Agnes of Babenberg
Encyclopedia
Agnes of Babenberg was a German
noblewoman, a scion of the Franconian House of Babenberg and by marriage High Duchess of Poland and Duchess of Silesia
.
She was a daughter of Margrave Leopold III of Austria
, by his second wife Agnes
, eldest daughter of Emperor Henry IV
.
, who ruled the Holy Roman Empire
since 1024 until her maternal uncle Emperor Henry V
died without issue in 1125. She was the half-sister of Duke Frederick II of Swabia
and Conrad
, since 1138 King of Germany (both born from her mother's first marriage with Duke Frederick I of Swabia
). From her full-siblings, one sister Judith
married Marquess William V of Montferrat
and one brother was Bishop Otto of Freising
, a renown medieval chronicler.
According to Wincenty Kadłubek, Polish chronicler and Bishop of Kraków (and this opinion is shared by other sources), Agnes was a very ambitious, energetic woman, and proud of her origins. No wonder the Bishop called her in the pages of his Polish Chronicle, "Tigress" .
, who in 1125 had been elected King of the Romans
against Duke Frederick II of Swabia. He therefore forged an alliance with the Babenbergs and the Hohenstaufen families, who, as relatives of the extinct Salian dynasty, were the natural rivals of Lothair. In order to seal this alliance, was decided the marriage between Bolesław III's eldest son Władysław with Agnes. The wedding took place around 1125; according to some historians, the couple already received the Duchy of Silesia
from Bolesław III as a gift.
). In addition to Silesia, he received the Seniorate Province
(which included Lesser Poland
, eastern Greater Poland
and western Kuyavia
) and the authority over Pomerania
. His half-brothers Boleslaw IV
, Mieszko III and Henry
received hereditary fiefs as Junior Dukes. In addition, Władysław II would also receive the lands of Łęczyca, then granted by Bolesław III to his widow Salomea of Berg
for life as her Oprawa wdowia and to revert to the Seniorate Province upon her death.
Almost immediately, the High Duke began his efforts to unify the country under his rule. Wincenty Kadłubek stated that the confrontation between Władysław II and his half-brothers was mainly instigated by Agnes, who believed that her husband, as the eldest son, had the right to be the sole ruler of the whole country.
In order to strengthen the authority of the High Duke, it is believed that Agnes took part in the downfall of one of the most powerful nobles in the country, the voivode Piotr Włostowic, who supported the Junior Dukes. According to a legend, the capture of Włostowic was thanks to Agnes, because she sent her personal slanders to his castle and took him during the night. This event is recorded in German contemporary historiography; however, since this story is not confirmed, remained discarted by modern historians. Agnes demanded Włostowic's death, but her husband decided instead to make an example of him: Włostowic was blinded, muted and sentenced to exile.
. Władysław II escaped to Bohemia
, while Agnes and her children remained in Kraków
, where for some time they could maintain the resistance against the Junior Dukes from the Wawel castle
. However, the attempts to defend the city were unsuccessful, and at the end the whole family was reunited in exile.
After a short time at the Bohemian court of Duke Vladislaus II, Agnes' half-brother King Conrad III of Germany offered his hospitality to the Polish royal family, who settled at the Kaiserpfalz
of Altenburg
. At first, it seemed that Władysław II would soon regain power over Poland. A German expedition against the Junior Dukes was launched in 1146, but due to flooding of the Oder
River and the pressures on the German king by the margraves Albert the Bear and Conrad of Meissen
, the campaign failed.
The failure of the expedition didn't discourage Agnes, who continued with her attempts to restore her husband. She asked the intervention of Pope Eugenius III, who decided to raise the question in the 1148 Council of Reims
, and sent his legate Guy to Poland to obtain the submission of the Junior Dukes. However, they refused to accept the return of Władysław II, and the Pope declared a ban over Poland. The penalty, thanks for the cohesive support of the Polish church hierarchy by the Junior Dukes, was virtually without repercussions.
In 1152 King Conrad III died and was succeeded by his nephew Frederick Barbarossa
. With the accession of the energetic ruler, the hopes of Agnes and Władysław II of returning to Poland were reborn. Following the inducements of his aunt, the new German King launched an expedition against Poland in 1157. The campaign was a success but unexpectedly Barbarossa did not restore Władysław II to the Polish throne. Instead High Duke Bolesław IV was declared a vassal of Emperor Frederick and was compelled to pay tribute to him. In compensation, he forced Bolesław to promise the restitution of the Silesian duchy to Władysław's sons.
near Naumburg
on the Saale
river.
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
noblewoman, a scion of the Franconian House of Babenberg and by marriage High Duchess of Poland and Duchess of Silesia
Duchy of Silesia
The Duchy of Silesia with its capital at Wrocław was a medieval duchy located in the historic Silesian region of Poland. Soon after it was formed under the Piast dynasty in 1138, it fragmented into various Duchies of Silesia. In 1327 the remaining Duchy of Wrocław as well as most other duchies...
