DOI article:
Paszkiewicz, Borys: The Sicilian design on the Opole coin and the genesis of the white eagle
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21230#0342
blished, along with another specimen from the hoard at Zalesie near
Sławięcice.3
Although the presence of a name on Polish bracteates of the thir-
teenth century is very rare, our coin for many decades drew no interest
from researchers other than from Marian Gumowski, who, as his fancy
took him, attributed it at times to Władysław Odonic, at times to Władysław
the Spindle-Legged. Only in the last decade has the attribution of the
Uladizlaus bracteate become the subject of discussion between Wiesław
Kopicki and myself.4 In reply to my suggestion that the coin be attributed
to Władysław I of Racibórz and Opole (1246-1281/2), W. Kopicki put
forward the candidature of Władysław I duke of Wrocław (1266-1270) and
archbishop of Salzburg. In this way the stock of Polish Władysławs' of the
thirteenth century has been exhausted, and for other rulers of the same
name we shall have to search in Hungary, which indeed was Ferdinand
Friedensburg's suggestion for this coin.5
As far as the attribution is concerned, all arguments have been ex-
pressed, and there remains but one still candidate not eliminated: even
my opponent has admitted that 'the personage of Władysław Opolski is
possible to accept...' This is an individual both interesting and forgot-
ten. With regards to the latter this is proved simply by the fact that he
has not been considered as the issuer of the Uladizlaus bracteate for
over 70 years. He is also often mistaken for his better-known great grand-
son, the second Duke of Opole6 of this name. However, he remained on
the political scenę for the best part of the 13th century. This was not the
result of any particular longevity - he died before he had turned sixty -
but rather of the untimely death of his father, Kazimierz I (1229/30).
3 F. Friendensburg, Schlesische Miinzfunde, Altschlesien, 1, 1922, pp. 30-31.
4 The literaturę on this subject I have compiled in the work: Nowy Sącz, Trzebiatów, „ Uladi-
zlaus". O interpretacji brakteatów guziczkowych (Nowy Sącz, Trzebiatów, 'Uladizlaus'. On the inter-
pretation of the hohlpfennigs), WN, XLI, 1997, no. 3-4, p. 142. Z. Piech has turned his
attention to this coin, Wokół genezy Orla Białego jako herbu Królestwa Polskiego (Around
the Genesis of the White Eagle as the Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Poland), [in:] Orzeł Biały
- 700 lat herbu państwa polskiego (The White Eagle - 700 Years of the Polish Coat of Arms),
Warszawa 1995, pp. 21, 26.
1 F. Friendsburg, Der Fund von Salesche, Blatter fur Munzfreunde, LTV, 1919, p. 556. The
author later refutes this idea, see footnote 3.
6 See recentlyj. Kurtyka, Tęczyńscy. Studium z dziejów polskiej elity możnowladczej w średnio-
wieczu, Kraków 1997, p. 666 - the index includes references to Władysław I in the description
of Władysław II.
342
Sławięcice.3
Although the presence of a name on Polish bracteates of the thir-
teenth century is very rare, our coin for many decades drew no interest
from researchers other than from Marian Gumowski, who, as his fancy
took him, attributed it at times to Władysław Odonic, at times to Władysław
the Spindle-Legged. Only in the last decade has the attribution of the
Uladizlaus bracteate become the subject of discussion between Wiesław
Kopicki and myself.4 In reply to my suggestion that the coin be attributed
to Władysław I of Racibórz and Opole (1246-1281/2), W. Kopicki put
forward the candidature of Władysław I duke of Wrocław (1266-1270) and
archbishop of Salzburg. In this way the stock of Polish Władysławs' of the
thirteenth century has been exhausted, and for other rulers of the same
name we shall have to search in Hungary, which indeed was Ferdinand
Friedensburg's suggestion for this coin.5
As far as the attribution is concerned, all arguments have been ex-
pressed, and there remains but one still candidate not eliminated: even
my opponent has admitted that 'the personage of Władysław Opolski is
possible to accept...' This is an individual both interesting and forgot-
ten. With regards to the latter this is proved simply by the fact that he
has not been considered as the issuer of the Uladizlaus bracteate for
over 70 years. He is also often mistaken for his better-known great grand-
son, the second Duke of Opole6 of this name. However, he remained on
the political scenę for the best part of the 13th century. This was not the
result of any particular longevity - he died before he had turned sixty -
but rather of the untimely death of his father, Kazimierz I (1229/30).
3 F. Friendensburg, Schlesische Miinzfunde, Altschlesien, 1, 1922, pp. 30-31.
4 The literaturę on this subject I have compiled in the work: Nowy Sącz, Trzebiatów, „ Uladi-
zlaus". O interpretacji brakteatów guziczkowych (Nowy Sącz, Trzebiatów, 'Uladizlaus'. On the inter-
pretation of the hohlpfennigs), WN, XLI, 1997, no. 3-4, p. 142. Z. Piech has turned his
attention to this coin, Wokół genezy Orla Białego jako herbu Królestwa Polskiego (Around
the Genesis of the White Eagle as the Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Poland), [in:] Orzeł Biały
- 700 lat herbu państwa polskiego (The White Eagle - 700 Years of the Polish Coat of Arms),
Warszawa 1995, pp. 21, 26.
1 F. Friendsburg, Der Fund von Salesche, Blatter fur Munzfreunde, LTV, 1919, p. 556. The
author later refutes this idea, see footnote 3.
6 See recentlyj. Kurtyka, Tęczyńscy. Studium z dziejów polskiej elity możnowladczej w średnio-
wieczu, Kraków 1997, p. 666 - the index includes references to Władysław I in the description
of Władysław II.
342