Editing Lesser Poland (section)

== Geography and boundaries ==
[[File:ProwincjaMalopolska.png|thumb|right|The [[Lesser Poland Province, Crown of the Kingdom of Poland|Lesser Poland Province]] in the widest sense &ndash; with [[Podlachia]], [[Podolia]], [[Red Ruthenia]], [[Volhynia]] and [[Kijowszczyzna|Kiev]]]]

Lesser Poland lies in the area of the upper confluence of the [[Vistula]] river and covers a large upland, including the [[Świętokrzyskie Mountains]] with the [[Kraków-Częstochowa Upland]] further west, [[Małopolska Upland]], [[Sandomierz Basin]], and [[Lublin Upland]]. Unlike other historical parts of the country, such as [[Kujawy]], [[Mazovia]], [[Podlachia]], [[Pomerania]], or [[Greater Poland]], Lesser Poland is mainly hilly, with Poland's highest peak, [[Rysy]], located within the borders of the province. Flat are northern and central areas of the province – around [[Tarnobrzeg]], [[Stalowa Wola]], [[Radom]] and [[Siedlce]], also valleys of the main rivers – the Vistula, the [[Pilica (river)|Pilica]], and the [[San (river)|San]]. Apart from Rysy, there are several other peaks located in the province – [[Pilsko]], [[Babia Góra]], [[Turbacz]], as well as [[Łysica]] in the Świętokrzyskie Mountains. The southern part of the province is covered by the [[Carpathian Mountains]], which are made of smaller ranges, such as [[Pieniny]], [[Tatra Mountains|Tatry]], and [[Beskids|Beskidy]].

[[File:Palm Sunday in Poland.PNG|thumb|[[Palm Sunday]] in [[Lipnica Murowana]].]]
[[File:Mapa Wegier, Polski, Prus i Woloszczyzny, 1525. czwarte strassburskie wydanie, ptolemejskiej mapy Waldseemüllera z 1507 r.zamieszczone w wydaniu dziela Claudii Ptolemaei Geographicae enarrationis..jpg|thumb|The 1507 Lesser Poland and [[Red Ruthenia]] Map (''Polonia Minor'', ''Russia'') by [[Martin Waldseemüller]]<ref>{{Citation | last=Waldseemüller | first=Martin | author-link=Martin Waldseemüller | chapter=Karte von Germania, Kleinpolen, Hungary, Walachai u. Siebenbuergen nebst Theilen der angraenzenden Laender | year=1525 | title=Claudii Ptolemaei geographicae enarrationis libri octo | language=la, de }}</ref>]]

Almost the whole area is located in the Vistula Basin, with the exception of the western and southern parts, belonging to the [[Oder|Odra]] and [[Danube|Dunaj]] Basins. The main rivers of the province are the Vistula, upper [[Warta]], [[Soła]], [[Skawa]], [[Raba (river)|Raba]], [[Dunajec]], [[Wisłok]], [[Wisłoka]], [[San (river)|San]], [[Wieprz]], [[Przemsza]], [[Nida (river)|Nida]], [[Kamienna (river)|Kamienna]], [[Radomka]], and Pilica. The major lakes of the province are [[Lake Rożnów]], [[Lake Czchów]], [[Lake Dobczyce]], [[Lake Czorsztyn]], [[Lake Czaniec]], [[Lake Międzybrodzie]], [[Lake Klimkówka]] and [[Żywiec Lake]]. Most of them are man-made reservoirs.

Lesser Poland stretches from the [[Carpathian Mountains|Carpathians]] in the south to Pilica and [[Liwiec]] rivers to the north. It borders Mazovia to the north, [[Podlaskie Voivodeship|Podlaskie]] to the northeast, [[Red Ruthenia]]/[[Cherven Cities]] to the east, [[Slovakia]] to the south, [[Silesia]] to the west, and Greater Poland to the northwest. Currently, the region is divided between Polish [[voivodeship]]s – [[Lesser Poland Voivodeship]] (whole), Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship (whole), [[Silesian Voivodeship]] (eastern half), [[Podkarpackie Voivodeship]] (western part), [[Masovian Voivodeship]] (southern part), [[Łódź Voivodeship]] (southeastern corner), and [[Lublin Voivodeship]] (western part).

