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- BIOGRAPHY
Bogislaw I, Herzog von Pommern-Stettin, was born about 1130, the son of Wartislaw I, Herzog von Pommern. After the murder of his father, his father's brother Ratibor I took over the rule of Pomerania. As the older brother, Bogislaw was the dominant ruler, on coins he even used the title of King.
About 1159 Bogislaw married Walburgis, whose origins are unknown. With her he had two sons who did not survive him and a daughter Dobroslawa who would have progeny. After the death of Walburgis, in 1177 Bogislaw married Anastasia of Poland, a daughter of Mieszko III, duke of Poland, and Jevdokija Isjaslavna of Kiev. They had two sons, Bogislaw II and Kasimir II, of whom Bogislaw II would have progeny.
In 1164 Bogislaw and Kasimir supported their brother-in-law Przybyslaw, prince of the Obotrites, in his uprising against Heinrich 'the Lion', Herzog von Sachsen und Bayern. After the Battle of Verchen on 6 July that year, which ended in victory for Heinrich, Bogislaw and Kasimir were allowed to keep their duchy as a fief from Heinrich, but became his vassals. Bogislaw remained loyal to Heinrich until his fall in 1181. At Heinrich's wish, in 1168 he and Kasimir took part in the conquest of Rügen by the Danes, who were allied with Heinrich. When the two princes and Heinrich came out of the conquest empty-handed after the distribution of the spoils, conflict erupted with the Danes. After several campaigns by the Danish king Waldemar I into Pomeranian territory in retaliation for the looting of Danish territories, Bogislaw and Kasimir sued for peace in 1177, but had to pay tribute.
In 1180 Kasimir was killed in the war against the Brandenburg March, and from then Bogislaw ruled alone. In 1181 on the occasion of Bogislaw's appearance at the imperial camp outside Lübeck he was invested by Friedrich Barbarossa, who had overthrown Heinrich 'the Lion', with the duchy of 'Slawien' as an imperial fief. It is unclear whether this constituted his elevation to the status of a prince of the empire, or what territories were included in 'Slawien'.
In the event Bogislaw could not maintain Pomerania as part of the empire. Military conflict broke out again with Denmark. In 1184 Bogislaw campaigned against Denmark's principality of Rügen on the emperor's behalf. The campaign failed when the Pomeranian navy was sunk in the Bay of Greifswald. After several Danish counterattacks, Bogislaw had to take his duchy as a fief from King Knut VI of Denmark in 1185. He probably also had to give up parts of his western territory to Rügen.
Bogislaw died on 18 March 1187 in Sosnitza near Altwarp. He was succeeded by Bogislaw II and Kasimir II, his sons from his second marriage.
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