Wladyslaw Lokietek (the Elbow-High) of Kujavia, the third son of the late Kazimierz I Kujawski, Duke of Leczyca, Sieradz and Cuiavia had inherited Cuiavia, while the remaining two duchies had gone to his brothers, Leszek Czarny (the Black) and Kazimierz II of Leczyca.
However, following the deaths of both brothers, the entire inheritance had passed to Władyslaw, who then began the task of reuniting the Kingdom of Poland.
His next step is to win Lesser Poland, for which he has had to contest the local prince, Przemysl II.
Following the death of Przemysl in 1296, Wladyslaw had proclaimed himself his successor and established himself in Lesser Poland, as well as in Pomerania.
While Wladyslaw enjoys the support of the Lesser Polish peasants, knights and part of the clergy who prefer a prince from the domestic Piast dynasty, he had had to defer to Wenceslaus II of Bohemia, King of Bohemia and of Bohemia, who has the support of the local lords.
Following the unexpected death of Vaclav, who had possessed the Polish crown since 1300, Wladyslaw, supported by his Hungarian allies, enters Lesser Poland with an army of his supporters, which, according to the fifteenth-century historian Jan Dlugosz, consisted of more peasants than knights.
