Timeline
EARLY MIDDLE AGES
I. Old Hillfort period 650–800. Pre-Great Moravian period, arrival of Slavs in Silesia
In the territory of Czech Silesia, we can find the presence of Slavs only from the 8th century. However, with a considerable reserve, some researchers place it as early as the second half of the 7th century. At that time, burial mounds with cremation graves appeared in Silesia.
From the 8th century, influences from the west and south grew stronger. Hillforts with stone elements appear as well as finds of spurs with hooks.
II. Middle Hillfort period 800–950. Great Moravia, House of Mojmír
In the 9th century, the first written mention of the Holasic tribe appears in a manuscript from a monastery near Lake Constance entitled Descriptio civitatum et regionum ad septentrionalem plagam Danubii (Description of Cities and Regions North of the Danube). This document lists the five "cities" of the Holasic tribe
(Golensizi ciuitates V). However, they were rather hillforts.
The Holasic tribe, which belonged to the Lech tribes (one of the Silesian tribes), occupied the southern part of the territory on the upper reaches of the Odra River, later known as Upper Silesia. In the north and west, it was bordered by the Opolans, in the south by the Moravians, and, in the east, by the Wislan tribe.
The tribe's centre was in the area between today's Těšín and Opava, in the river basins of Opava, Odra, Olza, and Psina.
The central castle of the Holasic tribe was situated in the place of today's village of Lubomia (in Poland).
In the course of the 9th century, Silesia enters the sphere of influence of the Great Moravian Empire. The expansion into Upper Silesia itself is associated with the year 875. In the southern part of Upper Silesia, there are also the most Great Moravian finds (Hradec nad Moravicí, Stěbořice, Vávrovice, Malé Hoštice). Men's graves contained iron axes, arrowheads, spurs, and knives, while women's graves contained silver and bronze earrings, rings, and glass pearls.
The control of the region by the Great Moravian Empire took place under Prince Svatopluk, and that was more for economic reasons than political-strategic ones. The main goals of Moravian expansion were Silesian iron ore deposits and slaves. On the promontory above the Moravice River in Hradec, near its eastern edge, a rich warrior's grave was discovered; it comprised finds identical to contemporary artefacts from Central and South Moravia. The conveniently situated location became a springboard from which the territory not only in the Opava river basin but also further east was gradually controlled. Here, from the hillfort in Chotěbuz-Podobora, the Moravian expansion proceeded further to the northeast, into the heart of the Wislan tribe.
When administering the territory of the Holasic tribe, direct military occupation of the Great Moravians is assumed for at least 30 years. This political situation prevailed here until the collapse of the Great Moravian Empire at the beginning of the 10th century. The entire Great Moravian Anabasis in the area around the Opava River did not even last an entire century. Even so, it has made a very significant mark in the history of the region, and archaeological finds proving the influence of Great Moravia are becoming more frequent thanks to intensive archaeological research and allow us to expand our knowledge about this important period of our early history.
Great Moravian power collapsed in Silesia under the weight of Hungarian attacks in the late 9th and early 10th centuries.
III. Early Hillfort period 950–1200. Consolidation of the Czech state in Silesia, the Přemyslids
After the collapse of the Great Moravian Empire, the presence of Russian Vikings, the so-called Varangians, is archaeologically documented in the territory.
In the next period, the area of Silesia became the territory for which the Czech Přemyslids fought with the Polish princes from the House of Piast. The territory, including neighbouring Moravia, was annexed to the Polish principality under Boleslav the Brave (967 – June 17, 1025). Calming down took place only during the reign of Prince Břetislav I (between 1002 and 1005 – January 10, 1055, Chrudim). In October 1041, he pledged allegiance to the German King Henry III in Regensburg and received two lands he had gained by conquering the Poles. It was probably Moravia and Silesia or two territories in Silesia (the Wrocław, Opole or Holasic Regions). Břetislav retained the territory of the Holasic Region even after the peace established in Quedlinburg in 1,054 when he ceded Silesia to Casimir I (establishment of the Holasic Province). In the 11th century, the Holasic Region certainly became part of the Přemyslid estate and, for several centuries, part of Moravia (within the Principality of Olomouc).
After the death of Břetislav, the Polish prince Boleslav II unsuccessfully tried to conquer Hradec nad Moravicí and, in an attempt to prevent Spytihněv II, supported the German attack against his ally Béla I fighting for the Hungarian crown.
Silesia subsequently became the scene of strife between the emerging Polish and Czech states.
1155 – the Holasic Region is mentioned in the bull issued by Pope Hadrian IV as an area within the boundaries of the Wrocław diocese. Těšín is also mentioned there for the first time.
