Bogusław I, Duke of Pomerania

Who was Bogusław I, Duke of Pomerania?

Bogusław I of the House of Griffins was Duke of Pomerania-Stettin from 1156 to 1187. He ruled the Duchy of Pomerania jointly with his brother Casimir I of Pomerania-Demmin. His father was Wartislaw I. He was first married to Walburgis, daughter of Valdemar I of Denmark and later to Anastasia, daughter of Mieszko III of Poland and Eudoxia of Kiev. With his second wife, he had 5 children.

Bogusław and his brother allied with Pribislav of Mecklenburg and supported his revolt against Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony. They were defeated in the 1164 Battle of Verchen, but allowed to keep their duchy as a fief from Henry. As Henry's vassals, Bogislaw and his brother participated in the defeat of the Rani principality in 1168 led by allied Denmark.

In 1181, Barbarossa, who had overthrown Henry the Lion, granted Bogusław his duchy as a fief.

In 1184, Bogusław campaigned against Denmark's principality of Rügen on the Emperor's behalf. Yet, this failed, when the Pomeranian navy was sunk in the Bay of Greifswald. After several counterattacks, Bogusław had to take his duchy as a fief from King Canute VI of Denmark in 1185.