Henry II the Pious

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Henry II the Pious (Polish: Henryk II Pobożny, German: Heinrich II der Fromme; 1196/1207 – April 9, 1241) of Silesia was the third son of Henry I the Bearded and of Hedwig of Andechs (Pol. Jadwiga Śląska, Ger. Hl. Hedwig von Andechs).

He was married to Anna of Bohemia, the daughter of Ottokar I of Bohemia.

Henry the Pious succeeded his father in 1238 and became the most powerful of all of the dukes from Polish dynasty of Piasts^[1] competing to unify Piast territories and for the title of King of Poland. He united the majority of territories of Fragmented Poland (Silesia, Greater Poland and Little Poland).

In 1239, Henry the Pious supported Pope Gregory IX in the latter's conflict with Emperor Frederick II.

Henry the Pious, the father of Henry III the White, was able to defend his territories against Brandenburg.

Henry was killed fighting the Mongols at the Battle of Legnica (1241). His corpse could only be identified among the thousands of beheaded and mutilated corpses because of his eleven toes.

[edit] See also

• History of Poland (966-1385)
• Piast dynasty
• Dukes of Silesia

[edit] References

1. ^ Encyklopedia Powszechna PWN Warsaw 1975 vol. III page 505

Preceded by Henry I the Bearded

Duke of Wroclaw 1238-1241

Succeeded by Bolesław II the Bald

v • d • e Monarchs of Poland Legendary and semi-legendary Lech · Krak · Wanda · Popiel · Piast the Wheelwright Piast Siemowit · Lestko · Siemomysł  · Mieszko I · Boleslaus I the Brave · Mieszko II Lambert · Bezprym · Mieszko II Lambert · Interregnum · Casimir I the Restorer · Boleslaus II the Bold · Wladislaus I Herman · Zbigniew · Boleslaus III Wrymouth Fragmentation period (Supreme Princes) Wladislaus II the Exile · Boleslaus IV the Curly · Mieszko III the Old · Casimir II the Just · Leszek I the White · Wladislaus III Spindleshanks · Odonic · Mieszko IV Tanglefoot · Conrad I · Henry I the Bearded · Henry II the Pious · Boleslaus V the Chaste · Leszek II the Black · Henry IV Probus · Premislas II Přemyslid Wenceslaus II · Wenceslaus III Piast Wladislaus I the Elbow-high · Casimir III the Great Angevin Louis I the Hungarian · Saint Jadwiga Jagiellon Wladislaus II · Wladislaus III of Varna · Casimir IV · John I Albert · Alexander · Sigismund I the Old · Sigismund II Augustus Elected Henry of Valois · Anna Jagiellon · Stephen I Batory · Sigismund III Vasa · Wladislaus IV Vasa · John II Casimir Vasa · Michael Korybut I · John III Sobieski · Augustus II the Strong · Stanislaus I Leszczyński · Augustus III the Saxon · Stanislaus II Augustus