Masovia
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Masovia or Mazovia (Polish: Mazowsze) is a geographic and historic region situated in eastern Poland's Masovian Plain. Its historic capitals include Płock and Warsaw. Contemporary borders of the Masovian Voivodeship do not follow historical boundaries of the region. Lomza, a Masovian city, belongs to the Podlasie Voivodeship, while Radom (historically part of Lesser Poland) is now part of Masovian Voivodeship.
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[edit] History
[edit] Early history
Masovia probably became part of Poland by the reign of Mieszko I in the 10th century, the first historically known Piast duke of the Polans in the 10th century. After the death of Mieszko II in 1034, the local governor Miecław supported an anti-Christian rebellion, which was subsequently subdued by Casimir I, Duke of Poland, in 1047 with help from Ruthenian units.
[edit] Duchy of Masovia
Following the death of Bolesław III Wrymouth, Poland was divided into duchies, according to his testament (see fragmentation of Poland). After the death of the last Masovian Piast, Janusz III, in 1526, the province became a voivodeship of the Kingdom of Poland. In late XVI century, importance of Masovia within borders of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth significantly grew, due to the decision of King Sigismund III Vasa, who in 1596 moved capital of the country from Krakow to Warsaw.
[edit] Modern history
Masovia was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia during the 18th century Partitions of Poland and briefly administered within South Prussia and New East Prussia. Among others the territory became part of the Duchy of Warsaw in 1807 during the Napoleonic Wars, but was included within Congress Poland, a puppet state of the Russian Empire, in 1815.
In 1918 following World War I, Masovia was included within the newly formed Second Polish Republic. During World War II, Nazi-occupied Masovia was divided between the General Government and Regierungsbezirk Zichenau in East Prussia. Between October 1939 and June 1941 (see: Operation Barbarossa), eastern Masovia, with Lomza, was occupied by the Soviets, who were allied with the Nazis. Whole province was subsequently restored to Poland after the war.
In 1999 the Masovian Voivodeship was created as one of 16 administrative regions of Poland. It is the biggest voivodeship of the country.
[edit] See also
- Świdermajer - The characteristic architecture in the area
