The Těšín and Nysa regions
THE TĚŠÍN REGION
The area is located on both banks of the Olše (Olza) River. Historically, this is an old trade route leading from Krakow to Prague and Vienna.
In the 13th century (at the turn of 1281/1290), the independent Principality of Těšín was established. Měšek I of Těšín (1256-1315), eldest son of Prince Vladislav I (died 1281) and founder of the Těšín House of Piast, is considered its founder. Měšek I then chose Těšín as his residential city.
Even in 1297, the territory of Těšín region was designated as Polonia, but, in 1327, Casimir I (the second-born son of Měšek I of Těšín) made a fief pledge to King John of Luxembourg and the Principality of Těšín thus became part of the Lands of the Czech Crown.
Prince Wenceslas III Adam supported the Reformation, and, during his reign in 1545–1579, the vast majority of the population converted to Lutheranism. Both of these events had a fundamental influence on the cultural difference between the Těšín region and the rest of Upper Silesia, which is still evident today.
NYSA REGION
The territory extends along the middle reaches of the Nysa Kłodzka river, in the vicinity of today's town of Nysa. Today, the territory is divided between Poland (towns of Otmuchów, Paczków, Głuchołazy) and the Czech Republic (towns of Vidnava, Jeseník, Javorník).
The principality was established by the gradual concentration of the property of the Bishopric of Wrocław completed in 1344 when it was accepted as an equal Silesian principality. Otmuchów Castle became the starting point of unifying efforts taking place in the second half of the 13th and the first half of the 14th century. The area was predominantly German, due to colonization. Thanks to the mining of metals, miners came to the Nysa region from the west and took advantage of the potential of local sources of raw materials.