duchy · Germany and Central Europe

Duchy of Jawor

1274 CE – 1392 CE · capital Jawor

Lower Silesian Piast duchy at the foot of the Sudetes, later joined with Świdnica, which kept its independence from Bohemia longer than any other.

Origins

In 1274 the Duchy of Legnica was divided among the sons of Bolesław II the Bald, and Bolko I the Strict received Jawor with its lands. He soon added Świdnica and built a strong duchy on the Bohemian border, protected by castles such as Bolków and Grodziec.

Rule and society

Bolko I founded Krzeszów Abbey and fortified the mountain passes. After his death the lands were divided, with Henry I ruling Jawor until 1346. They were then reunited under Bolko II the Small, who resisted Bohemian overlordship, ruling as an independent Piast prince while other Silesian dukes became Bohemian vassals. German settlers and town law shaped the economy of farming and cloth.

Decline and legacy

Bolko II married his niece Anne to Charles IV, so on the death of his widow Agnes in 1392 the duchy passed to the Bohemian crown. Jawor later passed to the Habsburgs and Prussia, and has been Polish since 1945; its Lutheran Peace Church is a World Heritage Site.

Lineage

Duchy of Legnica 1248 CE – 1675 CEDuchy of JaworKingdom of Bohemia 1198 CE – 1918 CEDuchy of Świdnica 1291 CE – 1392 CE

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Duchy of Jawor. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/duchy-of-jawor
MLA
“Duchy of Jawor.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/duchy-of-jawor. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Duchy of Jawor.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/duchy-of-jawor.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Duchy of Jawor’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/duchy-of-jawor (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