Duchy of Greater Poland

Duchy of Greater Poland
Książęta wielkopolscy (pl)
Province of Poland
1138–1320
Coat of arms
Greater Poland and Kuyavia under Duke Mieszko the Old (1138-1202)
Capital		Poznań
Religion		Roman Catholic
Government		Duchy
Historical era		High Middle Ages
•	Established	1138
•	Acquired Kalisz and    Gniezno	1181
•	Internally divided    into Poznań, Gniezno    and Kalisz	1191–1194, 1207–1229, 1234–1238, 1247–1250, 1253–1257, 1277–1279
•	Re-united under    Przemysł II	1279
•	Incorporated by the    Polish Crown	1320
Preceded by Succeeded by Kingdom of Poland (1025–1385) Poznań Voivodeship (14th century–1793) Kalisz Voivodeship (1314–1793)

Coat of arms

The Duchy of Greater Poland was a historical Polish province established in 1138 according to the Testament of Bolesław III Krzywousty. It existed during the period of fragmentation of Poland until 1320, centered at Poznań, Gniezno and Kalisz in the Greater Poland region.

Upon the death of Polish Piast duke Bolesław III Wrymouth in 1138, his country was divided by his will into 4-5 hereditary provinces distributed among his sons. The late duke had also established the Seniorate Province of Kraków for the eldest Władysław II, designated high duke of whole Poland.

As one of these provinces, Greater Poland was given to Mieszko III the Old, the third son of late Duke Bolesław. Duke Mieszko III the Old at first ruled over the western part of the Greater Polish lands at Poznań. His dominion bordered on the Polish Duchy of Silesia in the south, on the Seniorate Province in the east and on the Pomeranian lands in the north. In the west the Greater Polish lands stretched up to Lubusz Land on the western Polish border, where in 1157 the Ascanian count Albert the Bear established the Imperial Margraviate of Brandenburg.