The article follows on an earlier publication by the author devoted to the urban development of Małopolska under Boleslaus the Modest (Krasnowolski, 2004–2005, pp. 36–37, 38–39). At the same time, it expands the subject discussed by the author in another work several years ago (Krasnowolski, 2004). The period in question was actually a quarter of a century from 1279 to 1306. The first of these dates marks the start of the reign of Leszek the Black (Leszek Czarny), successor to Boleslaus the Modest (Bolesław Wstydliwy), and the latter — capture of Kraków by Ladislaus the Elbow–High (Władysława Łokietka), efficiently competing with the rulers of Bohemia and exploiting the death of Wenceslaus III of Bohemia (Wyrozumski, 1992, pp. 200–201). Urban development from the time can be considered continuation of the urban development policy of Boleslaus the Modest, yet at a lower dynamic, due to political instability.

Scientific research on urban and rural layouts should form an important element of studying the history of cities and villages, something which requires a coordination of multiple disciplines. One must make use of source material, yet be able to tell the difference between the source and its interpretation or critique. The importance of source material varies depending on the period and area in question. When investigating Early Medieval Poland, for instance, one should focus on geological and archeological sources. The later periods show a much larger wealth of written sources and accounts. Beginning from the period of founding cities based on German laws in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, city plans and cartographic sources are of increasing value, as they make it possible to perform modular analyses. The role of iconographic source material increases during from the modern period all the way to our times. The method of research here is the correlation of the information gained from these sources onto modern urban layouts. We can interpret the subsequent phases of development based on this. Using modular analysis we can then identify the historical and agricultural conditions of the time. This research should be conducted by a team of academics from various different fields. An example of such a cooperation is the Atlas Miast Polskich (The Atlas of Polish Cities).