Salomea of Berg

Salomea of Berg(German:Salome von Berg,Polish:Salomea z Bergu;c. 1099/1101– 27 July 1144) was a noblewoman of Berg and, by marriage with PrinceBolesław III Wrymouthin 1115,High Duchess of Polanduntil her husband's death in 1138.

Salomea of Berg
19th Century portrait by Teofil Żychowicz, afterMichał Stachowicz
High Duchess consort of Poland
Reign	1115 – 28 October 1138
Born	ca. 1093/1101 Berg Castle,Ehingen Holy Roman Empire
Died	27 July 1144 Łęczyca Kingdom of Poland
Spouse	Bolesław III Wrymouth
Issue	Richeza Bolesław IV the Curly Mieszko III the Old Henry of Sandomierz Dobroniega Ludgarda Judith Agnes Casimir II the Just
House	Piast(by marriage)
Father	Henry, Count of Berg
Mother	Adelaide of Mochental

Life

Salomea was the daughter of theSwabiancountHenryof Berg Castle nearEhingen(not to be confused with the RhenishCounty of Berg) by his wife Adelaide of Mochental (d. 1125/27),probably a sister of MargraveDiepold III of Vohburg.According to some sources,her paternal grandmother was Princess Sophia, only daughter of KingSolomon of Hungaryby his wifeJudith of Swabia(by her second marriage stepmother of Salome's husband), but this hypothesis has been rejected by modern historiographers.

The marriage of Salome's sisterRichezawith DukeVladislav I of Bohemiain 1110 had changed the status of the relative obscure Count Henry of Berg in political affairs. Another sister, Sophia, was married to aMoravianmember of thePřemyslid dynasty,DukeOtto II the BlackofOlomouc,in 1113.

Marriage

The Polish ruler Bolesław III Wrymouth, after he had begun to expand his domains in thePomerelianregion, decided to normalize his relations with his southernBohemianneighbors. This took place in 1114 at a great convention on the border riverNysa Kłodzka.Participants included Bolesław III himself, as well as the Bohemian and Moravian Dukes of the Přemyslid line: Vladislav I, Otto II the Black and Vladislav's younger brotherSoběslav I.It was decided that the Duke of Poland (a widower since 1112) should secondly marry the Swabian noblewoman Salomea, sister of the Duchesses of Bohemia and Olomouc.

The marriage negotiations, led by BishopOtto of Bamberg,ended successfully, and between March and July 1115 the wedding of Bolesław III Wrymouth and Salomea of Berg took place. By the end of that year, the new Duchess gave birth to a son named Leszek (d. 1131), the first of the thirteen children who she bore to her husband.

Salomea began to participate actively in the Polish politics on behalf of her children; she feared that according to theprimogenitureprinciple her stepsonWładysław II,Bolesław III's first-born son from his marriage withZbyslava of Kiev,would succeed his father as sole ruler and her sons would be at the mercy of their elder half-brother. In 1125 the powerfulPiotr Włostowicwas forced to resign his post of a PolishVoivode(Count palatine); the main instigator of this decision was probably Salomea, who replaced him with Wszebor, a man she considered more likely to support herself and her sons against Władysław.

Bolesław III's Testament

Main article:Testament of Bolesław III Krzywousty

Bolesław III died on 28 October 1138. In his will he had divided the country between his sons according to the principle ofagnatic seniority,giving theSeniorate ProvinceofKrakówto his eldest son Władysław II. In addition Salomea received the town ofŁęczyca,several castles and towns throughout Poland (includingPajęczno,Małogoszcz,Radziejów,Kwieciszewo) as herdower;this was the first documented case where a Polish ruler left his widow her own piece of land. The terms of the dower stated that the beneficiary could obtain the full sovereignty over the land for her life, and could lose it in two cases: if she remarried or became a nun (abdication would not count). The youngest child of the couple,Casimir II,was not assigned a province; it is speculated that he was born after Bolesław III's death.

Later years

From her domains in Łęczyca, the now Dowager Duchess continue her intrigues against her stepson High Duke Władysław II. However, the hostilities only began openly in 1141, when Salomea, without the knowledge and consent of the High Duke, commenced to divide Łęczyca between her sons. Also, she tried to resolve the marriage of her youngest daughter Agnes and thus to find a suitable ally for her sons. The most appropriate candidate for a son-in-law had to beSviatoslav III,the son of Grand PrinceVsevolod II of Kiev.After hearing the news about the events in Łęczyca, Władysław II decided to make a quick response, as a result of which the Grand Prince of Kiev not only broke all his pacts with the Junior Dukes, but also arranged the betrothal of his daughter Zvenislava to Władysław's eldest sonBolesław I the Tall.The wedding took place one year later, in 1142.

Salomea died at her mansion in Łęczyca on 27 July 1144. In accordance with the will of Boleslaw III, her province of Łęczyca reverted to the Senoriate. Unexpectedly, her bitter enemy Piotr Włostowic allied with her sons against High Duke Władysław II, who, after having captured and blinded Włostowic in 1145, was defeated and deposed by his half-brothers. Salomea's oldest surviving son,Bolesław IV the Curlybecame the new High Duke of Poland in 1146.

Children

• Leszek (1115–1131)
• Richeza(1116–1156), married firstly KingMagnus I of Swedenin 1127, secondly PrinceVolodar of Minskin 1136, and thirdly KingSverker I of Swedenin 1148;
• Casimir the Older (d. 1131)
• Bolesław IV the Curly(c. 1122–1173),Duke of Masoviafrom 1138,High Duke of Polandfrom 1146 until his death;
• Mieszko III the Old(c. 1125–1202), Duke ofGreater Poland1138–1177 and 1182–1202, High Duke of Poland 1173–1177, 1191, 1198–1199 and 1201;
• Gertrude (1126/35–1160), nun atZwiefalten Abbey;
• Henry(1127/32–1166), Duke ofSandomierzfrom 1138;
• Dobroniega Ludgarda(before 1136–around 1160 or later), married MargraveDietrich I of Lusatiaaround 1147;
• Judith of Poland(1130/36–1171/75), married MargraveOtto I of Brandenburgin 1148;
• Agnes(1137–after 1182), married PrinceMstislav II of Kievin 1151;
• Casimir II the Just(1138–1194), Duke of Sandomierz from 1173, High Duke of Poland from 1177 until his death.