One of the most important bourgeois uprisings in medieval Poland, which broke out in Kraków in 1311. The rebellion was led by Vogt Albert, who, along with German burghers, attempted to take control of the city and gain independence from the rule of Władysław the Elbow-high.

In medieval Kraków, one of the most significant bourgeois uprisings in Polish history took place. The Rebellion of Vogt Albert, which erupted in 1311, was a turning point in relations between the bourgeoisie and royal authority.

This uprising was an expression of growing political and economic ambitions of Kraków's patriciate. The rebellion was led by Vogt Albert, who, along with German burghers, attempted to take control of the city and gain independence from the rule of Władysław Łokietek. These events had a significant impact on the later fate of Kraków and the entire Kingdom of Poland.

Kraków in the 13th century was one of the most important urban centers of medieval Poland. The city developed dynamically thanks to its location rights under Magdeburg law in 1257 by Duke Bolesław the Chaste.

13th-century Kraków was characterized by a complex social structure with the dominant role of urban patriciate. The city was inhabited by three main social groups:

• Merchant patriciate controlling international trade
• Craftsmen organized in guilds
• Urban plebeians engaged in small trade

Political relations were shaped in the following arrangement:

Group	Scope of Power
Duke	Supreme authority
City Council	City management
Hereditary Vogt	Judiciary

Kraków's vogts held key administrative functions in the city:

• Presiding over city courts
• Collecting part of city rents
• Commanding city armed forces
• Representing the city in external relations

Privilege	Benefit
Court income	1/3 of court fees
Rents	1/6 of stall rents
Real estate	Right to own mills
Trade	Customs exemptions

Albert served as the hereditary vogt (mayor) of Kraków at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries. His position in the city structures gave him significant judicial and administrative power in the capital of Lesser Poland.

Albert came from an influential bourgeois family with German roots. He assumed the office of hereditary vogt after his father in 1289, as confirmed by a document from the reign of Henry IV Probus. This position was associated with:

• Inheritance of 1/6 of city rents
• Control over 6 butcher stalls
• Ownership of 2 mills on the Rudawa River
• Possession of a townhouse at the Main Square

Albert's position in Kraków was based on extensive economic and political influence:

• Leading the city bench consisting of 7 aldermen
• Exercising jurisdiction in criminal and civil cases
• Control over 30% of income from court fines
• Managing assets worth 400 marks of silver
• Possessing the right of sword (ius gladii)

Type of Property	Number
Townhouses	3
Mills	2
Butcher Stalls	6
Market Stalls	8

The rebellion of Vogt Albert in Kraków had its main source in the growing conflict between the bourgeoisie and royal authority. The complex political situation in Lesser Poland and the rising ambitions of Kraków's patriciate led to an open uprising against Władysław Łokietek.

Tensions between Vogt Albert and Władysław Łokietek stemmed from three main factors:

• Limitation of city autonomy through the introduction of new taxes for the royal treasury

• The ruler's interference in municipal judiciary matters by questioning the verdicts of vogt courts

• Attempts to restrict trade with Silesian merchants by the ruler, which harmed the economic interests of burghers

• Striving to maintain economic privileges associated with Magdeburg rights

• Dissatisfaction with increasing financial burdens imposed by the royal court

• Strong economic ties with Silesian cities threatened by Łokietek's policies

• Political aspirations of wealthy German burghers seeking greater autonomy

Social Group	Estimated Numbers	Level of Support for Rebellion
Merchant Patriciate	50-60 families	High (80%)
Craftsmen	200-300 people	Moderate (50%)
Common People	2000-3000 people	Low (20%)

The rebellion of Vogt Albert began in 1311 through an organized action to take control of Krakow. The rebels acted according to a precisely prepared plan that included both military and political actions.

The uprising began on the night of May 14-15, 1311, when armed burgher units took control of Krakow. Key events of the rebellion:

• Seizure of the Sławkowska Gate by burgher units
• Taking control of Krakow's town hall by Albert's forces
• Formation of a temporary city council under Albert's leadership
• Expulsion of Łokietek's supporters from the city
• Fortification of the city through strengthening defensive walls
• Organization of defense system involving 300 armed burghers

The rebels formed a strategic agreement with Silesian dukes:

• Establishing cooperation with Duke Boleslaus of Opole
• Signing an alliance treaty with the Duke of Głogów in June 1311
• Creating a city supply system through Silesian merchants
• Organizing military support from 200 Silesian knights
• Coordinating defensive actions with Silesian garrisons
• Establishing communication routes between Krakow and Silesia

Conflict Side	Number of Armed Forces	Type of Troops
Rebels	300	Townspeople
Silesian Support	200	Knights
Łokietek's Forces	500	Lesser Poland Knights

The rebellion of Vogt Albert ended in defeat for the insurgents in August 1312 after Krakow was captured by Władysław Łokietek's forces. The consequences of this event led to fundamental changes in the structure of municipal authority and relations between the bourgeoisie and monarchy.

Władysław Łokietek captured Krakow on August 5, 1312, with the support of Lesser Poland and Hungarian knights. Severe repression was applied to the rebellion participants:

• Confiscation of property from 30 wealthiest patrician families

• Execution of 6 rebellion leaders in the Main Market Square

• Exile of Vogt Albert to Silesia along with 15 most influential burghers

• Imposition of a contribution of 20,000 silver marks on the city

• Abolition of the hereditary vogt office and transfer of its powers to the royal judicial vogt

• Introduction of direct royal control over the city council

• Limitation of the city's judicial autonomy

• Establishment of a new tax system increasing royal revenues

Management Aspect	Before the Rebellion	After the Rebellion
Vogt Office	Hereditary	Royal
Judicial Autonomy	Full	Limited
Council Control	Independent	Subject to King
City Taxes	Low	Increased

• Albert the Vogt's rebellion broke out in 1311 in Kraków as one of the most important bourgeois uprisings in medieval Poland
• The uprising was led by Vogt Albert, who, along with German patricians, sought to make the city independent from the rule of Władysław the Elbow-high
• The main causes of the rebellion were: restrictions on city autonomy, new taxes, and the ruler's interference in municipal judiciary
• The uprising ended in defeat in August 1312 when Łokietek's troops captured Kraków
• The consequences of the rebellion included the abolition of the hereditary vogt office, limitation of city autonomy, and severe repression against uprising participants

The rebellion of Vogt Albert in 1311 marks a turning point in the history of medieval Kraków. This event fundamentally changed the relationship between the bourgeoisie and royal authority and shaped a new system of city governance.

This uprising led to a significant reduction in municipal autonomy and strengthening of royal power. The abolition of the hereditary vogt office introduced permanent changes in the city's administrative structure, while severe repression against rebellion participants long prevented further attempts to rise against royal authority.

These events demonstrate the crucial role cities played in shaping the medieval Polish state. The history of Vogt Albert's rebellion remains an important example of the complex relationships between royal power and urban elites in medieval Poland.