Casimir the Great of Poland
| Casimir III the Great | |
|---|---|
Casimir the Great by Leopold Löffler
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| King of Poland | |
| Reign | 1333–1370 |
| Coronation | 25 April 1333 |
| Predecessor | Władysław I ("the Elbow-high") |
| Successor | Louis I of Hungary |
| Born |
30 April 1310 Kowal, Poland |
| Died | 5 November 1370 (aged 60) Kraków, Poland |
| Burial | Wawel Cathedral, Kraków |
| Spouse |
Aldona of Lithuania Adelaide of Hesse Christina Rokiczana Hedwig of Sagan |
| Issue more... |
Elisabeth, Duchess of Pomerania Anna, Countess of Cilli |
| House | Piast |
| Father | Władysław I ("the Elbow-high") |
| Mother | Hedwig of Kalisz |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Signature |  |
Casimir III the Great (Polish: Kazimierz III Wielki; 30 April 1310 – 5 November 1370) reigned as the King of Poland from 1333 to 1370. He was the son of King Władysław I ("the Elbow-high") and Duchess Hedwig of Kalisz, and the last Polish king from the Piast dynasty.
Kazimierz inherited a kingdom weakened by war and made it prosperous and wealthy. He reformed the Polish army and doubled the size of the kingdom. He reformed the judicial system and introduced a legal code, gaining the title "the Polish Justinian". Kazimierz built extensively and founded the University of Kraków, the oldest Polish university. He also confirmed privileges and protections previously granted to Jews and encouraged them to settle in Poland in great numbers.
Kazimierz left no lawful male heir to his throne, producing only daughters. When Kazimierz died in 1370 from an injury received while hunting, his nephew, King Louis I of Hungary, succeeded him as king of Poland in personal union with Hungary.
When Kazimierz attained the throne in 1333, his position was in danger, as his neighbours did not recognise his title and instead called him "king of Kraków". The kingdom was depopulated and exhausted by war, and the economy was ruined. In 1335, in the Treaty of Trentschin, Casimir was forced to relinquish his claims to Silesia "in perpetuity".
Kazimierz rebuilt and his kingdom became prosperous and wealthy, with great prospects for the future. He waged many victorious wars and doubled the size of the kingdom, mostly through addition of lands in modern-day Ukraine (then called the Duchy of Halych). Kazimierz built extensively during his reign, including Wawel Castle and Orle Gniazda, and he reformed the Polish army.
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