# Piotr Wszeborycz

Piotr Wszeborycz (Wszebor) was a Polish voivode. He was lord of Ciechanów and the commander of Masovia. He lived in the 11th and 12th centuries.

## Reign

Based on information from the Kadłubek Chronicle, it is assumed that Wszebor held the office of voivode twice — once in the final phase of Bolesław Krzywousty's government (1125–1138), and the second time during the rule of Bolesław Kędzierzawy (after 1146).
In 1089, as he was an experienced knight, Wszebor ruled Ciechanów Castle.

### Bolesław II the Bold's Expedition to Kiev

Wszebor participated in Bolesław II the Bold's expedition to Kiev, during which he led the Polish army.

### Attack on Wszebor's castle

Hanna (Wszebor's daughter) was in love with Prince Zbigniew, the son of Władysław I Herman. To prevent the will of Hanna and Mieczysław's parents from being fulfilled, the lovers agreed that one night, a faithful servant of Zbigniew the German named Mestwin would secretly appear at the castle in Ciechanów and when he would show Hanna Zbigniew's ring, she would run away with him to Płock, to Zbigniew.
The cunning Zbigniew had thought out the kidnapping well. He decided to act on Midsummer's Eve, when the common people celebrated their Kupala feast in Modło near Ciechanów. On that day, Władysław Herman also had fun with his court in Ciechanów. In order to get the royal party and the castle knights out of the well-guarded castle, he improvised an attack on people from nearby settlements having fun in Modło.
Upon learning of the attack, murder of the population and burning of settlements, the king with his entourage left for Płock, while Wszebor and his team, after saying goodbye to his daughter, set off to relief towards Modła. The castle was deserted. The silence in the castle was complete. Tired people from the borough were sleeping in a row in the castle courtyard, where they had taken refuge when they heard about the threat. It was dark and muggy, there was a storm brewing.
When Wszebor eventually returned, deeply concerned about his daughters fate and furious with the servants, he ordered her to be punished, sent a chase to the four corners of the world, and himself went through Raciąż to Płock to the royal court to seek help.

### Wszebor in Wrymouth's expedition to Ruthenia

Wszebor became infamous after escaping from the battlefield in 1136, taking with him half of the prince's army. It is known that after his return, the prince sent Wszebor a hare sheepskin, a distaff and a rope, which was equivalent to a punishment of his dignity and fame.

### Wszebor's attack

After Salomea of Berg's death (27 July 1144), the juniors Bolesław II the Bold and Mieszko III of Poland wanted to take over her widow's estate - contrary to their father's will, perhaps as a salary for the younger Henry. Also in this case, Władysław II appealed to the help of Vsevolod II Olegovich. However, without waiting for the Russian soldiers to arrive, he sent his troops into battle.
Before the clash with his brothers took place, he was unexpectedly attacked by the Masovian Voivode, Wszebor. Władysław's inevitable defeat was prevented by reinforcements from Vsevolod, which fortunately arrived on time. A sort of accomplice (and perhaps the instigator) of this dangerous situation was Piotr Włostowic (Wszebor's brother), who, "guarding" the observance of Krzywousty's will, avoided unequivocally accepting the principal's side, and speaking in the language of reality: by giving his brothers a free hand, he took care of his own skin - after the removal of the juniors, because the senior prince would probably also want to get rid of the all-powerful palatine.

## Controversy

Kadłubek's view was recently questioned J. Bieniak, questioning the credibility of his account, which he supposedly only knew the fact that Wszebor held the office in question without any relatives data on its chronology and clearly ignored this.
To support his assumption, he referred to the message of Carmen Mauri (preserved in both text versions, i.e. in the Polish-Silesian Chronicle and in the Chronicle about Komes Piotr), claiming that it clearly indicates that at the moment of death Wrymouth (Krzywousty) dignitaspalatina was in the hands of Piotr Włostowic.
He had probably assumed this position before 1132, since he played a role in the Battle of Sajó. Piotr's son, Wszebor II, became a special confidant of the monarch.
An additional reason for J. Bieniak to question the credibility of Kadłubek's account were his own findings on the subject. Wszebora from Piotr Włostowic. This scientist sees more precisely in Wszebór eldest son Piotr. He derives this affiliation only from indirect data rightly emphasizing that there is no expressis verbis of Wszebor's relationship with Piotr which specifies no source. He rejects the emendation of the name Ceswborius on "Wseborius", accepted by some researchers, based on which Wszebor is recognized in the literature on the subject as Peter's cognatus.

## Personal life

Wszebor had a daughter called Hanna which was considered exceptionally beautiful, given to Prince Mieczysław, the son of Bolesław the Bold as a child.

## Death

It is unknown when Wszebor died, although it was a few months after his daughter Hanna died.