Editing Legnica (section)

===Duchy of Legnica===
{{main|Duchy of Legnica}}
[[File:SM Legnica Zamek (5) ID 593146.jpg|thumb|left|The Piast Castle in Legnica]]

As the capital of the Duchy of Legnica at the beginning of the 14th century, Legnica was one of the most important cities of Central Europe, having a population of nearly 16,000 residents. The city began to expand quickly after the discovery of [[gold]] in the [[Kaczawa]] River between Legnica and [[Złotoryja|Złotoryja (Goldberg)]]. Unfortunately, such a growth rate can not be maintained long. Shortly after the city reached its maximum population increase, wooden buildings which had been erected during this period of rapid growth were devastated by a huge fire. The fire decreased the number of inhabitants in the city and halted any significant further development for many decades.

Legnica, along with other Silesian duchies, became a [[vassal]] of the [[Kingdom of Bohemia]] during the 14th century and was included within the multi-ethnic [[Holy Roman Empire]], however remained ruled by local dukes of the Polish [[Piast dynasty]]. In 1454, a local rebellion prevented Legnica from falling under direct rule of the Bohemian kings.<ref>T. Gumiński, E. Wiśniewski, ''Legnica. Przewodnik po mieście'', Legnica 2001, p. 15.</ref> In 1505, Duke [[Frederick II of Legnica]] met in Legnica with the duke of nearby [[Głogów]], [[Sigismund I the Old]], the future king of Poland.<ref name=ZL/>

[[File:Liegnitz-Mausoleum-1.jpg|thumb|Mausoleum of the last Piast dukes in the Saint John the Baptist church]]
[[File:Legnica, ul. Partyzantów 22-23.JPG|thumb|One of the preserved streets in Legnica's Old Town with the Castle in the background]]

The [[Protestant Reformation]] was introduced in the duchy as early as 1522 and the population became [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]]. In 1526, a Protestant university was established in Legnica, which, however, was closed in 1529.<ref name=ZL/> In 1528 the first printing house in Legnica was established.<ref name=ZL/> After the death of King [[Louis II of Hungary|Louis II of Hungary and Bohemia]] at [[Battle of Mohács|Mohács]] in 1526, Legnica became a fief of the [[Habsburg monarchy]] of Austria. The first map of Silesia was made by native son [[Martin Helwig]]. The city suffered during the [[Thirty Years' War]]. In 1633 a [[Plague (disease)|plague]] epidemic broke out, and in 1634 the Austrian army destroyed the suburbs.<ref name=ZL/>

In 1668 Duke of Legnica [[Christian, Duke of Brieg|Christian]] presented his candidacy to the Polish throne, however, in the [[1669 Polish–Lithuanian royal election]] he wasn't chosen as King. In 1676, Legnica passed to direct [[Habsburg]] rule after the death of the last Silesian Piast duke and the last Piast duke overall, [[George William, Duke of Liegnitz|George William]] (son of Duke Christian), despite the earlier inheritance pact by Brandenburg and Silesia, by which it was to go to Brandenburg. The last Piast duke was buried in the St. John's church in Legnica in 1676.<ref name=ZL/>