Konrad II the Hunchback

Konrad II the Hunchback (Polish: Konrad II Garbaty) (1252/65 – 11 October 1304) was Duke of Ścinawa from 1278 to 1284 and Duke of Żagań from 1284 until his death.

He was the second son of Konrad I, Duke of Głogów by his first wife Salome, daughter of Duke Władysław of Greater Poland. His nickname "Hunchback" (Garbaty) appears in contemporary chronicles probably due to his religious career.

Life

It wasn't until four years after Konrad I's death in 1278 that the Duchy was divided between Konrad II and his brothers. Konrad II obtained Ścinawa. However, in 1284, he made a surprising switch with his younger brother Przemko, then Duke of Żagań: Konrad II assumed the rule over Żagań and Przemko received Ścinawa. One possibility for this switch was pressure from Duke Henry IV Probus of Wroclaw, who preferred to have the more trustful Przemko in the neighboring realm.

Konrad II first appeared on the chronicles at the ceremony of the canonization of his paternal great-grandmother Hedwig of Andechs in 1267. Ten years later he joined his elder brother Henry III in the Battle of Stolec (24 April 1277) which culminated in a disastrous defeat.

Shortly after these events, Konrad was sent to Bologna, Italy to study in order to take important ecclesiastical posts in the future. During his absence, Henry IV Probus ruled Ścinawa on his behalf. When Konrad II returned to his Duchy in 1280, the Duke of Wrocławski refused to return control. It was not until years later, when thanks to pressure from Bishop Thomas II Zaremba of Wrocław Henry IV finally recognized the sovereignty of Konrad II over Ścinawa.

After returning to Silesia, Konrad II obtained his first church position. In 1281 he was appointed Provost of Lubusz, and in 1287, with the help of Bishop Thomas II, he became in Provost of Wroclaw. In 1292 he was one of the candidates for the Bishopric of Wroclaw, but because of resistance from the Chapter, the choice fell on Jan Romka.

The relations of Konrad II with his brother Henry III were ambiguous. Initially, between the brothers wasn't any frictions. Konrad II supported his brother in his pretentions to recover Ścinawa after the death of Przemko in the Battle of Siewierz (1289), but ultimately the land was anexed by Henry IV Probus; also, he supported Henry III in his talks with Przemysł II of Greater Poland and in his subsequent wars against Henry V the Fat. Their good relations were broken in 1296, when Konrad II, after knew the involvement of Henry III in Great Poland affairs, he joined in a military expedition against him led by Bolko I the Strict; however, Bolko I made an agreement with Henry III in Zwanowicach, where Henry III was compelled to give up the towns of Lubina and Wińsko to Konrad II.

On 5 March 1299 Konrad II received a great opportunity to raised in his church career. Thanks to the intercession of his brother-in-law, Count Albert I of Gorizia, the Chapter of Aquileia chose him as a Patriarch. However, the Duke of Żagań never reached his new Diocese; after stopped in the middle of the road in Vienna, he returned to his country, after say, according to the "Chronicle of the Princes of Poland": "I can live in a land were the people only drink wine, because since my childhood I only drink beer". Of course, this sensational reason wasn't the main cause for Konrad II's return to his lands; in fact, he never received the appropriate approval of his nomination by Pope Boniface VIII.

Back to Żagań, Konrad II claimed the effective government of his lands, who was taken by Henry III during his absence. The Duke of Głogów refused to give up the rule and decided to imprisoned his brother. But Henry III wasn't count with the quick move of his brother's supporters: the knighthood of Żagań, Bolko I the Strict, and Bishop of Wrocław -who even declared the excommunication of Henry III and the interdict over Głogów-. Finally, Konrad II regained his freedom and the government of his Duchy, but the relationship between the brothers remained very strained until Konrad II's death.

Konrad II died on 11 October 1304 and was buried in the Cistercian monastery in Lubiąż. Only then Henry III could anexed Żagań to his domains.

References

• SILESIA
• Complete Genealogy of the House of Piast: Głogów
• KONRAD II GARBATY
• This article was translated from his original in Polish Wikipedia.

Preceded by new creation	Duke of Ścinawa 1278–1284	Succeeded by Przemko
Preceded by Przemko	Duke of Żagań 1284–1304	Succeeded by Henry III

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Name	Konrad 02 The Hunchback
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Date of death	1304
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