Duchy of Teschen

The Duchy of Teschen (German: Herzogtum Teschen), also Duchy of Cieszyn (Polish: Księstwo Cieszyńskie) or Duchy of Těšín (Czech: Těšínské knížectví, Latin: Ducatus Tessinensis) was an autonomous Silesian duchy centered on Cieszyn (Teschen) in Upper Silesia. During the feudal division of Poland it was split off with the Duchy of Racibórz in 1281 and ruled by Silesian dukes from the Piast dynasty since 1290.

The ducal lands initially comprised former Lesser Polish territories east of the Biała River, which about 1315 split off again as the Duchy of Oświęcim, while the remaining duchy became a Bohemian fief in 1327. After the bulk of Silesia was conquered by the Prussian king Frederick the Great in 1742, Cieszyn/Těšín together with the duchies of Troppau (Opava), Krnov and Nysa remained with Austrian Silesia. The ducal title was held by the Austrian archdukes from the House of Lorraine until 1918.

History

The duchy shared the history of the Cieszyn Silesia region, and also in part Silesia in general. The area had been the southeastern-most part of the medieval Duchy of Silesia established upon the death of the Polish duke Bolesław III Wrymouth in 1138. In 1172 the sons of the first Silesian Piast duke Władysław II the Exile divided their heritage, whereby the lands of Cieszyn fell to Duke Mieszko I of Racibórz.