In Silesian Voivodeship, the border between [[Silesia]] and Lesser Poland is easy to draw, because, with only a few exceptions, it goes along boundaries of local [[powiat|counties]]. In the south, it goes along the western boundary of the ancient [[Duchy of Teschen]], with the borderline along the [[Biała (Vistula)|Biała]] river, with [[Zwardoń]], [[Milówka, Silesian Voivodeship|Milówka]] and [[Rajcza]] located in Lesser Poland. [[Bielsko-Biała]] is a city made up of two parts – Lesser Poland's Biala (also called ''Biala Krakowska''), makes up the eastern half of the city, and only in 1951 was it merged with Silesian Bielsko.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.powiat-bielsko-biala.info/powiat|title=Bielsko-Biała – najważniejsze informacje|publisher=Powiat Bielsko-Biała|access-date=19 April 2011|language=pl|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721231451/http://www.powiat-bielsko-biala.info/powiat|archive-date=21 July 2011}}</ref> Further north, the border goes along the western boundaries of the cities of [[Jaworzno]], and [[Sosnowiec]], along the [[Przemsza]] and [[Brynica]] rivers. Then it goes northwest, leaving [[Czeladź]], [[Siewierz]], [[Koziegłowy, Silesian Voivodeship|Koziegłowy]], [[Blachownia]], [[Kłobuck]] and [[Krzepice]] within Lesser Poland.<ref name="1909 guide">{{cite web|url=http://czestochowa.simis.pl/index.php?www=Modules/Przewodniki/Przewodnik-1909/krzepice_pl|title=Przewodnik po Częstochowie z 1909 roku|trans-title=The 1909 Guide to Czestochowa and vicinity|publisher=Czestochowski Serwis Informacyjny|quote=Starostwo krzepickie, zajmujące prawie 1/3 część dzisiejszego powiatu Częstochowskiego (do starostwa należało miasto Kłobuck i dwadzieścia kilka okolicznych wsi), zaliczało się do województwa krakowskiego i do powiatu lelowskiego.|language=pl|access-date=19 April 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814051825/http://czestochowa.simis.pl/index.php?www=Modules%2FPrzewodniki%2FPrzewodnik-1909%2Fkrzepice_pl|archive-date=14 August 2011}}</ref> From Krzepice, the border goes eastwards, towards [[Koniecpol]], and along the Pilica river, with such towns as [[Przedborz]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://old.ziemialodzka.pl/04_przedborz.htm|publisher=Portal Turystyczno – Krajoznawcy|title=Przedbórz|quote=W XVI – XVIII w. Przedbórz był siedzibą starostwa niegrodowego w ówczesnym województwie sandomierskim.|language=pl|access-date=19 April 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100906104306/http://old.ziemialodzka.pl/04_przedborz.htm|archive-date=6 September 2010}}</ref> [[Opoczno]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.opocznopowiat.pl/_portal/11933368214720dff55772a/Historia_powiatu.html|title=Powiat Opoczyński|trans-title=History of Opoczno County|language=pl|access-date=19 April 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720050948/http://www.opocznopowiat.pl/_portal/11933368214720dff55772a/Historia_powiatu.html|archive-date=20 July 2011}}</ref> [[Drzewica]], [[Białobrzegi]],{{sfn|Gloger|1903|p=186}} and [[Kozienice]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kozienicepowiat.pl/kozienice,2.html|title=Powiat Kozienicki|trans-title=County of Kozienice, History and monuments|quote=Ziemie wchodzące w skład dzisiejszego powiatu kozienickiego należały do dawnej dzielnicy sandomierskiej (...) Województwo sandomierskie obejmowało całą wschodnią część Małopolski po obu stronach Wisły.|language=pl|access-date=19 April 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616210058/http://www.kozienicepowiat.pl/kozienice,2.html|archive-date=16 June 2011}}</ref> located within Lesser Poland. East of Białobrzegi, the boundary goes mainly along the [[Radomka]] river, to the Vistula. East of the Vistula, the boundary goes north of [[Łaskarzew]] and [[Żelechów]], and south of Mazovian town of [[Garwolin]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wspolnota-powiatowa.neostrada.pl/biuletyn/2004_02/2004_02_06.html|title="Kalendarium historii Żelechowa" cz. 1|publisher=Biuletyn Informacyjny Nasz Wspólny Powiat|quote=Stąd właśnie Żelechów wraz z Ziemią Stężycką, w której centrum był położony, należał nie do Mazowsza, jak pobliski Garwolin, lecz do Ziemi Sandomierskiej, a wraz z nią do Małopolski.|language=pl|access-date=19 April 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100324110654/http://wspolnota-powiatowa.neostrada.pl/biuletyn/2004_02/2004_02_06.html|archive-date=24 March 2010}}</ref> turning northwest. The northernmost point of the province is marked by the [[Liwiec]] river, with both [[Siedlce]], and [[Łuków]] being part of Lesser Poland.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.siedlce.pl/miasto/wit_historia.php|publisher=Oficjalna Strona Internatowa Miasta Siedlce|title=Historia miasta|trans-title=History of the city|quote=Teren, na którym leżą obecnie Siedlce, stanowił niegdyś najbardziej na północ wysuniętą część małopolskiej ziemi łukowskiej i wraz z nią wchodził w skład województwa sandomierskiego, a od 1474 r. do lubelskiego.|language=pl|access-date=19 April 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725194119/http://www.siedlce.pl/miasto/wit_historia.php|archive-date=25 July 2011}}</ref> The line then goes south, with [[Miedzyrzec Podlaski]] being part of the historical [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania]], and [[Radzyń Podlaski]]<ref>[http://www.radzynpodlaski.pl/index.php?show=14 Gmina Radzyn Podlaski, History] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091226142150/http://www.radzynpodlaski.pl/index.php?show=14 |date=26 December 2009 }}</ref> as well as [[Parczew]] left in Lesser Poland.

