Editing Bolesław III Wrymouth (section)

===Struggle for supremacy (1102–06)===
[[Image:Mapa podziału Księstwa Polskiego w 1102.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Division of Poland between Bolesław (red) and Zbigniew (green)]]
Władysław I Herman died on 4 June 1102.<ref name="Jasienica, p. 117">P. Jasienica: ''Polska Piastów'', Warsaw 2007, p. 117.</ref> The country was divided into two provinces, each administered by one of the late duke's sons. The extent of each province closely resembled the provinces that the dukes were granted by their father three years earlier, the only difference being that [[Zbigniew of Poland|Zbigniew]] also controlled [[Mazovia]] with its capital at [[Płock]], effectively ruling the northern part of the kingdom, while his younger half-brother Bolesław ruled its southern portion.<ref>Stanisław Szczur: Historia Polski: Średniowiecze – Krakow, 2008, pp.121</ref> In this way two virtually separate states were created.<ref>K. Maleczyński:Bolesław Krzywousty: Zarys Panowania, Krakow: 1947, pp. 53–56.</ref> According to some historians, Zbigniew tried to play the role of ''princeps'' or overlord,<ref>T. Manteuffel believed that Zbigniew tried to play the role of tutor of his younger half-brother. See T. Manteuffel: ''Polska wśród nowych państw Europy'' [in:] T. Manteuffel (ed.), ''Polska pierwszych Piastów. Państwo, społeczeństwo, kultura.'', p. 34. S. Szczur felt that the issue was a matter of overlordship. S. Szczur: ''Historia Polski – średniowiecze.'', p. 121. R. Grodecki thought that the principle of Seniorate was most accepted. The equality of both rulers came only in 1106. R. Grodecki, S. Zachorowski, J. Dąbrowski: ''Dzieje Polski średniowiecznej'', vol. I, pp. 135–136. A different view is presented by G. Labuda, who pointed out that Zbigniew maintained the equality of rule between both districts since the division of 1102. G. Labuda: ''Korona i infuła. Od monarchii do poliarchii'', pp. 16–17.</ref> because at that time Bolesław was only 16 years old. Because he was still too inexperienced to independently direct his domains, the local nobility had great influence over political affairs, including his teacher, [[Skarbimir]], from the [[Abdank coat of arms|Awdaniec family]].<ref name="Barański, p. 193">M. K. Barański: ''Dynastia Piastów w Polsce'', Warsaw 2008, p. 193.</ref>

They conducted separate policies internally as well as externally. They each sought alliances, and sometimes they were enemies of one another. Such was the case with [[Pomerania]], towards which Bolesław aimed his ambitions. Zbigniew, whose country bordered [[Pomerania]], wished to maintain good relations with his northern neighbor. Bolesław, eager to expand his dominion, organized several raids into Pomerania and [[Prussia]].<ref name="Jasienica, p. 117"/> In Autumn of 1102 Bolesław organized a war party into Pomerania during which his forces sacked [[Białogard]].<ref>M. K. Barański: ''Dynastia Piastów w Polsce'', Warsaw 2008, p. 194.</ref>

The [[Pomeranians (Slavic tribe)|Pomeranians]] sent retaliatory war parties into Polish territory, but as Pomerania bordered Zbigniew's territory these raids ravaged the lands of the duke who was not at fault. Therefore, in order to put pressure on Bolesław, Zbigniew allied himself with [[Bořivoj II, Duke of Bohemia|Bořivoj II]] of Bohemia, to whom he promised to pay tribute in return for his help.<ref name="Barański, p. 193"/> By aligning himself with Bolesław's southern neighbor Zbigniew wished to compel Bolesław to cease his raids into Pomerania. Bolesław, on the other hand, allied himself with [[Kievan Rus]] and [[Hungary]]. His marriage to [[Zbyslava of Kiev|Zbyslava]], the daughter of [[Sviatopolk II]] Iziaslavich in 1103, was to seal the alliance between himself and the prince of [[Kiev]].<ref>S. Szczur: ''Historia Polski – średniowiecze'', p. 121.</ref> However, Bolesław's first diplomatic move was to recognize Pope [[Paschal II]], which put him in strong opposition to the [[Holy Roman Empire]]. A later visit of papal legate Gwalo, Bishop of Beauvais, put church matters into order and increased Bolesław's influence.<ref>M. K. Barański: ''Dynastia Piastów w Polsce'', Warsaw 2008, pp. 193–194.</ref>

