Editing Hedwig of Silesia (section)

===Duchess consort===
At the age of twelve, Hedwig married [[Henry I the Bearded]], son and heir of the [[Silesian Piasts|Piast]] duke [[Bolesław I the Tall|Boleslaus the Tall]] of [[Duchy of Silesia|Silesia]]. As soon as Henry succeeded his father in 1201, he had to struggle with his [[Piast dynasty|Piast]] relatives, at first with his uncle Duke [[Mieszko IV Tanglefoot]] who immediately seized the Upper Silesian [[Duchy of Opole]]. In 1206 Henry and his cousin Duke [[Władysław III Spindleshanks]] of [[Greater Poland]] agreed to swap the Silesian [[Lubusz Land]] against the [[Kalisz]] region, which met with fierce protest by Władysław's III nephew [[Władysław Odonic]]. When Henry went to [[Gąsawa]] in 1227 to meet his Piast cousins, he narrowly saved his life, while High Duke [[Leszek I the White]] was killed by the men of the [[Pomerelia]]n Duke [[Swietopelk II, Duke of Pomerania|Swietopelk II]], instigated by Władysław Odonic.

[[File:Sw Jadwiga godzi Henryka Brodatego z Konradem Mazowieckim.jpg|thumb|160px|left|Hedwig intercedes between Henry and Konrad, 19th century depiction]]

The next year Henry's ally [[Władysław III Spindleshanks]] succeeded Leszek I as [[Seniorate Province|High Duke]]; however as he was still contested by his nephew in Greater Poland, he made Henry his governor at [[Kraków]], whereby the Silesian duke once again became entangled in the dispute over the [[Seniorate Province]]. In 1229 he was captured and arrested at [[Płock]] Castle by rivaling Duke [[Konrad I of Masovia]]. Hedwig proceeded to Płock pleading for Henry and was able to have him released.

Her actions promoted the reign of her husband: upon the death of the Polish High Duke Władysław III Spindleshanks in 1231, Henry also became Duke of [[Greater Poland]] and the next year prevailed as High Duke at Kraków. He thereby was the first of the Silesian Piast descendants of [[Władysław II the Exile]] to gain the rule over Silesia and the Seniorate Province in accord with the 1138 [[Testament of Bolesław III Krzywousty]].