Between the [[Vistula]] and the [[Bug River|Bug]] Rivers, the eastern border of Lesser Poland goes west of [[Leczna]], but east of [[Krasnystaw]] and [[Szczebrzeszyn]], both of which historically belong to [[Red Ruthenia]]/[[Cherven Cities]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.krasnystaw.ug.gov.pl/new/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=36&Itemid=62|publisher=Gmina Krasnystaw|title=Historia Administracyjna Gminy Krasnystaw|trans-title=History|quote=Krasnystaw należał więc do powiatu krasnostawskiego w ziemi chełmskiej w województwie ruskim.|language=pl|access-date=19 April 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002195153/http://www.krasnystaw.ug.gov.pl/new/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=36&Itemid=62|archive-date=2 October 2011}}</ref> Further south, Lesser Poland includes [[Frampol]], and [[Biłgoraj]], which lie in the southeastern corner on Lesser Poland's historical Lublin Voivodeship, close to the border with Red Ruthenia/Cherven Cities. The border then goes west of Biłgoraj, turning south, towards [[Leżajsk]] (which belongs to Red Ruthenia/Cherven Cities).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://umlezajsk.cms.zetorzeszow.eu/?c=mdTresc-cmPokaz-1|title=Historia miasta|trans-title=Town of Leżajsk|publisher=Serwis Internetowy Urzędu Miejskiego Leżajsku|quote=Przez cały wiek XIV Leżajsk należał do dóbr królewskich zgrupowanych w północno-wchodniej części województwa ruskiego w ówczesnym powiecie krzeszowskim|language=pl|access-date=19 April 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110813061230/http://umlezajsk.cms.zetorzeszow.eu/?c=mdTresc-cmPokaz-1|archive-date=13 August 2011}}</ref> The boundary between Lesser Poland and Red Ruthenia/Cherven Cities was described by Ukrainian historian and geographer Myron Korduba as being along the line [[Dukla]] – [[Krosno]] – [[Domaradz, Subcarpathian Voivodeship|Domaradz]] – [[Czudec]] – [[Krzeszów, Subcarpathian Voivodeship|Krzeszów nad Sanem]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scenamysli.eu/artykuly.php?id=507&lang=PL&dzial=3|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720172142/http://www.scenamysli.eu/artykuly.php?id=507&lang=PL&dzial=3|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 July 2011|last=Czarnik|first=Evelina|date=16 June 2009|title=Pogranicze Rusi: przebieg granicy polsko-ruskiej|language=pl|publisher=Portal Otwarty Scena Myśli|access-date=20 April 2011}}</ref> The border towns of Lesser Poland were: [[Rudnik nad Sanem|Rudnik]], [[Kolbuszowa]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kolbuszowa.org.pl/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=32|title=Notariusz Zalewska-Watras Barbara|quote=Kolbuszowa leżała w województwie sandomierskim i należała do powiatu sądowego i skarbowego w Pilźnie.|language=pl|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091019164913/http://www.kolbuszowa.org.pl/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=32|archive-date=19 October 2009}}</ref> [[Ropczyce]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.podkarpackie.travel.pl/html/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1390|title=Przewodnik: Ropczyce i okolice|publisher=Podkarpacki Regionalny Portal Turystyczny|quote=Ropczyce leżą w dolinie Wielopolki. W okresie staropolskim tereny te należały do województwa sandomierskiego.|language=pl|access-date=20 April 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724160802/http://www.podkarpackie.travel.pl/html/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1390|archive-date=24 July 2011}}</ref> [[Sędziszów Małopolski]], [[Strzyżów]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nowamalopolska.pl/newsysn/formatka.php?idwyb=288|publisher=Nowa Małopolska|title=Historyczna Małopolska|trans-title=Historical Lesser Poland|date=10 April 2007|language=pl|quote=PrzebiegaΠa ona od Karpat w rejonie JasΠa, wzdΠu˝ rzeki JasioΠki, a nast'pnie przechodziΠa przez WisΠok, zostawiajàc po stronie polskiej Strzy˝ów, zaÊ po ruskiej Rzeszów.|access-date=20 April 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626172228/http://www.nowamalopolska.pl/newsysn/formatka.php?idwyb=288|archive-date=26 June 2015}}</ref> [[Jasło]], [[Gorlice]], and [[Biecz]]. The southern border of Lesser Poland goes along the [[Carpathian Mountains]], and, except in a few cases, it has not changed for centuries. The cities of [[Leżajsk]], [[Rzeszów]], [[Sanok]], [[Brzozów]], and [[Krosno]] do not belong to historical Lesser Poland, as they are part of Red Ruthenia/Cherven Cities ([[Lwów Voivodeship]], around today's [[Lviv]], Ukraine).

