Duchy of Opole and Racibórz

Duchy of Opole and Racibórz
Księstwo opolsko-raciborskie (pl) Herzogtum Oppeln und Ratibor (de) Opolsko-ratibořské knížectví (cs)
Silesian duchy Fiefdom of the Bohemian Crown (1532–1742) Part of Prussia (1742–1919)
1202–1281 1521–1532 1551–1556
Coat of arms
Silesia 1217-1230: Duchy of Opole and Racibórz in yellow
Capital		Opole
Political structure		Silesian duchy Fiefdom of the Bohemian Crown (1532–1742) Part of Prussia (1742–1919)
Historical era		Middle Ages
•	Merger of Opole and    Racibórz	1202
•	Split again	1281/1282
•	Recreated	1521
•	Fell to Bohemia	1532 1532
•	Annexed by Prussia	1742
Preceded by Succeeded by Duchy of Opole Duchy of Racibórz Lands of the Bohemian Crown
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Coat of arms

The Duchy of Opole and Racibórz (Polish: Księstwo opolsko-raciborskie, German: Herzogtum Oppeln und Ratibor) was one of the numerous Duchies of Silesia ruled by the Silesian branch of the royal Polish Piast dynasty. It was formed in 1202 from the union of the Upper Silesian duchies of Opole and the Racibórz, in a rare exception to the continuing feudal fragmentation of the original Duchy of Silesia.

In 1281 it was split again. In 1521 it was recreated by the last Silesian Piast, Duke Jan II the Good. After his heirless death the duchy fell to the Kingdom of Bohemia. It was briefly part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the 17th century; eventually like most of Silesia it was annexed by Prussia after the First Silesian War in 1742.

The Duchy of Racibórz under Duke Mieszko Tanglefoot had been established in 1173 upon the partition of Silesia among the sons of Duke Władysław II the Exile. The bulk of the Silesian lands around Wrocław had passed to Mieszko's elder brother Duke Bolesław I the Tall, leaving the younger dissatisfied. After Bolesław had died in 1201, Mieszko occupied the Duchy of Opole, that had been created for his deceased nephew Jarosław, forming the united duchy of Opole and Racibórz. Bolesław's heir, Duke Henry I the Bearded, had to renounce his claims, whereby the centuries-long division of Upper and Lower Silesia was fixed.