.
She was a daughter of Margrave Leopold III of Austria
Leopold III, Margrave of Austria
Saint Leopold III was the Margrave of Austria in 1073–1136. He is the patron saint of Austria, of the city of Vienna, of Lower Austria, and, jointly with Saint Florian, of Upper Austria. His feast day is November 15.-Biography:...
, by his second wife Agnes
Agnes of Germany
Agnes of Germany was the daughter of Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor and Bertha of Savoy. Her maternal grandparents were Otto, Count of Savoy, Aosta and Moriana and Adelaide, Marchioness of Turin and Susa....
, eldest daughter of Emperor Henry IV
Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry IV was King of the Romans from 1056 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1084 until his forced abdication in 1105. He was the third emperor of the Salian dynasty and one of the most powerful and important figures of the 11th century...
.
Family and personality
Through her mother, Agnes was a descendant of the Salian DynastySalian dynasty
The Salian dynasty was a dynasty in the High Middle Ages of four German Kings , also known as the Frankish dynasty after the family's origin and role as dukes of Franconia...
, who ruled the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
since 1024 until her maternal uncle Emperor Henry V
Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry V was King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor , the fourth and last ruler of the Salian dynasty. Henry's reign coincided with the final phase of the great Investiture Controversy, which had pitted pope against emperor...
died without issue in 1125. She was the half-sister of Duke Frederick II of Swabia
Frederick II, Duke of Swabia
Frederick II , called the One-Eyed, was the second Hohenstaufen duke of Swabia from 1105. He was the eldest son of Frederick I and Agnes....
and Conrad
Conrad III of Germany
Conrad III was the first King of Germany of the Hohenstaufen dynasty. He was the son of Frederick I, Duke of Swabia, and Agnes, a daughter of the Salian Emperor Henry IV.-Life and reign:...
, since 1138 King of Germany (both born from her mother's first marriage with Duke Frederick I of Swabia
Frederick I, Duke of Swabia
Frederick I von Staufen was Duke of Swabia from 1079 to his death. He was the first ruler of Swabia from the House of Hohenstaufen, and was the builder of dynasty's ancestral Hohenstaufen Castle near Göppingen.-Parents:...
). From her full-siblings, one sister Judith
Judith of Babenberg
Judith of Babenberg , , was a daughter of Agnes of Germany and her second husband Leopold III of Austria. The chronicler Otto of Freising was one of her older brothers; Conrad III of Germany her half-brother. Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor was her nephew.She married c...
married Marquess William V of Montferrat
William V, Marquess of Montferrat
William V of Montferrat , also known as William the Old to distinguish him from his eldest son, William Longsword, was marquess of Montferrat from c. 1136 to his death in 1191...
and one brother was Bishop Otto of Freising
Otto of Freising
Otto von Freising was a German bishop and chronicler.-Life:He was the fifth son of Leopold III, margrave of Austria, by his wife Agnes, daughter of the emperor Henry IV...
, a renown medieval chronicler.
According to Wincenty Kadłubek, Polish chronicler and Bishop of Kraków (and this opinion is shared by other sources), Agnes was a very ambitious, energetic woman, and proud of her origins. No wonder the Bishop called her in the pages of his Polish Chronicle, "Tigress" .
Marriage
The ruler of Poland, Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth, in order to hold his ground against the Empire wanted to obtain a powerful ally against Lothair III of SupplinburgLothair III, Holy Roman Emperor
Lothair III of Supplinburg , was Duke of Saxony , King of Germany , and Holy Roman Emperor from 1133 to 1137. The son of Count Gebhard of Supplinburg, his reign was troubled by the constant intriguing of Frederick I, Duke of Swabia and Duke Conrad of Franconia...
, who in 1125 had been elected King of the Romans
King of the Romans
King of the Romans was the title used by the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire following his election to the office by the princes of the Kingdom of Germany...
against Duke Frederick II of Swabia. He therefore forged an alliance with the Babenbergs and the Hohenstaufen families, who, as relatives of the extinct Salian dynasty, were the natural rivals of Lothair. In order to seal this alliance, was decided the marriage between Bolesław III's eldest son Władysław with Agnes. The wedding took place around 1125; according to some historians, the couple already received the Duchy of Silesia
Duchy of Silesia
The Duchy of Silesia with its capital at Wrocław was a medieval duchy located in the historic Silesian region of Poland. Soon after it was formed under the Piast dynasty in 1138, it fragmented into various Duchies of Silesia. In 1327 the remaining Duchy of Wrocław as well as most other duchies...
from Bolesław III as a gift.
High Duchess of Poland
Bolesław III died on 28 October 1138. In his will, he divided Poland between his sons. As the oldest son, the supreme authority in the country was assigned to Władysław II with the title of High Duke (PrincepsPrinceps
Princeps is a Latin word meaning "first in time or order; the first, chief, the most eminent, distinguished, or noble; the first man, first person."...
