Boleslaw III "the Generous" of Silesia (23 September 1291-21 April 1352) was the Duke of Silesia from 1296 to 1342, succeeding Henry V of Silesia and preceding Henry VI of Silesia. Boleslaw the Generous divided his duchy between his brothers and then his sons, and he would become a vassal for King John of Bohemia, serving as his chancellor. He is also known for his failed attempts to conquer the Kingdom of Bohemia after the deaht of Wenceslaus III of Bohemia.
Biography[]
Boleslaw was born on 23 September 1291, the eldest son of Duke Henry V of Silesia and Elisabeth of Greater Poland. He was betrothed to Margaret of Bohemia in 1302 by King Wenceslaus II of Bohemia, who wanted to have greater influence over the Duchy of Wroclaw. The betrothed married in 1308, and Boleslaw became an heir to the Kingdom of Bohemia; upon the King's death in 1305 and the assassination of Wenceslaus III of Bohemia a year later, Boleslaw declared that he was the heir to the throne. In 1307, he failed to capture Kalisz, and in 1311 he was forced to end his ambition to conquer Bohemia. In 1311, he divided his fief between Wroclaw, Legnica, and Brzeg, and he chose to lead the smallest and least-prosperous duchy of Brzeg, while his brother Henry ruled Wroclaw and Wladyslaw ruled Legnica. Boleslaw failed to take Wroclaw from Henry VI, but he conquered Legnica when his brother Wladyslaw was unable to cover the compensation for the cession of Brzeg. However, Wladyslaw returned in 1329 with the support of King John of Bohemia, and Boleslaw did not have the power to fight John; he decided to become a vassal of Bohemia. Boleslaw would divide his fief amongst his relatives, and he died in 1352.