Władysław I Łokietek, in English known as the "Elbow-high" or Ladislaus the Short (c. 1260/1 – 2 March 1333), was King of Poland from 1320 to 1333, and duke of several of the provinces and principalities in the preceding years.

In contemporary historical sources he was nicknamed Łokietek, a diminutive of the word łokieć which means "elbow" or "ell" (a medieval unit of measure similar to a cubit, as in "elbow-high").

In October 1277, lands destined for his younger brother Casimir II were invaded by Lithuanians, who, after the abduction of prisoners and seizure of loot, freely returned home.

This was a result of being the proteges of Bolesław V the Chaste, who at this time was in the opposite political camp (proczeskim) from Konrad II, Duke of Mazovia, through whose land the Lithuanian invasion passed.

The following year, in August, Władysław was present, along with Przemysl II and Ziemomysł of Kuyavia, when finalizing the reform of the Sulejów monastery, i.e., taking in the monks from the Wąchock monastic buildings.

While Władysław now ruled over Brześć Kujawski and Sieradz, Casimir II inherited the duchy of Łęczyca, and Siemowit assumed control of the land of Dobrzyń.

[9] After the Battle of Siewierz, Bolesław II of Mazovia resigned from applying for the Seniorate Province for unknown reasons, and so Władysław the Short began to style himself the Duke of Kraków and Sandomierz.

[14] Meanwhile, in order to further increase his contemporary significance, Władysław gave his niece Fenenna (daughter of his half-brother Ziemomysł) in marriage to Andrew III, the Hungarian king of the Arpad dynasty.

In 1292 Bohemian troops, through numerical superiority and with support from Silesian princes and the Margrave of Brandenburg, drove Władysław the Short first from Sandomierz, and in September of that same year surrounded him in a fortified Sieradz.

On 9 October 1292 an agreement was signed under which Władysław and Casimir II were forced to renounce claims to Lesser Poland and to make fealty to the Czech ruler, in return for which they remained on their Kuyavian leases.

The secret agreement, signed 6 January 1293, committed the three princes (the arrangement was also attended by Casimir II of Łęczyca) to mutual support in the effort to recover Kraków.

Neither party wanted bloody battles, and so an arrangement was made on 10 March 1296 in Krzywiń in which Władysław agreed to give Henry III the part of Greater Poland west and south of the rivers Obra and Warta up to the mouth of the Noteć.

The governments of Władysław I Łokietek in his part of Greater Poland were not successful because banditry was spreading there and internal opposition grew stronger, headed by Andrzej Zaremba, the bishop of Poznań.

In 1299 in Klęka an agreement was concluded under which Władysław the Short agreed to resubmit homage to Wenceslaus II, in return for which he would receive 400 grzywnas and an eight-year income from the mines in Olkusz.

Władysław, however, did not keep the terms and conditions made in Klęka, and in July 1299 Wenceslaus II organized a military expedition that resulted in the Kujavian prince fleeing the country.

There was a festive entrance to the capital of Lesser Poland on 1 September 1306, and this has been linked with the issuance of privilege for the city and for the current leading advocate of Czech rule, Jan Muskata, the bishop of Kraków.

In Greater Poland, Władysław managed to only take control of the Kuyavia-border towns of Konin, Koło, and Nakło, because the rest of the duchy had accepted the rule of his old enemy Henry III of Głogów (except Wielun which was occupied by prince Bolko I of Opole).

In April 1309 in Kuyavia there was a meeting between Władysław the Short and the Prussian Grand Master about the seizure of Pomerelia at which the Teutonic Order issued to the Prince an absurd bill for the relief of Gdańsk, and then offered to purchase the territory.

Muskata began to sow discord against Władysław soon after he gained the throne of Kraków by trying to establish contacts with his enemies Bolko I of Opole and Henry III of Głogów.

The reason for this state of affairs was the excessive (in their opinion) tax burden caused by the policy of unification of the Polish lands and the economic crisis associated with the loss of Pomerelia.

The rebels managed to control Kraków and gain the support of several other cities in Lesser Poland, but Wawel was saved by troops loyal to Władysław, which made the chances of a successful rebellion questionable.

In any case, attempts to capture Wawel Castle failed, and strengthened by Hungarian support, Władysław the Short mastered the rebellion in Sandomierz and forced Bolko I of Opole to leave Kraków in June 1312.

Upon returning to Opole, Bolko kidnapped mayor Albert and for unknown reasons had him imprisoned (perhaps to recover by ransom the costs incurred in connection with the trip to Kraków).

On 9 December 1309, Henry III of Głogów—who had claimed to be the successor of King Przemysł II and was the main competitor of Władysław the Short for the duchy of Greater Poland—died, leaving his district to be divided between his five sons.

This plan was actively supported by the Polish church, led by Borzysław, the archbishop of Gniezno (the successor of Jakub Swinka who died in 1314), and Gerward, the bishop of Kuyavia (Włocławek).

Looking for allies during the great European conflict between Pope John XXII and Ludwig Wittelsbach (Louis of Bavaria), Władysław the Short sided with the papal camp.

This effort led to increased Polish influence in Russia, which enabled the eventual takeover of the region by Wladyslaw's son and successor, Casimir III the Great.

The Teutonic Knights, taking advantage of the fact that Kuyavia was not prepared for war, crossed the Vistula and burned and destroyed the bishoprics of Wloclawek, Raciąż, and Przedecz.

Only by a daring crossing of the Vistula River by Władysław and intrusion to Chełmno with the help of Lithuanians were the allies successful in besieging the castle of Kowalewo Pomorskie in September.

Three days later, in the morning, Polish troops numbering about 5,000 and led personally by King Władysław and his son Prince Casimir encountered the rear guard of the Teutonic Knights near Radziejów.