Masovia
or Mazovia
(Polish: Mazowsze
) is a geographic and historic region situated in eastern Poland's Masovian Plain. Its historic capitals include Plock. Contemporary borders of the Masovian Voivodeship do not follow historical boundaries of the region. Lomza, a Masovian city, belongs to the Podlasie Voivodeship, Skierniewice belongs to Lodz Voivodeship, while Radom, historically part of Lesser Poland, is now part of the Masovian Voivodeship.
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History
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
Mieclaw supported an anti-
Christian rebellion, which was subsequently subdued by
Casimir I,
Duke of Poland, in 1047 with help from
Ruthenian units.
Duchy of Masovia
Following the death of
Boleslaw 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.
Modern history
Masovia was annexed by the
Kingdom of Prussia in the 1795
Third Partition of Poland and most of it 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 protectorate in personal union with the
Russian Empire, in 1815.
In 1918 following
World War I, Masovia was included within the newly formed
Republic of Poland. During
World War II,
Nazi-occupied Masovia was divided between the
General Government and
Regierungsbezirk Zichenau in
East Prussia. Between September 1939 and June 1941 (see:
Operation Barbarossa), eastern Masovia, with
Lomza, was occupied by the
Soviet Union, who had a friendship treaty with
Nazi Germany. 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.
See also
- Swidermajer - The characteristic architecture in the area
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