
Duchy of Greater Poland Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 116,933 km² in 1182 CE.
Duchy of Greater Poland: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Duchy of Greater Poland exist?
Duchy of Greater Poland is dated to 1139 CE – 1304 CE, in the High & Late Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of Duchy of Greater Poland?
The capital of Duchy of Greater Poland was Poznań.
How large was Duchy of Greater Poland at its peak?
At its peak in 1182 AD Duchy of Greater Poland covered about 116,933 km².
How did the map of Duchy of Greater Poland change over time?
Duchy of Greater Poland appears on 2 dated world maps in the atlas, from 1200 CE to 1300 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
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