Piast dynasty

Lord of Great and Little Poland, he was crowned in Kraków in 1319 with the Pope's consent as Władysław I, 1319 to 1333.

With him, the House of the Piasts became the champion of Polish nationalism and grew to be a weighty factor in European politics by its opposition to Germany.

He married his son Casimir to the daughter of the Lithuanian Prince Gediminas.

The latter gave hope of embracing Christianity.

Notwithstanding, Władysław's renewed attack on Pomerelia failed.

Nor did the combined Polish-Lithuanian assault on Brandenburg meet with success.

Moreover, the Silesian principalities of the Piasts freed themselves from the Polish king's overlordship.

They put themselves under the protection of King John of Bohemia.