HIGH MIDDLE AGES 1200–1300. CONSOLIDATION OF THE INFLUENCE OF CZECH RULERS IN SILESIA, GERMAN COLONIZATION, THE PŘEMYSLIDS
Silesia is the scene of the so-called German colonization. The settlers brought new economic methods to Silesia. In particular, the three-field system of land cultivation was expanded, and money rent was introduced. Urban colonization also developed. The oldest document evidencing a town's location in Silesia was preserved for Lemberk from 1217, for Bruntál from 1223 and a year later for Opava. By the middle of the 13th century, twenty cities and towns were founded in Silesia.
In 1241, Mongol troops invaded Silesia and, after the battle of Legnica, which ended with the defeat of the Silesian, Lesser Poland and Moravian troops, the Holasic Region was plundered.
In 1253, Opava was attacked by allies of the Hungarian king in the fight against Přemysl Otakar II. Opava resisted, but the Opava region was looted by the attackers.
On July 4, 1269, Nicolas, the lord of Opava (dominus Opavie), a by-blow of the Czech king Přemysl Otakar II, is mentioned for the first time in a document; he received revenues from the landowner's property in the Opava region, thereby creating the prerequisites for the later separation of the Opava region from Moravia and the creation of the Principality of Opava as an independent country of the Czech Crown next to the Czech Kingdom and the Moravian Margraviate.
August 26, 12
·In Opava , on August 15, 1289, King Wenceslas III meets with the dukes of Poland and some Silesian princes to negotiate support for his political intentions, thus gaining allies.
LATE MIDDLE AGES 1300–1526. THE LATE MIDDLE AGES 1300–1526. THE CONNECTION OF SILESIA WITH THE LAND OF THE CZECH CROWN, THE HOUSE OF LUXEMBOURG ON THE CZECH THRONE, THE HUSSITE MOVEMENT, GEORGE OF PODĚBRADY AND THE JAGIELLONS
SILESIA DURING THE TIMES OF THE HOUSE OF LUXEMBOURG
During the reign of the House of Luxembourg on the Czech throne, the influence of the Czech Crown in Silesia was strengthened. Efforts began as early as 1327, when Casimir I, Prince of Těšín, became a feoffee of John of Luxemburg. The transition of Silesia to the Czech lands took place in 1335. During the reign of John and Charles, the Czech dominion in Silesia was formally and legally confirmed and the territory thus became part of the Czech Kingdom.
From 1312 to 1313, a local war broke out between the Opava burghers and Drslav, the second castellan of the Silesian-Ostrava Castle (1312–1332).
In 1318, John of Luxembourg granted the Opava region to the Opava prince Nicolas II as a fief, making Opava an independent country.
In 1337, despite the displeasure of the Silesian Piasts, Nicholas II received possession of the Raciborz region, as a result of which the land protection army had to occupy the town of Raciborz and its surroundings.
Between 1345 and 1348, during the Czech-Polish War, King Casimir III the Great attacked Opava, but the attack was successfully repulsed by the Czech army.
On August 9, 1339, the Prudnik region was finally separated from Opava with the consent of John of Luxemburg.
On April 7, 1346, Charles IV issued a privilege by the power of the Roman King, in which he declared that the Principality of Opava fell as a fief of the Czech kings and the Crown of the Czech Kingdom under the legislation and direct dominion of the kings and the Crown of the Czech Kingdom.
After the death of Nicholas II of Opava in 1377, the Principality of Opava was divided between his sons. The eldest Jan received the Raciborz region and the Krnov region from the Principality of Opava. The Opava region was held jointly by Přemek and Wenceslas, Nicolas III acquired the Glubczyce region.
SILESIA FROM THE HUSSITE WARS UNTIL THE END OF THE MIDDLE AGES
Silesia became a leading centre of anti-Hussite activities, although somewhat less anti-Czech sentiment prevailed in Upper Silesia. In January 1425, the first incursions of Hussite troops into the Principality of Opava took place, and the town of Odry fell into the hands of the Hussites. The Hussites retreated from Silesia after the Battle of Lipany in 1434. They definitively left Silesia at the beginning of 1435.
On September 18, 1421, the military protection army of the princes and cities was deployed and garrisons were placed in the threatened cities of Krnov and Opava. The Prince of Opava, Přemek I, took the lead in anti-Hussite activities.
On March 18, 1428, in the Battle of the Nisa, the troops of Prokop Holý clashed with the troops of the Wrocław bishop Conrad led by the Kłodzko governor Půta from Častolovice. Even though the Hussites celebrated their victory, they failed to capture the city itself. However, a vast area of Silesia was plundered.
In March to May 1428 (after the Battle of Nisa), part of the Hussites, led by Jan Tovačovský from Cimburk, Dobeš Puchala and others, turned to Silesia after the campaign in Moravia. The inhabitants of Silesian Ostrava, Osoblaha and Kietrz fled, Opava defended itself, but Prince Wenceslas II of Opava pledged to help the Hussites and also surrendered Glubczyce and Hradec.
