Duchies of Silesia

Duchies of Silesia
Slezská knížectví (Czech)
Księstwa śląskie (Polish)
Herzogtümer in Schlesien (German)
1335–1742
Duchies of Silesia within the Bohemian Crown and the Holy Roman Empire (1618)
Duchies of Silesia within the Bohemian Crown and the Holy Roman Empire (1618)
StatusCrown land of the Bohemian Crown
CapitalWrocław, Opole, Opava, various others
Common languagesCzech, Polish, German
Religion
Demonym(s)Silesian
GovernmentMonarchy
King 
• 1335–1378
Charles I (first)
• 1916–1918
Charles III (last)
History 
• Joined Kingdom of Bohemia
1335
• Hungarian rule
1469–1490
• Dissolution of the Piast dynasty
1675
• Austrian Silesia formed
1742
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Duchy of Silesia
Austrian Silesia
Province of Silesia
Today part ofCzech Republic
Poland
Germany

The Duchies of Silesia were the more than twenty divisions of the region of Silesia formed between the 12th and 14th centuries by the breakup of the Duchy of Silesia, then part of the Kingdom of Poland. In 1335, the duchies were ceded to the Kingdom of Bohemia under the Treaty of Trentschin. Thereafter until 1742, Silesia was one of the Bohemian crown lands and lay within the Holy Roman Empire. Most of Silesia was annexed by the King of Prussia under the Treaty of Berlin in 1742. Only the Duchy of Teschen, the Duchy of Troppau and the Duchy of Nysa remained under the control of the Bohemian crown and as such were known as the Duchy of Upper and Lower Silesia until 1918.