Duchy of Teschen
The Duchy of Teschen (German: Herzogtum Teschen), also Duchy of Cieszyn (Polish: Księstwo Cieszyńskie) or Duchy of Těšín (Czech: Těšínské knížectví), was one of the Duchies of Silesia centered on Cieszyn (Teschen) in Upper Silesia. It was split off the Silesian Duchy of Opole and Racibórz in 1281 during the feudal division of Poland and was ruled by Silesian dukes of the Piast dynasty from 1290 until the line became extinct with the death of Duchess Elizabeth Lucretia in 1653.[1]
Duchy of Teschen
Silesian duchy
Fiefdom of Bohemia (from 1327)
Part of the Bohemian Crown (from 1348)
Mieszko I (first duke)
Elizabeth Lucretia (last Piast ruler)
Archduke Frederick Habsburg (last duke)
1281
1315
1327
1572
1653
1742/45
1918
28 July 1920
350,000
The ducal lands initially comprised former Lesser Polish territories east of the Biała River, which in about 1315 again split off as the Polish Duchy of Oświęcim, while the remaining duchy became a fiefdom of the Bohemian kings in 1327 and was incorporated into the Lands of the Bohemian Crown in 1348. While the bulk of Silesia was conquered by the Prussian king Frederick the Great in the Silesian Wars of 1740–1763, Teschen together with the duchies of Troppau (Opava), Krnov and Nysa remained with the Habsburg monarchy and merged into the Austrian Silesia crown land in 1849. The so-called "commander line" of the Habsburg-Lorraine dynasty, a cadet branch descending from Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen, held the title "Duke of Teschen" until 1918.
Languages of sermons in Roman Catholic parishes in the 17th century (red - Polish, yellow - Czech, blue - German, striped - Polish and German
1910 Austrian census - percentage of Polish-speaking population
1910 Austrian census - percentage of Czech-speaking population
1910 Austrian census - percentage of German-speaking population
According to the Austrian census taken in 1910, the duchy had about 350,000 inhabitants: 54.8% Polish-speaking, 27.1% Czech-speaking and 18.1% German-speaking.[7] While the Czech population mainly settled in the western areas around Frýdek, the German population was clustered around Bielsko (German: Bielitz).
The Duchy of Teschen in 1724, by Jonas Nigrinus
The Duchy of Teschen in 1736, by Matthaeus Schubarth
17th/18th century map of the Duchy of Teschen by Joh David Schleuen
Polish map of the Duchy of Cieszyn, 20th century