In September 1431, the troops of Tábor governors Jan Čapek from Sány and Otík from Loza invaded Silesia. On September 28, they signed an armistice agreement with Přemek of Opava.
The extinction of the direct Luxembourg line on the Czech throne (with the death of Sigismund of Luxembourg on February 9, 1437) plunged Silesia into a whirlwind of wars again. After the opposition part of the Czech nobility and cities rejected Albrecht II of Habsburg, the son-in-law of Emperor Sigismund, as the official heir, they offered the state crown to Casimir, the brother of the Polish king Vladislav III Jagiellon. They declared him king on May 29, 1438, in Mělník. However, Albrecht entered Prague on June 13, 1438, and was also crowned by a large part of the Czech Congress on June 29. Casimir supported his claim in the autumn of 1438 by invading Upper Silesia, and his troops also operated in the Opava region. However, the success was not permanent, because, already in November 1438, Albrecht invaded Silesia and received the tribute of all the Silesian princes in Wrocław.
The conflict flared up again after the death of Albrecht of Habsburg in October 1439. The Silesian princes sided with Albrecht's son Ladislav Pohrobek. Small wars were thus sparked on the Silesian-Polish border and dragged on for most of the reign of Ladislav Pohrobek.
After the surprising death of Ladislav Pohrobek in 1457, the question of succession to the Czech throne was reopened. George of Poděbrady, who, during his administration, began to build a power base in Silesia and, in 1465, acquired the Opava principality as a Czech king, entered the scene. After his coronation in 1458, he won most of the Silesian princes and cities over (except for Wrocław) using a clever policy. The support didn't last long. In 1466, George was excommunicated by Pope Paul II and formally deprived of his throne and property as a heretic. As early as 1467, an anti-Poděbrady coalition was formed in Silesia, which the Hungarian king Matthias Corvinus joined in 1468. In 1469, Matthias' army invaded Silesia. The planned offensive of 1471 did not take place due to the death of King George of Poděbrady, who appointed Vladislav Jagiellon as his successor even before his death. In Silesia at that time, anarchy arose, which was similar to the post-Hussite period, during which individual Silesian princes settled accounts with each other.
In the summer and autumn of 1474, Silesia became a battlefield again. Hungarian, Polish and Czech troops destroyed most of the country. The plague also added to the fighting.
In 1478, the situation finally calmed down after the Olomouc agreements. Vladislav Jagiellon was to receive Bohemia, while Corvinus was to receive Moravia, Silesia and Lusatia. Both of them used the title of Czech King.
Matthias Corvinus' policy led to the administrative unification of the entire country in Silesia. He acquired the Principality of Opava for his son John. After the death of Matthias Corvinus (1490), Silesia came under the control of one king again – Vladislav Jagiellon (1456–1516). Matthias' supporters were severely persecuted in Silesia. John Corvinus gave up all his Silesian principalities in exchange for estates in Hungary.
In October to November 1438, the troops of Vladislav Jagiellon invaded Silesia and occupied Opava.
From September 13 to 27, 1473, representatives of Vladislav II Jagiellonian, Matthias Corvinus and the Polish king Casimir IV met in Opava. Nevertheless, no agreement was reached.
The rule of Vladislav Jagiellon in Silesia was the opposite of the violent rule of Matthias Corvinus. The power and influence of the Silesian estates (only one of the Silesian princes could be a governor in Silesia; the ban on conscripting Silesians for military service, levies and customs duties could only be authorized by the Congress, etc.) was strengthened. The Jagiellonian policy thus threatened the permanence of Silesia's connection with the lands of the Czech Crown, which led to Vladislav's majesty from 1510. This guaranteed that none of the principalities owned by Vladislav would be separated from the crown and that only Czechs would be the chief Silesian governor and governors in the Świdnica, Jawor, Glogów and Opava principalities.
On November 28, 1498, the Silesian estates received a great privilege from King Vladislav II Jagiellon in Buda. For example, a tribunal was established, or the procedure for appointing a provincial governor.
On January 11, 1510, Vladislav II issued the Jagiellonian Imperial Charter, which, among other things, prevented the secession of the Silesian principalities from the Czech Crown.
From around 1523 to 1526, Lutheran teachings penetrated Opava and Krnov regions.
The death of the Czech and Hungarian King Louis Jagiellon (born 1506) in 1526 in the Battle of Mainz led to the accession of the Habsburgs to the Czech throne and thus the granting of the Duchy of Opava and Krnov to the Lichtenstein Family (1613–1614). In fact, on this date, the Middle Ages ended in Silesia and the early modern period began.