Lubsko

Lubsko (, Lower Sorbian: Žemŕ), formerly Zemsz, is a town in Żary County in the Lubusz Voivodeship in western Poland. It is the administrative seat of the Gmina Lubsko and has a population of 13,921 (2019).

==History== thumb|left|Żary Gate Tower, a remnant of medieval town fortifications In the early Middle Ages there was a West Slavic or Lechitic stronghold here, followed by a market settlement on the border between Poland and Lusatia. Probably its oldest name was Żemrje. It is located within Lower Lusatia, but at some times it also belonged to Silesia, e.g. under the Polish rulers Bolesław the Brave and Henry the Bearded. The town was first documented in 1258 and received town privileges by the Lusatian margrave Henry III of Wettin in 1283. The name Sommerfeld, German for "summer field", already appeared in an 1106 deed allegedly issued by margrave Henry I of Wettin, who nevertheless had died three years before. The Wettin margraves sold the town to Brandenburg in 1304. Given in pawn several times, Emperor Charles IV of Luxembourg finally granted Sommerfeld with Lower Lusatia to the Silesian Piast duke Bolko II the Small. In 1364, Bolko II granted new privileges to the town. After Bolko's death in 1368 it was seized as a reverted fief by the Bohemian (Czech) Crown. In 1411, Czech King Wenceslaus IV granted the town the privilege of minting coins. In 1429, the Hussites invaded the town. During the war of the succession of the Duchy of Głogów, the town returned under Polish rule and in 1464 it paid homage and swore allegiance to Piast Duke John II the Mad.