King of Poland | |
---|---|
Former Monarchy | |
Royal Coat of arms | |
Eugeniusz | |
First monarch | Lech |
Last monarch | Eugeniusz |
Style | His Majesty |
Official residence | Palaces in Poland: Koniecpolski Palace, Belwederski Palace |
Monarchy started | 6th century |
Monarchy ended | December 30, 1989 |
Current pretender | Prince Leopold of Bavaria |
Poland, or at least its nucleus, was ruled at various times either by dukes (the 10th-14th century) or by kings (the 11th-18th century). The longest-reigning dynasties were the Piast (ca. 960 – 1370) and Jagiellon (1386–1572). Intervening and subsequent monarchs were often rulers of foreign countries or princes recruited from foreign dynasties.
During the latter period a tradition of free election of monarchs made it a uniquely electable position in Europe (16th-18th centuries). Polish independence ended with the Third Partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (1795) and was restored at the end of World War I (1918).
Kings of Poland (1916–1989)[]
Ruler | Dynasty | Reign Began | Reign Ended | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Leopold | Wittelsbach | March 17, 1921 | September 28, 1930 | First king of the re-established Poland. German commander that drove Russia out of Poland in World War I. | |
Konrad II | Wittelsbach | September 28, 1930 | September 6, 1969 | Son of Leopold. Lead the Polish resistance during World War II. | |
Eugeniusz | Wittelsbach | September 6, 1969 | January 30, 1990 | Son of Konrad II. Last King of Poland. |