Henry of Sandomierz

Henry of Sandomierz or Henry of Sandomir (Polish: Henryk Sandomierski) (1127/1134 – 1166), prince of the Piast dynasty, duke of Sandomierz, son of Bolesław III the Wrymouth (1086–1138) and his second wife Salome of Berg (1093/1101–1144).

Henry was the third surviving son and according to his father’s disposition in the Act of Succession ruled over Duchy of Sandomierz (capital in Sandomierz). Some historians (for example M. Gładysz and D. Guttner) advance a hypothesis that he was the “King of the Poles” mentioned by the Greek chronicler John Kinnamos. If the theory were to be correct Henry would have been the commander of the Polish contingent in the Second Crusade in 1147. What is certain is that Henry ventured to the Holy Land in 1153-1154 (a number of Polish annals reported it under the year 1154 as did Jan Długosz in his Annals) and took part in the crusade under the command of King Baldwin III of Jerusalem. Henry close affiliation to crusading resulted in the establishment of a commandery of the Hospitallers (between 1154 and 1166) in Zagość. The manner of Henry’s death conforms with his crusading aspirations. Henry was killed on 18 October 1166, during a crusading expedition of his brother Bolesław IV the Curly against the pagan Prussians. His remains were probably buried in a crypt of a church in Wiślica, where his grave is marked by an ornamental tombstone donated by his younger brother and heir, Casimir II the Just.

References

*Balzer, O. Genealogia Piastów, Kraków, 1895.
*Gładysz, M. Zapomniani krzyżowcy, Warszawa, 2006.
*Guttner, D. "Henryk of Sandomierz." [in:] The Crusades: An Encyclopedia, Santa Barbara, 2006.
*Jasiński, K. Rodowód pierwszych Piastów, Warszawa, 1992.
*Mitkowski, J. "Henryk książę sandomierski." [in:] Polski Słownik Biograficzny, vol. 9, Wrocław, 1960-1961.

External links

* [http://eprints.infodiv.unimelb.edu.au/archive/00001942/01/Upload_Recent_Issues_in_Polish_Historiography_of_the_Crusades.pdf Polish Historiography of the Crusades]
* [http://ebooks.abc-clio.com/ebooks/9781576078631/pg_577.asp The Crusades: An Encyclopedia: Henryk of Sandomierz]

Persondata
NAME=Henry of Sandomir
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Henry of Sandomierz
SHORT DESCRIPTION= Duke of Sandomierz
DATE OF BIRTH=1127/1134
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=October 18, 1166
PLACE OF DEATH=Prussia