REUNIFIED KINGDOM - 1320

    The regional fragmentation of Poland could not have gone on much longer without severe detriment to the country as a whole. Faced by powerful enemies from many sides, king Wladyslaw Lokietek (the Elbow-High), through an incredible effort and persistence, managed to bring the core of the state together with Krakow as its new capital. The cost of this success was loss of Silesia and Pomerania, which had slipped from Polish rule.

    Lokietek's major achievement was undoubtedly obtaining the Pope's approval for his appointment as monarch of the reunited realm. Lokietek received the full royal title of Rex Poloniae, with the kingdom named Corona Regni Poloniae, a concept that would achieve a rich tradition and judicial history.

    Lokietek's second greatest achievement was the direction of Teutonic conquest. With the support of the German Empire and the Papacy, the Teutonic Order had conquered lands from Gdansk (renamed Danzig), all the way to the northern country of Estonia. When their attention turned to the south, Lokietek's forces dealt them a defeat in the Battle of Plowce in 1331, bringing the conflict to a standstill. The Teutonic Knights then menaced Lithuania, one of the last pagan countries in Europe and, in defense, Lithuanians turned to the east, bringing virtually all of present day Belarus and Ukraine into the Polish sphere of influence.

GREAT DAYS OF KRAKOW -1364

    Lokietek's son, Casimir III, was born in 1310 and was the only Polish king distinguished as "Great." His reign laid the foundation for future Polish grandeur. Casimir was a king of all the people, called "King of the Peasants" for his attempt to secure the authority of royal courts over aristocratic abuses and to codify Polish law. It is said that "he found Poland built of wood and left her built of stone." His ambitious projects ringed the country with fortifications. He stimulated trade and welcomed Jews to Poland at a time when they were persecuted in virtually all other European countries. This is when the Jewish quarter of Krakow was founded and named Kazimierz to honor the king. On the diplomatic front, he concluded treaties with the Teutonic Order and Bohemia. Even though this meant abandoning Pomerania and Silesia, at least for a time, Casimir added large areas to the Polish Kingdom, pushing the country's borders south-east. He re-founded the Ruthenian settlement named after Prince Lew, calling it by its modern name, Lwow.

    The years 1363-1364, known as "The Great Days of Krakow," saw the founding of Poland's first university, called the Cracow Academy, and Casimir presiding over the marriage of his granddaughter to a future German Emperor. At this occasion kings and princes from all over Europe, including the Emperor himself, visited the city and discussed matters of international politics. The wedding banquet, recorded by French poet Guillaume de Marchaud, took place at the Market Square home of merchant Mikolaj Wierzynek. Today, visitors to Krakow can visit that same house and dine in one of Poland's finest and, most likely, oldest restaurants.

    To Poland's sorrow, Casimir died without producing a legitimate heir and his death effectively ended the Piast dynasty.

CROWNING OF WLADYSLAW JAGIELLO -1386

    The war over Casimir's succession broke up even before his death in 1370. Finally, in exchange for a set of privileges, the warring parties agreed to crown his nephew, Louis the Hungarian of the d'Anjou dynasty. The privileges, known as Kosice Statutes, limited the obligations imposed on the Polish nobility.

    Although Louis' rule was brief, it had tremendous consequences for the subsequent character of the Polish state. The political power was given to the nobility at the time when in the west a reverse process was taking place. During his reign, Louis amassed one of the largest dynastic regimes of his time. Since at the time of his death, he left only two young daughters as heirs, the war of succession erupted again.

    The younger daughter, Jadwiga, was finally proclaimed Queen of Poland in 1385, at the age of 11 years. A marriage with Jogaila, the Lithuanian ruler was proposed to cement an alliance with Poland's powerful eastern neighbor. At the Union of Krewo in 1385, Jogaila agreed that in exchange for Jadwiga's hand he would convert to Christianity, coordinate operations against the Teutonic Knights and associate Lithuania (which then included most of present day Belarus and Ukraine) with the kingdom of Poland in a permanent union. Jogaila, known as Jagiello, was crowned as King of Poland in February of 1386 at an assembly of Polish barons and nobility and adopted the name of Wladyslaw II.

    For Jadwiga, the marriage came at the cost of personal happiness. She had been betrothed in infancy to a Hapsburg prince, with whom she was deeply in love, while Jagiello was much older and uncivilized. For reasons of state, however, she agreed to the marriage, and for personal satisfaction, she turned to a life of charitable works. During her reign, she gave all her jewelry and regalia to rescue the financially troubled Krakow Academy and, according to a legend, used a wooden gold-painted scepter for official functions. She died in 1399, at the age of 24. Soon after her death, Jadwiga was declared a saint. In 19th century, to honor its benefactor, tha Krakow Academy was renamed the Jagiellonian University.