Over the past several decades, many misunderstandings have arisen concerning the origin of our city’s name. Let us try to clarify them, at least partially. The oldest known and certain name of the settlement is the form used in a document issued by Henry the Bearded in 1202, in which he confirmed his father’s donations to the monastery in Lubiąż. The witness to this document was Nancerus castellanus de BOLEZLAUEZC. This is a form well known to everyone with even a slight interest in the city’s history.
Recently, a difficult-to-defend theory emerged identifying the stronghold in Bolesławiec with a stronghold called Szobolezke, mentioned in a bull issued by Pope Hadrian IV for the bishopric of Wrocław in 1154/55. Over time, subsequent names of the settlement appear in episcopal and ducal documents. Thus, in 1203 it was Bolezlauech; in 1218, Bolozlauec; in 1223, Bolezlauec; in 1230, Bolezlawizc; in 1243, Bolezlawicz; in 1244, Bolezlawiz; and in 1264, Bolezlauiz. In 1293, the German-Latin form Bunzlavia appears, replacing the Polish form only toward the end of the fourteenth century. In 1346 there was Boleslauia; in 1350, Bunczlaw; in 1353, Bonozlab; and in 1354, Boleslau. Later, until 1945, the German name Bunzlau remained in use.
There is no need to prove, since it is obvious, that the stronghold on the Bóbr River derived its name from Bolesław. The problem arises when we have to identify a specific duke. The name Bolesław was sanctified by tradition in the Piast dynasty.
Successive rulers gave it to their sons in honor of their ancestors, whether Bolesław the Brave (992–1025) or Bolesław the Bold (1058–1079). In this way, Bolesław Mieszkowic and Bolesław the Wrymouth received their names, as did, in particular, the two Bolesławs of interest to us: Bolesław the Tall (1163–1201) and Bolesław the Bald, known as Rogatka (1241–1278). The settlement’s original name was Bolesław; only later did it develop into the expanded form recorded in 1202 as Boleslauezc. If the first reference dates from 1202, then Bolesław Rogatka could in no way have been the patron of the stronghold, although he is quite commonly considered the founder of the city and stronghold. Rogatka was the Duke of Legnica from 1241 to 1278, more than half a century after the name of the stronghold—and consequently the city’s name—had taken shape.
Some researchers claim that, besides the name of Wrocław, Bolesławiec is evidence of Czech rule in Silesia in the tenth century, deriving its name from Duke Boleslav I (935–967), the father of Dobrawa. This similarity was noticed in the seventeenth century by Martin Opitz, a famous German poet from Bolesławiec, who wrote: “...Reineccius and others believed that the capital of my Silesia was named Bratesilia after the Slavs crossed the river, although this name derives from the transformed name of its founder, Vratislav, just as Bo lesławiec, where I come from, derives from Bolesław; the name Vratislav was transformed into Wratzlaw or Breslaw, and the other into Bunzlaw...” However, we reject these theories, as it is difficult to find evidence of any activity by Boleslav I in the vicinity of Bolesławiec.
Bolesław the Brave appears to be a serious candidate for the city’s namesake. German scholars consider the stronghold in Bolesławiec one of the principal strongholds in Bolesław’s state; he had more than one opportunity to stay there or in its vicinity while waging wars for Milsko and Lusatia. For example, in 1018, after signing the Peace of Bautzen, Bolesław set out from there on the expedition to Kyiv.
The nearest route from Bautzen led through Bolesławiec; the ford on the Bóbr at Iława, known from other sources, was too far to the north to be used. Knowing the terms of the Peace of Bautzen, Bolesław may have decided to build a stronger border stronghold at the ford on the Bóbr, which was named Bolesław in his honor. These are, however, purely speculative considerations. It is difficult to rely on information from municipal chroniclers because, to put it mildly, their accounts do not correspond to the truth. One example is their accepted claim that a castle already existed in Bolesławiec in the eleventh century!
So who gave our city its name? The only duke who can be considered is Bolesław the Tall, Duke of Silesia (1163–1201), grandson of Bolesław the Wrymouth.
After the death of his father, Władysław the Exile, and under diplomatic pressure from the emperor, consent was given in 1163 to restore the Silesian district to Bolesław the Tall. However, he had to agree to the stationing of garrisons subordinate to the senior duke in some strongholds in Silesia. In this situation, the only way to administer the territory under his control was to build new strongholds. The information from 1202 confirms that the stronghold existed before the death of Bolesław the Tall on 8 December 1201. This appears to be corroborated by one of the forgeries from 1201, which mentions Nanker, the castellan of Bolesławiec.