Casimir II of Poland

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This article is about the 12th century Polish king. For other uses, please see Casimir.

Casimir the Just by Jan Matejko.

Casimir II, called the Just (Polish: Kazimierz II Sprawiedliwy; 1138 – 5 May 1194), of the Piast Dynasty, was the youngest son of Boleslaus III by Salome, daughter of Henry, Duke of Berg. He reigned as Duke of Kraków and senior prince of Poland (see Seniorate) from 1177 until his death.

Born shortly before or after his father's death, and omitted (possibly for that reason) from Boleslaus' will dividing the kingdom among Casimir's four elder brothers, he set about securing the basis for a claim to power. In 1167, he inherited from his brother Henry the dukedom of Wiślica, and in 1173 he obtained that of Sandomierz.

In 1177, a rebellion by the barons of Lesser Poland against Mieszko III the Old led to the elevation of Casimir to the ducal throne of Kraków. In order to end internal conflicts within the decentralised Polish state, Casimir distributed lands to his nephews: Poznań to Otto, son of Mieszko the Old; Kuyavia to Leszek; Silesia to Boleslaus the Tall; Bytom, Racibórz, Oświęcim, and Siewierz to Mieszko; and Głogów to Conrad. Mieszko the Old was forced to give up Greater Poland to Otto. Boguslaus I of Pomerania, receiving little support from divided Poland, became a vassal of Henry the Lion. In 1181, he recognised the suzerainty of Frederick Barbarossa, Holy Roman Emperor, and Western Pomerania was lost to Poland.

In 1180, Casimir called an assembly of nobles at Łęczyca. He granted privileges to the nobles and the Church, lifting a tax on the profits of the clergy and relinquishing his rights over the lands of deceased bishops. By these acts, he won acceptance of the principle of hereditary succession to Kraków, though it would take more than a century to restore the Polish kingship.

Casimir died unexpectedly at a banquet, probably of poisoning. He was succeeded in Kraków by his son Leszek the White. He left another son, Conrad.

Monarchs of Poland
Piast	Siemowit • Lestko • Siemomysł • Mieszko I • Boleslaw I the Brave • Mieszko II Lambert • Bezprym • Mieszko II Lambert • Casimir I the Restorer • Boleslav II the Bold • Władysław I Herman • Zbigniew of Poland • Bolesław III Wrymouth • Władysław II the Exile • Bolesław IV the Curly • Mieszko III the Old • Casimir II the Just • Leszek I the White • Władysław III Spindleshanks • Mieszko IV Tanglefoot • Konrad I of Masovia • Henry I the Bearded • Henry II the Pious • Konrad I of Masovia • Bolesław V the Chaste • Leszek II the Black • Henryk IV Probus • Premislas II
Přemyslid	Venceslaus II • Wenceslaus III
Piast	Władysław I the Elbow-high • Casimir III the Great
Angevin	Ludwik the Hungarian • Jadwiga Angevin
Jagiellon	Władysław II Jagiełło • Władysław III of Varna • Casimir IV Jagiellon • John I Albert • Alexander Jagiellon • Sigismund I the Old • Sigismund II Augustus
Elected	Henry III of France • Anna Jagiellon • Stefan Batory • Sigismund III Vasa • Władysław IV Vasa • John II Casimir • Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki • John III Sobieski • August II the Strong • Stanisław Leszczyński • Augustus II the Strong • Stanisław Leszczyński • August III the Saxon • Stanisław August Poniatowski