# Bolesław II the Horned begins to rule (1241)

URL: https://poland-history.com/timeline/1241-boleslaw-ii-the-horned-begins-to-rule
Location: Poland
Categories: ruler-change

Bolesław II the Horned became High Duke of Poland (1241). Eldest son of Henry II who briefly held Kraków after his father's death before losing it to Konrad of Masovia. 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 (9 April 1241), the governing authority was Bolesław II the Horned (High Duke of Poland). Eldest son of Henry II who briefly held Kraków after his father's death before losing it to Konrad of Masovia. Bolesław II the Horned begins to rule mattered because succession and legitimacy shaped alliances, institutions and the direction of state policy. 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
Bolesław II the Horned begins to rule mattered because succession and legitimacy shaped alliances, institutions and the direction of state policy.

Ruler at the time: [Bolesław II the Horned](https://poland-history.com/rulers/boleslaw-ii-the-horned)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Bolesław II the Horned](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boles%C5%82aw_II_the_Horned)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Bolesław II the Horned begins to rule](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Boles%C5%82aw+II+the+Horned+begins+to+rule)
- [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))