The congress of Piast princes in Gąsawa in 1227 ended tragically with an assassination attempt on the participants' lives. As a result, Leszek the White, Duke of Kraków, was killed, and Henry the Bearded, Duke of Silesia, was severely wounded. This event significantly deepened the feudal fragmentation of Poland.

The Diet of Gąsawa, one of the most dramatic events in medieval Polish history, took place on November 24, 1227. This meeting of nobles and Piast princes was crucial for shaping the political relations during the period of feudal fragmentation.

This event went down in history not only because of its original purpose - discussing state affairs - but primarily due to its tragic ending. During the assembly, a brutal attack occurred in which Leszek the White, Duke of Kraków and Sandomierz, was killed. This bloody incident significantly influenced the future of Polish lands and became a symbol of political chaos in 13th-century Poland.

The Diet of Gąsawa took place on November 24, 1227, in Gąsawa, located in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. The meeting was held in the territory of Greater Poland, where a Benedictine monastery was situated.

• Gąsawa was situated on the trade route between Gniezno and Kruszwica
• The location was chosen due to its central position relative to participants' domains
• The area belonged to the Benedictine order, providing neutral ground
• The assembly took place near the monastery buildings

• Leszek the White, Duke of Kraków
• Władysław Laskonogi, Duke of Greater Poland
• Henry the Bearded, Duke of Silesia
• Representatives of nobility from various Polish provinces
• Clergy from surrounding dioceses

Element	Details
Date	November 24, 1227
Location	Gąsawa (present-day Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship)
Duration	2 days (interrupted by the attack)
Number of main participants	approximately 20 nobles

• The autumn-winter period favored the travels of nobles
• The end of fights in Pomerania enabled the princes to arrive
• The date took into account the time needed for participants to arrive from distant provinces
• The post-harvest period allowed for better provisioning of the assembly

The political situation before the Gąsawa assembly was characterized by growing tensions between Piast princes and conflicts over influence in Pomerania. The power rivalry between individual rulers destabilized the political structure of the territorially fragmented Poland.

Greater Poland was under the rule of Władysław Laskonogi, who was in dispute with his nephew Władysław Odonic. The conflict concerned the division of the Greater Poland province - Odonic controlled the northern part with Ujście, while Laskonogi held power in the southern part of the duchy. Attempts to mediate between the Greater Poland prince and his nephew in 1225 ended in failure.

Gdańsk Pomerania was the subject of rivalry between Piast princes and the Pomeranian prince Świętopełk. In 1227, Świętopełk refused to pay feudal homage to Leszek the White, the prince of Kraków. The Pomeranian ruler's actions aimed at achieving full independence from the sovereignty of Polish princes. Control over Pomerania provided strategic benefits:

• Access to Baltic ports
• Revenue from maritime trade
• Control over trade routes
• Possibility of territorial expansion

Conflicting Parties	Subject of Dispute	Period
Laskonogi - Odonic	Division of Greater Poland	1225-1227
Leszek the White - Świętopełk	Sovereignty over Pomerania	1220-1227
Piast rulers - Pomerania	Control of Baltic ports	1217-1227

The Gąsawa Assembly began on November 24, 1227, with a gathering of the most important representatives of power in medieval Poland. The deliberations focused on key political matters, including the situation in Pomerania and internal conflicts between Piast princes.

The assembly was attended by the most important representatives of power at the time:

• Leszek the White - Duke of Kraków and Sandomierz

• Henry the Bearded - Duke of Silesia

• Władysław Laskonogi - Duke of Greater Poland

• Konrad of Masovia - Duke of Masovia

• Representatives of secular nobility from various provinces

• Church dignitaries from surrounding dioceses

• A group of attackers assaulted the assembly participants during their bath in a bathhouse

• Leszek the White was killed in the attack, struck by an arrow while escaping on horseback

• Henry the Bearded was severely wounded but survived thanks to the intervention of his knight Peregrine of Wiesenburg

• Świętopełk, the Duke of Pomerania, was considered the organizer of the attack

• The attack was carried out with approximately 100 armed men

• The assault took place in the morning hours when the assembly participants were most vulnerable

The Gąsawa Assembly caused fundamental changes in the political power structure of medieval Poland. The assassination attempt on the Piast princes led to a deep crisis of power and destabilization of the state.

The death of Leszek the White created a power vacuum in Lesser Poland, where a rivalry began between Konrad of Masovia and Henry the Bearded. Świętopełk of Pomerania strengthened his independent position in Gdańsk Pomerania, breaking feudal ties with the Piasts. In Greater Poland, the conflict between Władysław Laskonogi and Władysław Odonic intensified, leading to further power struggles. The murder of the Kraków duke weakened the authority of princely power and shook the seniorate system.

The Gąsawa Congress deepened the feudal fragmentation of Poland in several ways:

• Strengthened separatist tendencies of individual provinces
• Increased the role of nobility in duchy governance
• Led to the formation of new alliances between princes
• Prevented the unification of Polish lands under one ruler
• Caused the rise of local power centers at the expense of the political center

Region	Immediate Effect	Long-term Consequences
Lesser Poland	Struggles for Kraków throne	Destabilization of central authority
Pomerania	Gaining independence	Weakening of Piast influence
Greater Poland	Internal conflict escalation	Division of the province
Silesia	Rise of Henry the Bearded	Strengthening of Silesia's position

The Gąsawa Congress was a turning point in medieval Polish history, leading to fundamental constitutional and political changes. The events of 1227 influenced the following areas:

Changes in power structure:

• Weakening of provincial princes' position
• Rising importance of nobility
• Decline of the seniorate system
• Decentralization of state power

Territorial consequences:

• Independence of Gdańsk Pomerania

• Fragmentation of Lesser Poland

• Strengthening of provincial separatism

• Reorganization of internal borders

• Intensification of conflicts between princes

• Formation of new political alliances

• Escalation of struggles for Leszek the White's inheritance

• Destabilization of dynastic relations

Aspect	Before Congress	After Congress
Central authority	Partially preserved	Significantly weakened
Number of independent duchies	5	8
Position of nobility	Moderate	Dominant
Status of Pomerania	Dependent	Independent

The significance of the Gąsawa Congress extends beyond its immediate political consequences. This event became a symbol of the end of traditional Piast authority and the beginning of a new era in medieval Polish history, characterized by greater regional autonomy and the rising importance of local political elites.

• The Congress of Gąsawa took place on November 24, 1227, in the present-day Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, gathering the most important Piast dukes and nobles
• The main participants were Duke Leszek the White of Kraków, Duke Henry the Bearded of Silesia, and Duke Władysław Laskonogi of Greater Poland
• During the congress, a tragic attack occurred in which Duke Leszek the White was killed and Henry the Bearded was seriously wounded - Duke Świętopełk of Pomerania was considered the organizer of the attack
• The events in Gąsawa significantly deepened Poland's feudal fragmentation, leading to the weakening of central authority and increasing the importance of the nobility
• The Gąsawa Congress led to the independence of Gdańsk Pomerania and intensified the power struggle in Lesser Poland between Konrad of Masovia and Henry the Bearded

The Congress of Gąsawa of November 24, 1227, represents a turning point in medieval Polish history. This event not only led to the death of Duke Leszek the White but also significantly influenced the subsequent development of the Polish state.

The tragic consequences of the congress accelerated the process of feudal fragmentation and strengthened separatist tendencies in various regions. This led to the rising importance of local political elites and the weakening of central ducal authority.

Today, the Gąsawa Congress is recognized as a symbol of the end of traditional Piast authority and the beginning of a new era in Polish history characterized by greater regional autonomy and the dominant role of nobility in shaping state policy.