Boleslaw (given name)

Boleslaw, Bolesław, Boleslav or Boleslaus in Latin, is a male given name of Slavic origin meaning great glory. Feminine forms: Bolesława / Boleslava.

It was the favoured dynastic name in the Polish Piast dynasty and also, to a considerably lesser extent, among the Czech Přemyslids. Into the Piasts was borrowed from Přemyslids through inheritance in female line. (The mother of first Polish monarch of that name, i.e. Boleslaus the Brave, was the Czech princess Doubravka of Bohemia, whose father and brother bore the name "Boleslav".)

List of people with given name Boleslaw, Boleslav or Bolesław

Polish historical rulers

• Bolesław I of Poland (c. 966 – 1025), known as 'the Brave' or 'the Valiant', Duke of Poland from 992 to 1025 (ending in 1025 as King of Poland)
• Bolesław II of Poland (1039–1081), known as 'the Bold', 'the Generous' or 'the Cruel', Duke of Poland 1058 to 1076 and King of Poland 1076 to 1079
• Bolesław III Wrymouth (1085–1138), Duke of Poland from 1102 to 1138
• Bolesław IV the Curly (1120–1173), High Duke of Poland from 1146 to 1173
• Bolesław of Kuyavia (1159–1195), Duke of Kuyavia from c. 1186 to 1195
• Bolesław I of Cieszyn, Duke of Cieszyn
• Bolesław II of Cieszyn, Duke of Cieszyn
• Bolesław II Rogatka (1220/5–1278), Duke of Silesia, portions of Poland
• Bolesław V the Chaste (1226–1279), mid-13th century Duke of Kraków, who rebuilt the city after its destruction in 1241
• Bolesław the Pious (c. 1224 – 1279), Duke of Greater Poland 1239–1247
• Bolesław I of Masovia (1208–1248), Duke of Sandomierz, Sieradz (1233–1234), and Masovia (1229–1248)
• Bolesław II of Masovia, Duke of Masovia (c. 1250 – 1313)
• Bolesław Jerzy of Mazovia, Dukes of Masovia and Galicia-Lodomeria (died 1340)
• Bolesław III of Płock, Duke of Płock (c. 1325 – 1351)
• Bolesław IV of Warsaw, Duke of Warsaw (1421–1454)
• Bolesław V of Warsaw, Duke of Warsaw, Zakroczym, Nur, Płock, and Wizna (1454–1488)

Czech historical rulers

• Boleslaus I of Bohemia (died 967 or 972), known as 'the Cruel', ruling from 929 (or 935) to 972 (or 967)
• Boleslaus II of Bohemia (c. 920 – 999), known as 'the Pious', ruling from 972 to 999
• Boleslaus III of Bohemia (died 1037), known as 'the Red' or 'the Blind', ruling from 999 to 1002

Other historical rulers

• Boleslaw, 12th-century Swedish king
• Burislav, mythical Wendish or Polish king

Other

• Bolesław Bierut, former President of Poland
• Boleslav Jablonský, Czech poet and catholic priest
• Bolesław Prus, foremost figure in Polish literature of the late 19th century, and a distinctive voice in world literature
• Boleslav Polívka, Czech actor

See also

• Václav (disambiguation)
• Wenceslaus (disambiguation)