[[File:Kazimierz-obrazy-na-rynku.jpg|thumb|left|[[Kazimierz Dolny]] on the right bank of the Vistula river.]]

Historically, Lesser Poland was divided into two lands - Kraków Land and Sandomierz Land, both of which emerged after the [[Testament of Bolesław III Krzywousty]]. In the 14th century, [[Sandomierz Voivodeship]] and [[Kraków Voivodeship (14th century – 1795)|Kraków Voivodeship]] were created, and in 1474, [[Lublin Voivodeship (1474–1795)|Lublin Voivodeship]] was carved out of three Sandomierz Voivodeship counties, located on the right bank of the [[Vistula]]. Historian Adolf Pawiński, who in the late 19th century was the director of the [[Polish Central Archives of Historical Records]], estimated in his book "Polska XVI wieku pod względem geograficzno-statystycznym", that the size of Kraków Voivodeship was 19,028&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>. Sandomierz Voivodeship had an area of 25,762&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, and Lublin Voivodeship had an area of 11,033&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>. Together with the [[Duchy of Siewierz]] (607&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), and the parts of [[Spiš]] that belonged to Poland after the [[Treaty of Lubowla]] (1211&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), the total area of Lesser Poland was 57,640 square kilometers.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.wbc.poznan.pl/dlibra/docmetadata?id=1814&from=publication|title=Małopolska. T. 1|first=Adolf|last=Pawiński|journal=Pan Biblioteka Kórnicka |date=1 January 1886|publisher=Warszawa|access-date=5 March 2017|via=dLibra|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170906181130/http://www.wbc.poznan.pl/dlibra/docmetadata?id=1814&from=publication|archive-date=6 September 2017}}</ref> Apart from the three historic lands, Lesser Poland includes other smaller regions, such as [[Podhale]], [[Nida River#Ponidzie|Ponidzie]], and [[Zagłębie Dąbrowskie]].