Legnica, city panorama from the south, c. 1737, Friedrich Bernhard Werner by Friedrich Bernhard WernerCopper Museum
It was Piast, Prussian, Czech, ruled by the Habsburgs, Soviet troops were stationed here. Legnica - before the Second World War, the German, today Polish Legnica - is associated with industry and copper, but it is also a city of monuments, among which you can
Panorama of Legnica, 1819 (1819) by Haenel / Carl Friedrich StuckardtCopper Museum
There are many legends that tell about people, places and events related to Legnica. Some have been preserved in historical sources, some have been taken by the former inhabitants of these lands, others are still being found and remembered. Some of them will be discussed in this article ...
Panorama of Legnica in the background of the scene of the death of Prince Henry the Pious during the battle of 1241, Gottlieb Boettger Senior (1808) by Gottlieb Boettger SeniorCopper Museum
The legend of the Battle of Legnica
Let's go back to the Middle Ages, when Prince Henry the Pious ruled in Legnica. In 1241, the Polish lands were invaded by the Tatar army. The Mongols easily conquered it, then the onslaught moved further west, towards Silesia
Battle with the Mongols (1941) by Walter BayerCopper Museum
The inhabitants of Legnica, upon the news of the approaching enemy, began to prepare themselves to defend themselves. A few days before the inevitable battle, Prince Henry the Pious, lonely because his mother and wife with their children were in Krosno, wandering around the castle's chamber, had a vision ...
Legnica, c. 1822, Friedrich August Tittel by Friedrich August TittelCopper Museum
According to the legend, his mother, St. Jadwiga and told him that the fate of his, principality and people was in the hands of God, who sent Tatars as a punishment for numerous sins. Then the prince realized that something bad was going to happen ...
Henryk Pobożny going to the Tatars (1881) by Edward Nicz wg Jana MoniuszkiCopper Museum
Another legend related to the battle of 1241 is given by Jan Długosz himself in his chronicles. Well, Prince Henry, who was leaving the church after the mass in the intention of victory, was supposed to have a brick fall off his feet. This was read as an announcement of a disaster that soon followed ...
Widok Legnickiego Pola (1841) by Author unknownCopper Museum
The Mongols defeated the troops of Henry the Pious. The prince had his head cut off and driven around on a stake. His mother, St. Jadwiga recognized her body by the six toes with which the prince was said to have been endowed. According to tradition, a temple was erected in this place, which today is a museum
Self-portrait with a battle, 4/99, 2000, Krzysztof Skórczewski (2000) by Krzysztof SkórczewskiCopper Museum
About the prophecy of the clairvoyant from Legnica
There are a few more legends that refer to the Middle Ages, the battle and the Piast family. A clairvoyant called Widun was supposed to live here then because he began every prophecy with the words: "I see". The legend says that he saw the future of every human being ...
Design of the poster for the exhibition "Gorze szą nam stalo!" (1986) by Andrzej PągowskiCopper Museum
Even Duchess Anna, wife of Henry the Pious, was to come to the seer Widun for prophecies. Once she asked if they would have a son. He replied that he did see a son with her, but that it would be better if he was not there ...
Legnica c. 1760, Friedrich Bernhard Werner by Friedrich Bernhard WernerCopper Museum
This is how Widun predicted the birth of Prince Bolesław Rogatka, who - as confirmed by historical sources, when he took power from his father, turned out to be a great misfortune for the people and the family.
Duchess Anna was also to come to the seer in 1241 ...
Henryk Pobożny going to the Tatars (1881) by Edward Nicz wg Jana MoniuszkiCopper Museum
Before the bloody battle took place in the fields near Legnica, Duchess Anna asked Widun what fate would befall her husband, Henryk the Pious. The clairvoyant predicted that he cannot see the prince's head among the bodies on the battlefield ...
Castle in Legnica during the siege by the Mongols in 1241., 1353/1972 by Author unknownCopper Museum
Anna then asked if her husband would die. Widun replied that even if so, her husband's name would be remembered forever. As he predicted, it happened so, Henryk's body was left without a head on the battlefield, according to legend, it rested in the waters of Lake Koskowickie ...
The Piast Mausoleum in the Church of St. John in Legnica, 1841. (1841)Copper Museum
About the last Duke of Legnica
He was the hope of the family and perhaps he would even sit on the Polish throne, but he died at a young age. Jerzy Wilhelm, the last of the Piast dynasty, rests in Legnica. What was the fate of the prince? The film prepared by the Copper Museum in Legnica tells about it - - Legenda o ostatnim księciu legnickim
Castle in Legnica Königl. Schloss zu Liegnitz, 1894, Theodor Blätterbauer (1894) by Theodor BlätterbauerCopper Museum
About the starvation of Princess Elizabeth's page
St. Peter at the Piast Castle is also called the hunger tower. Why? Legend says that Elizabeth,
the wife of Prince Henry the Fat, when he and his uncle Henryk Prawny fought against Władysław Łokietkowo, stayed in Legnica.
Castle in Legnica, from the north side before 1822 (1922) by Wilhelm Hewig according to Friedrich Wilhelm DelkeskampCopper Museum
Prince Henry entrusted the supervision over it to knight Otto von Hohen. The knight was to observe that Duchess Sławko's page was very close to her. So he began to suspect that Sławko had feelings for Elżbieta ...
Legnica, city panorama from the south, c. 1737, Friedrich Bernhard Werner by Friedrich Bernhard WernerCopper Museum
When the prince returned to Legnica, knight Otto told him about his suspicions. Then the prince ordered to close the page in the dungeon until the accusations were clarified. Soon the prince left, and Otto commissioned him to look after the page and feed it.
Castle on the north side "Schloss Liegnitz von der Nordseite", c. 1840 by R. Weber / Adolph HilscherCopper Museum
But after some time the knight Otto forgot about the page and he died of hunger and thirst. It later turned out that Sławko was innocent. The prince, having learned that the prisoner had starved to death, became furious and sentenced Otto to death by starvation ...
About the fortune-telling ring of Legnica
This story tells about Prince Frederick II and the mysterious ring that could have brought the destruction of Legnica. You can get to know the legend by watching the museum's YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3gnl400Zo4
Panorama of Legnica (1839) by Author unknownCopper Museum
Legnica still hides many legends and secrets that tell about characters, places or events, and to get to know them, we invite you to explore Lower Silesia ...
Tomasz Grabowski - Scientific and Educational Department of the Copper Museum in Legnica
