1. THE FAILED FOUNDATIONS OF CIEPLICE
THE FAILED FOUNDATIONS OF CIEPLICE
The Foundation of High Duke Bolesław II the Horned, Known as the Bald
In 1261, the High Duke of Poland, Bolesław II the Horned brought the Augustinians from the monastery in Kamieniec (disbanded in 1240) to Clarus Fons (Cieplice) fulfilling his late wife Jadwiga’s last will.
The new foundation was provided with 250 patches of land (including 50 grand patches of land in Malinnik, owned by a commoner named Laurentius), 100 patches of Franconian land adjoining the Kamienna river, along with the forest and lands in the area of modern Sobieszów.
The monks were to take care of the sick, coming to the healing springs of Cieplice and organize Masses for the soul of the late duchess.
The foundational document was issued in Legnica, written by duke’s notary named Hakon in the presence of Stojgniew the castellan of Legnica and the voivode, Ikon.
Additionally, the Augustinians were to aid in the colonization of the scarcely populated lands of Pogórze Sudeckie.
Once Bolesław II the Horned passed away in 1278, the Augustinians left Cieplice.
The Foundation of Duke Bernhard of Löwenberg
After the death of Bolesław II the Horned, his duchy was divided between his sons: Henryk V the Fat (Legnica), Bolko I the Strict and Bernard (co-owned the duchy of Jawor from 1278 to 1281). In 1281, duke Bolko I took the duchy of Schweidnitz-Jauer (Świdnica-Jawor) as his own and Bernard became the owner of the duchy of Löwenberg, which included both Hirschberg (Jelenia Góra) and Clarus Fons (Cieplice).
On the 18th of March 1281 in Löwenberg (Lwówek Śląski), duke Bernard of Löwenberg issued a deed under which the Johannites were to be brought to Cieplice. The Grand Prior per Alemaniam et Polonian was given Cieplice, 250 patches of land with villages, and all proper rights, in perpetual possession. Duke Bernard also sold 100 patches of land to the Knights Hospitaller in perpetual possession. Additionally, he acquitted the knights from the services of the ducal law for the next 20 years. Witnesses present during the writing of the document were the many knights and dignitaries at the duke’s court including: parson Bertold and Hermann, the Johannite Komtur under the new commandery in Löwenberg.
The Johannites’ commandery in Löwenberg with their House in Cieplice was a branch of their commandery in Striegau (Strzygom).
On the 10th of April 1282, the issuing of the duke’s deed was confirmed by the bishop of Breslau (Wrocław) Thomas II, giving the fratribus religiesis cruciferis ordinis sancti Johannis in Strygon and their House in Cieplice 100 patches of land between the rivers Flüssen and Kleinzacken. The document was finally issued in Hirschberg by duke Bernard in the presence of castellan Matthias of Lähn (Wleń) among others.
On the 20th of March 1288, Bolko I the Strict the duke of Schweidnitz-Jauer, after the death of his brother Bernard (1286), allowed Konrad, the Komtur of the Johannites in Cieplice, to construct an inn in Malinnik. The witnesses to the issuing of the document in Hirschberg were: Heinrich the reverend of Hirschberg and the townsmen Helwik, Friedrich, Henning, and Jakob.
Management of the hot springs and the proceeds of the commandery House has not proven to be profitable and subsequently the Johannites had many financial problems and needed to limit their operations in Cieplice as they could not even pay the yearly tributes (called responsion).
Duke Bolko I the Strict did not concern himself much with the Knights Hospitaler in Löwenberg and Cieplice, mostly because he involved himself with the foundation of the Cistercian abbey in Krzeszów in 1292. After duke’s death in 1301 his widow, duchess Beatrice as well as their sons, and later grandson Bolko II the Small, were not involved with them either and prioritized dealing with pressing political matters and the expansion of the abbey in Krzeszów where they would build their family tomb.
There were no later mentions of the Johannites presence in Cieplice.