Lower Silesia
:''This article is about the historical region. For the Polish administrative region see
Lower Silesian Voivodeship. For the former Prussian province see
Lower Silesia (Prussian province).
|
Coat of arms of Lower Silesia. |
Lower Silesia (); ;
Latin:
Silesia Inferior is the northwestern part of the historical and geographical region of
Silesia. Throughout its history Lower Silesia has been under the control of medieval
Poland,
Bohemia,
Austria,
Prussia, and
Germany, and after 1945 was split between Poland and Germany.
Polish Lower Silesia, the bulk of the historical region, is administratively part of the
Lower Silesian Voivodeship in western Poland, while a small region west of the
Lusatian Neisse added to Silesia in 1815 is divided between
Görlitz,
Niederschlesischer Oberlausitzkreis, and
Oberspreewald-Lausitz in eastern Germany.
Early history
Early documents mention a number of tribes believed to have lived in Lower Silesia. A
Bavarian geographer (ca. 845) reported the
Slenzanie (from which it is believed Silesia takes its name) and
Dziadoshanie tribes, while a document of the
Bishopric of Prague (1086) listed the
Zlasane,
Trebovane,
Poborane, and
Dedositze tribes. At the same time Upper Silesia was inhabited by the
Opolanie,
Lupiglaa, and
Golenshitse tribes. In the 9th and 10th centuries the territory was subject to the
Moravian and then
Bohemian rulers of the neighbouring area covered by today's
Czech Republic. In 990 Silesia was incorporated into
Poland by
Mieszko I.
Feudal fragmentation of Poland
Silesia was split into Lower and Upper parts in 1172 during the period of
Poland's feudal fragmentation, when the land was divided between two sons of High Duke
Władysław II:
Bolesław the Tall ruling over Lower Silesia with his capital in
Wrocław and
Mieszko Plątonogi ruling over
Upper Silesia with his capital in
Opole.
Later Silesia was divided into as many as 17
duchies.
Duchies of Lower Silesia in the 14th century (German names in italics):
*
Wrocław (
Breslau)
*
Brzeg (
Brieg)
*
Oleśnica (
Oels)
*
Legnica (
Liegnitz)
*
Ziębice (
Münsterberg)
*
Świdnica (
Schweidnitz)
*
Głogów (
Glogau)
*
Nysa (
Neisse)
*
Żagań-
Szprotawa (
Sagan - Sprottau)
*
Krosno Odrzańskie-
Ścinawa (
Krossen - Steinau)
The Bohemian Crown and Austria (1348-1742)
In 1348 most of the Silesian duchies were ruled by the Polish-speaking
Piast dukes under the feudal overlordship of the
Bohemian kings, and thus became part of the
Holy Roman Empire. In 1526 Silesia was acquired by
Austria's
Habsburg Monarchy after the death of King
Louis II of Bohemia.
In Prussia (1742-1945)
Most of Silesia became part of the
Kingdom of Prussia in 1742 after the
First Silesian War and was turned into the
Province of Silesia, divided into the districts of Lower Silesia (
Liegnitz), Middle Silesia (
Breslau), and Upper Silesia (
Oppeln).
The area around
Görlitz in
Upper Lusatia was added to Lower Silesia in 1815 following the
Napoleonic Wars.
By the beginning of the 20th century Lower Silesia had a predominantly German-speaking population. After
World War I, Upper Silesia was divided between
Germany,
Poland, and
Czechoslovakia, while Lower Silesia remained in Germany. The Prussian Province of Silesia was reorganized into the Provinces of
Lower Silesia and
Upper Silesia.
After 1945
In 1945 after
World War II Lower Silesia east of the Lusatian Neisse was assigned to Poland by the
Allies and its German population was forcefully
expelled. From 1945-1975 Lower Silesia was reorganized into
Wrocław Voivodeship. As a result of the Local Government Reorganisation Act (1975), Poland's administration was reorganized into 49
voivodeships, four of them in Lower Silesia:
Jelenia Góra ,
Legnica,
Wałbrzych and Wrocław Voivodeships (1975-1998). As a result of the Local Government Reorganisation Act of 1998, these four provinces were joined into the
Lower Silesian Voivodeship (effective
1 January 1999), whose capital is Wrocław.
The small section of Lower Silesia east of the Lusatian Neisse which remained in Germany is divided between the districts of
Görlitz and
Niederschlesischer Oberlausitzkreis in
Saxony and
Oberspreewald-Lausitz in
Brandenburg.
*
Dukes of Silesia*
Lower Silesia (Prussian province)*
Lower Silesian Voivodeship*
Silesia*
Upper Silesia
