Agnes of Saxe-Lauenburg

This is a list of the duchies and dukes of Pomerania.

Dukes of the Slavic Pomeranian tribes (All Pomerania)

The lands of Pomerania were firstly ruled by local tribes, who settled in Pomerania around the 10th and 11th centuries.

Non-dynastic

In 1106, Pomerania is divided by his two older sons: Wartislaw, who founded the House of Pomerania and the Duchy of Pomerania, and Świętopełk I. After Swietopelk's death, his lands were occupied by the Saxon prince Lothar of Supplinburg. In 1155, the lands regained independence under Sobieslaw I, who founded the dynasty of the Samborides, and the Duchy of Pomerelia.

Duchy of Pomerania

The Duchy resulted from the partition of Świętobor, Duke of Pomerania, in which his son Wartislaw inherited the lands that would become in fact known as Pomerania.

Partitions of Pomerania

First partition 1155–1264

In 1155, Pomerania was divided in Pomerania-Stettin and Pomerania-Demmin. In 1190 the Land of Słupsk-Sławno separated itself from -Stettin.

In 1231 Emperor Frederick II granted the immediate liege lordship over Pomerania to the Margrave of Brandenburg, who enforced this claim by the Treaties of Kremmen (1236) and of Landin (1250). Thus Pomerania had become a fief of Brandenburg, thus an only mediate (indirect) subfief of the Empire, with Brandenburg itself being an immediate imperial fief.

In 1227, Stolp came to Pomerelia, Schlawe to Pomerania. In 1238–1316 both became part of Pomerelia, ruled by an autonomously acting dynasty of castellans, the Swenzones (German: Swenzonen, entering history in 1257 with Swenzo the Elder). In 1316, the area became part of the Pomerania-Wolgast, first as a pawn from Brandenburg, and definitively in 1347.

After Wartislaw III died heirless in 1264, Barnim I became sole duke of the whole duchy. After Barnim's death, the duchy was to be ruled by his sons Barnim II, Otto I and Bogislaw IV. The first years, Bogislaw, being the eldest, ruled in place of his too young brothers.

Second partition 1295–1368

In 1295, the Duchy of Pomerania was divided roughly by the Peene and Ina (Ihna) rivers, with the areas north of these rivers ruled by Bogislaw IV became Pomerania-Wolgast, whereas Otto I received Pomerania-Szczecin south of these rivers.

Third partition 1368–1376

In 1368, Pomerania-Wolgast was divided into a western part (German: Wolgast diesseits der Swine, including the name-giving residence in Wolgast) and an eastern part (German: Wolgast jenseits der Swine, in literature also called Pomerania-Stolp after the residence in Stolp (Słupsk)).

Fourth partition 1376/1377–1478

In 1376, the western part of Pomerania-Wolgast (German: Wolgast diesseits der Swine) was subdivided in a smaller western part sometimes named Pomerania-Barth after the residence in Barth, and an eastern part which included the residence in Wolgast. In the following year, the eastern part of Pomerania-Wolgast (German: Wolgast diesseits der Swine or Pomerania-Stolp) was divided into a western part which included Stargard and an eastern part which included the residence in Stolp (Słupsk).

In 1459, the eastern partitions of Pomerania-Wolgast around Stargard and Stolp ceased to exist. In 1478, after 200 years of partition, the duchy was reunited for a short period when all her parts were inherited by Bogislaw X.

Fifth and sixth partitions 1531–1625

In 1531, Pomerania was partitioned into Pomerania-Stettin and Pomerania-Wolgast. This time however, in contrast to the earlier partitions with the same names, Pomerania-Wolgast included the western, and Pomerania-Stettin the eastern parts of the duchy. In 1569, were created the duchies of -Barth (split off from -Wolgast) and -Rügenwalde (Darłowo) (split off from -Stettin).

Definitive reunification and annexation to Sweden

In 1625, Bogislaw XIV reunited all Pomerania under his rule. However, in 1637, Sweden hold western parts of Pomerania (Hither Pomerania), originally including Stettin, legalised by the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 (Swedish Pomerania, several times reduced in favour of Brandenburgian Pomerania). Between 1637 and 1657 Lauenburg-Bütow Land came to Poland, thereafter to Brandenburg. In 1648, Brandenburg prevailed in the Peace of Westphalia with its claim only for eastern parts of Pomerania (Farther Pomerania), with the Brandenburg electors officially holding simultaneously the title of dukes of Pomerania until 1806 (end of the Empire and its enfeoffments), but de facto integrating their Pomerania into Brandenburg-Prussia, making it one of the provinces of Prussia in 1815, then including former Swedish Pomerania.

Dukes of Pomerania: the House of Griffins

Partitions of Pomerania under Griffins rule

Table of rulers

Principality of Rugia

1168–1325 feudal fief of Denmark under local rulers:

• 1162–1170 Tezlaw
• 1170–1217 Jaromar I
• 1218–1249 Wizlaw I
• 1249–1260 Jaromar II
• 1260–1302 Wizlaw II
• 1303–1325 Wizlaw III

From 1325 Pomerania-Wolgast or -Barth:

• 1325–1326 Wartislaw IV
• 1326–1368 Bogislaw V, Wartislaw V, Barnim IV
• 1368–1372 Wartislaw VI, Bogislaw VI
• 1372–1394 Wartislaw VI
• 1394–1415 Wartislaw VIII
• 1415–1432/36 Swantibor II
• 1432/36–1451 Barnim VIII
• 1451–1457 Wartislaw IX
• 1457–1478 Wartislaw X

from 1474 part of Pomerania-Wolgast

Duchy of Pomerelia

In 1155, the lands which belonged to Świętopełk I became independent under Sobieslaw I, a possible descendant, who founded the House of Sambor and the Duchy of Pomerelia.

The dukes of Pomerelia were using the Latin title dux Pomeraniae ("Duke of Pomerania") or dux Pomeranorum ("Duke of the Pomeranians").

Partitions of the Duchy of Pomerelia

In 1215, the duchy was divided in other smaller duchies: Gdańsk, Białogarda, Lubiszewo and Świecie.

  Gdańsk   Białogarda   Lubiszewo   Świecie

In 1271 the duchy is reunited and in 1296 annexed to the Kingdom of Poland

Dukes of Pomerelia

Non-dynastic

House of Sambor (1155–1296)

Later history of Pomerelia

• 1296–1299 Part of Kujavia
• 1299–1308 Part of Poland
• 1308–1466 Part of the Teutonic Order State of Prussia
• 1454–1466 13-years war of Polish-supported Prussian separatist forces against the Teutonic Order
• 1466–1569 Royal Prussia, in personal union with the Crown of Poland
• 1569–1772 Part of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
• 1772–1919 West Prussia (province of the Kingdom of Prussia which was part of the German Empire from 1871)
  • 1829–1878 Province of Prussia (a province of the Kingdom of Prussia)
  • 1772–1793 Gdańsk, Toruń and Elbląg remained with Poland, then annexed to West Prussia, except of the latter annexed to East Prussia
  • 1807–1814 Free City of Danzig a Napoleonic client state, with François Joseph Lefebvre ennobled as Duc de Dantzic (1808–1820), before returned to West Prussia
• 1920–1939 Part of Poland as the Pomeranian Voivodeship, except of Danzig
• 1920–1939 Free City of Danzig, a League of Nations mandate
• 1939–1945 Danzig-West Prussia, province of Nazi Germany, including Polish Pomerania and Danzig
• 1945–present Part of Poland again