# Murder of Leszek the White at Gąsawa (1227)

URL: https://poland-history.com/timeline/1227-murder-of-leszek-the-white-at-gasawa
Location: Gąsawa

Leszek the White was killed during an assembly of Piast dukes at Gąsawa, deepening the disunity of the Polish lands. Within the broader Fragmentation period: After 1138 Poland split into duchies ruled by rival Piast princes. Mongol invasions, German settlement, the growth of towns and the arrival of the Teutonic Knights reshaped the land before it was reunited. At this point in the timeline (24 November 1227), the governing authority was Władysław III Spindleshanks (High Duke of Poland). Duke of Greater Poland who briefly held Kraków twice and struggled with his nephew Władysław Odonic. Murder of Leszek the White at Gąsawa mattered because violence against people and institutions left a lasting mark on Polish political life and memory. The event is placed here so readers can follow it alongside changes in government, warfare, society, religion and culture across Polish history.

## Why it matters
Murder of Leszek the White at Gąsawa mattered because violence against people and institutions left a lasting mark on Polish political life and memory.

Ruler at the time: [Władysław III Spindleshanks](https://poland-history.com/rulers/wladyslaw-iii-spindleshanks)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Leszek I the White](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leszek_I_the_White)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Murder of Leszek the White at Gąsawa](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Murder+of+Leszek+the+White+at+G%C4%85sawa)
- [Wikipedia — History of Poland during the Piast dynasty (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Poland_during_the_Piast_dynasty#Fragmentation_of_the_realm_(1138%E2%80%931320))