Zbigniew declined to attend the marriage of Bolesław and Zbyslava. He saw this union and the alliance with Kiev as a serious threat. He bribed<ref name="Barański, p. 195">M. K. Barański: ''Dynastia Piastów w Polsce'', Warsaw, 2008, p. 195.</ref> his ally, Bořivoj II of Bohemia, to invade Bolesław's province, ostensibly to claim the Polish crown.<ref>R. Drogi: [http://jaxa.blox.pl/2005/11/PANSTWO-CZESKIE-PRZEMYSLIDOW-historia-Czech-czIII1.html ''Państwo Czeskie Przemyślidów (historia Czech, cap. III, t. 1)'' (in Polish)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100212045234/http://jaxa.blox.pl/2005/11/PANSTWO-CZESKIE-PRZEMYSLIDOW-historia-Czech-czIII1.html |date=12 February 2010 }} [retrieved 13 July 2014].</ref> Bolesław retaliated with expeditions into Pomerania in 1103 (including the battle of [[Kołobrzeg]], where he was defeated<ref>M. K. Barański: ''Dynastia Piastów w Polsce'', pp. 195–196.</ref>) and Moravia in 1104–05, which brought the young duke not only loot, but also effectively ended the [[Pomeranians (Slavic tribe)|Pomeranian]] alliance.<ref>M. Spórna, P. Wierzbicki: Słownik władców Polski i pretendentów do tronu polskiego. Krakow, 2003, pp. 62.</ref><ref name="Spórna, p. 62">M. Spórna, P. Wierzbicki: ''Słownik władców Polski i pretendentów do tronu polskiego'', p. 62.</ref> During the return of the army, one part, commanded by Żelisław, was defeated by the Bohemians. Bolesław, who commanded the other part, couldn't defeat them. Skarbimir bribed Bořivoj II, who returned to his homeland and concluded a short-lived peace with Bolesław. Then Bořivoj II ended his alliance with Zbigniew.<ref name="Barański, p. 195"/>

The intervention of Bolesław in a dynastic dispute in Hungary put him in a difficult political situation. At first, he supported the pretender [[Álmos, Duke of Croatia|Álmos]], and marched to Hungary to help him. However, during the siege of [[Abaújvár]] in 1104, Álmos changed his mind and made peace overtures to his brother and rival King [[Coloman of Hungary|Coloman]], at that point Zbigniew's ally. Bolesław then retired his troops from Hungary and in 1105 made a treaty with Coloman. In addition, the Hungarian King broke his agreements with Bohemia.<ref>M. K. Barański: ''Dynastia Piastów w Polsce'', p. 196.</ref> The dynastic dispute in [[Prague]] between Bořivoj II and his cousin [[Svatopluk, Duke of Bohemia|Svatopluk]] prompted Bolesław and his new ally King Coloman to intervene in support of Svatopluk.<ref>M. K. Barański: ''Dynastia Piastów w Polsce'', pp. 196–197.</ref> However, a new rebellion by Álmos forced Coloman and his army to return to Hungary. Bolesław also decided to retreat. Svatopluk tried to capture the city alone, but suffered a complete defeat and so his attempt to seize power in Bohemia was unsuccessful.<ref>M. K. Barański: ''Dynastia Piastów w Polsce'', p. 197.</ref>

Also in 1105, Bolesław entered into an agreement with his half-brother, similar to that entered just a few years before with their stepmother Judith-Sophia, which, in exchange for abundant [[dower]] lands, secured her neutrality in Bolesław's political contest with Zbigniew.<ref name="Spórna, p. 62"/> The treaty, signed in [[Tyniec]], dealt with foreign policy, albeit with no agreement about Pomerania.<ref>K. Maleczyński: ''Bolesław III Krzywousty'', pp. 59–60.</ref> One year later, the treaty ended when Zbigniew refused to help his half-brother in his fight against Pomerania. While hunting, Bolesław was unexpectedly attacked by them{{clarify|date=August 2022}}. In the battle, the young duke almost died. Bohemia, using the involvement of Bolesław in Pomeranian affairs as an excuse, attacked Silesia. The duke tried to re-establish the alliance with his half-brother, but without success,<ref>M. K. Barański: ''Dynastia Piastów w Polsce'', pp. 198–199.</ref> and so reached a rapprochement with Bohemia in 1106. Bolesław managed to bribe Bořivoj II to join his side in the contest against Zbigniew and shortly after formally allied himself with Coloman of Hungary. With the help of his Kievan and Hungarian allies Bolesław attacked Zbigniew's territory, beginning a civil war.<ref>M. K. Barański: ''Dynastia Piastów w Polsce'', p. 199.</ref> The allied forces of Bolesław easily took control of most important cities, including [[Kalisz]], [[Gniezno]], [[Spycimierz]] and [[Łęczyca]],<ref name="Grodecki, p. 137">R. Grodecki, S. Zachorowski, J. Dąbrowski: ''Dzieje Polski średniowiecznej'', vol. I, p. 137.</ref> in effect taking half of Zbigniew's lands. Through the mediation of Baldwin, [[Archbishop of Kraków|Bishop of Kraków]], a peace treaty was signed at [[Łęczyca]],<ref name="Szczur, p. 122">S. Szczur: ''Historia Polski – średniowiecze'', p. 122.</ref> in which Zbigniew officially recognized Bolesław as the Supreme Duke of all Poland. However, he was allowed to retain [[Masovia]] as a fief.<ref>K. Maleczyński: ''Bolesław III Krzywousty'', p. 65.</ref>