The only Polish monarch in history who was distinguished with the name “the Great” was Casimir the Third, the last monarch of the Piast dynasty, crowned king in the Krakow cathedral in 1333. Despite the difficult international situation at the beginning (including the unfinished war with the Teutonic Order and the Czech ruler’s claim to the throne in Poland) under his reign, Poland became a strong state in medieval Europe. It was a result of his adroit foreign policy and decisions he made, which contributed to the economic development of the kingdom.

His alliance with Hungary, ruled by his brother-in-law, Charles Robert helped to normalize relations with the Czechs. At the congress in Visegrad in 1335, John of Luxembourg relinquished his claims to the Polish crown. The next step was to regulate relations with the Teutonic Knights, after the signing of the peace treaty in Kalisz in 1343. It allowed the Polish king to concentrate on joining the Halych-Volodymyr Ruthenia to Poland, after the childless death of Prince Yuri II Boleslav Troyden in 1340, who had promised his succession to Casimir the Great two years earlier. The culmination of an effective foreign policy and emphasizing the role of Poland was the organization of a convention of monarchs in Krakow in 1364, attended by Emperor Charles IV of Luxembourg, King Louis of Anjou of Hungary, kings of Denmark, Cyprus and many other countries.

Casimir the Great was just as efficient in his domestic policy as internationally. His home achievements include monetary reform, improvement of tax policy, development of trade and mining. The king also supported the creation of many new towns and villages. In addition, several dozen new castles were built. In the same year of the congress of monarchs, i.e. in 1364, Casimir founded the Krakow Academy, the first university in Poland. By reason of his policy, many new settlers came to Poland including Germans, Italians, Jews, Armenians, French and many others. In order to encourage Jews to settle in the Kingdom of Poland, Casimir the Great granted them several privileges, the first was issued in 1334, confirming the privilege of Kalisz from 1264. In 1364 Casimir the Great extended the Jewish privilege to the entire country.