Town · Duchy of Racibórz · as at first light, 1 January 1200

Cieszyn

A castle hill over the Olza, first named in 1155, with the Romanesque rotunda of St Nicholas; it guards the road to the Jablunkov pass and Hungary.

Who holds it

Name
Duke Mieszko Tanglefoot, through his castellan
Title
Lord
Confidence
medium

Lord in 1200

Duke Mieszko Tanglefoot, through his castellan

How things stand that morning

Held by Mieszko.

Charter

No town charter and no German town law in 1200: a ducal castle (gród) with a market settlement (suburbium) under the castellan's court and Polish law.

Council

None. The castellan or the duke's officers judge and collect dues.

Communities

Polish castle folk, craftsmen and traders; no foreign community pinned for 1200.

Militia

None as a town; the castle folk and the knights of the district.

Walls and castle

Castle with the rotunda; no town wall.

Trade and crafts

The road to Hungary.

Where the sources disagree

Evidence: First mention 1155 and the rotunda from en.wikipedia.

Primary sources for Racibórz (Mieszko Tanglefoot)

Chronicles, registers, sagas and inscriptions written in or near 1200 that cover this entry. Each has its own page with editions, translations and where to read it.

Sources and studies

  1. Cieszyn, en.wikipedia

Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.