Duchy of Bytom
| Duchy of Bytom | ||||||||||
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Herzogtum Beuthen (de) Księstwo Bytomskie (pl) |
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| Silesian duchy | ||||||||||
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 Silesian duchies in 1284, Bytom in violet
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| Capital | Bytom | |||||||||
| Political structure | Silesian duchy | |||||||||
| Historical era | Middle Ages | |||||||||
| • | Partitioned from Opole and Racibórz |
1281 | ||||||||
| • | Casimir sole ruler | 1284 | ||||||||
| • | Vassalized by Bohemia | 1289 | ||||||||
| • | Divided between Oleśnica and Cieszyn |
1357–1459 | ||||||||
| • | Merged with Opole | 1498 | ||||||||
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| Warning: Value not specified for "" | ||||||||||
The Duchy of Bytom (Polish: Księstwo Bytomskie) or Duchy of Beuthen (German: Herzogtum Beuthen) was one of many Silesian duchies. It was established in Upper Silesia about 1281 during the division of the Duchy of Opole and Racibórz among the sons of Duke Władysław Opolski. The duchy's capital was Bytom (Beuthen), formerly part of Lesser Poland until in 1177 the Polish High Duke Casimir II the Just had attached it to the Silesian Duchy of Racibórz.
When Władysław's second son Casimir became Duke of Bytom, he at first ruled jointly with his brother Duke Bolko I of Opole and from 1284 on alone. The conflict with his Piast cousin Duke Henryk IV Probus of Silesia-Wrocław led Casimir to seek shelter from King Wenceslaus II of Bohemia and in 1289 he became the first Silesian Piast duke to submit himself under Bohemian overlordship.
With the death of Casimir's grandson Duke Bolesław in 1355 the Bytom branch of the Piasts became extinct and in the following inheritance dispute his widow Margareta of Sternberg had to cede the northern part of the duchy including the lordship of Koźle to Duke Konrad I of Oleśnica, while the remaining part was bequested to Duke Casimir I of Cieszyn. Bytom remained divided until in 1459 Duke Wenceslaus I of Cieszyn sold his portion to Duke Konrad IX the Black of Oleśnica and the duchy was reunited under his rule.
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