Wartislaw Swantibor

Who is Wartislaw Swantibor?

Wartislaw II Swantibor, also known as Wartislaw the Younger or Wartislaw Swantiboritz was a member of a cadet line of the House of Griffins, who ruled the Duchy of Pomerania. Wartislaw II was Castellan of Szczecin. He is the only known son of Swantibor I, a Pomeranian prince about whom very little is known.

In the early 1170s, a Danish army under King Valdemar I besieged Szczecin Castle. Reportedly, Wartislaw II surrendered and handed the castle to the Danes. In 1173, he founded Kołbacz Abbey.

After the death of Duke Bogislaw I in 1187, Wartislaw II and Boglislaw's widow Anastasia jointly acted as guardians and regents for the underage Dukes Bogislaw II and Casimir II. The fact that he was their guardian is considered a strong indication that he was closely related to them; the exact family relationship is unknown. Wartislaw II was charged with convincing King Canute VI of Denmark to enfeoffed the young Dukes with Pomerania. However, a revolt against Denmark broke out during his rule, and in 1189, Canute VI deposed him and appointed Prince Jaromar I of Rügen as regent. Wartislaw II then retired from public life.

Nothing is known about his later life, except the archives of Kołbacz mention that he died in 1196.