). In addition to Silesia, he received the Seniorate Province
Seniorate Province
Seniorate Province, also known as the Senioral Province , Duchy of Kraków , Duchy of Cracow, Principality of Cracow, Principality of Kraków, was the superior among the five provinces established in 1138 according to the Testament of Bolesław III Krzywousty...
(which included Lesser Poland
Lesser Poland
Lesser Poland is one of the historical regions of Poland, with its capital in the city of Kraków. It forms the southeastern corner of the country, and should not be confused with the modern Lesser Poland Voivodeship, which covers only a small, southern part of Lesser Poland...
, eastern Greater Poland
Greater Poland
Greater Poland or Great Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska is a historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief city is Poznań.The boundaries of Greater Poland have varied somewhat throughout history...
and western Kuyavia
Kuyavia
Kujawy , is a historical and ethnographic region in the north-central Poland, situated in the basin of the middle Vistula and upper Noteć Rivers, with its capital in Włocławek.-Etymology:The origin of the name Kujawy was seen differently in history...
) and the authority over Pomerania
Pomerania
Pomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East...
. His half-brothers Boleslaw IV
Boleslaw IV the Curly
Bolesław IV the Curly from the Piast dynasty was Duke of Masovia since 1138 and High Duke of Poland from 1146 until his death....
, Mieszko III and Henry
Henry of Sandomierz
Henry of Sandomierz was a Duke of Sandomierz since 1138 or 1146 until his death....
received hereditary fiefs as Junior Dukes. In addition, Władysław II would also receive the lands of Łęczyca, then granted by Bolesław III to his widow Salomea of Berg
Salomea of Berg
Salomea of Berg was a German noblewoman and by marriage Duchess of Poland.She was the daughter of Swabian Count Henry of Berg Castle by his wife Adelaide of Mochental , probably a sister of Margrave Diepold III of Vohburg...
for life as her Oprawa wdowia and to revert to the Seniorate Province upon her death.
Almost immediately, the High Duke began his efforts to unify the country under his rule. Wincenty Kadłubek stated that the confrontation between Władysław II and his half-brothers was mainly instigated by Agnes, who believed that her husband, as the eldest son, had the right to be the sole ruler of the whole country.
In order to strengthen the authority of the High Duke, it is believed that Agnes took part in the downfall of one of the most powerful nobles in the country, the voivode Piotr Włostowic, who supported the Junior Dukes. According to a legend, the capture of Włostowic was thanks to Agnes, because she sent her personal slanders to his castle and took him during the night. This event is recorded in German contemporary historiography; however, since this story is not confirmed, remained discarted by modern historians. Agnes demanded Włostowic's death, but her husband decided instead to make an example of him: Włostowic was blinded, muted and sentenced to exile.
Deposition and exile
The tyrannical rule of Władysław II and Agnes caused many of their subjects to switch their allegiance to the Junior Dukes. In early 1146 the High Duke's forces were finally defeated near PoznańPoznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
. Władysław II escaped to Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
, while Agnes and her children remained in Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
, where for some time they could maintain the resistance against the Junior Dukes from the Wawel castle
Wawel Castle
The Gothic Wawel Castle in Kraków in Poland was built at the behest of Casimir III the Great and consists of a number of structures situated around the central courtyard. In the 14th century it was rebuilt by Jogaila and Jadwiga of Poland. Their reign saw the addition of the tower called the Hen's...
. However, the attempts to defend the city were unsuccessful, and at the end the whole family was reunited in exile.
After a short time at the Bohemian court of Duke Vladislaus II, Agnes' half-brother King Conrad III of Germany offered his hospitality to the Polish royal family, who settled at the Kaiserpfalz
Kaiserpfalz
The term Kaiserpfalz or Königspfalz refers to a number of castles across the Holy Roman Empire which served as temporary, secondary seats of power for the Holy Roman Emperor in the Early and High Middle Ages...
of Altenburg
Altenburg
Altenburg is a town in the German federal state of Thuringia, 45 km south of Leipzig. It is the capital of the Altenburger Land district.-Geography:...
. At first, it seemed that Władysław II would soon regain power over Poland. A German expedition against the Junior Dukes was launched in 1146, but due to flooding of the Oder
Oder
The Oder is a river in Central Europe. It rises in the Czech Republic and flows through western Poland, later forming of the border between Poland and Germany, part of the Oder-Neisse line...
River and the pressures on the German king by the margraves Albert the Bear and Conrad of Meissen
Conrad, Margrave of Meissen
Conrad the Great was the Margrave of Meissen from 1123 until his retirement in 1156. He was the son of Thimo, Count of Brehna, of the House of Wettin and Ida, daughter of Otto of Nordheim. He was also Count of Wettin, Brehna, and Camburg from before 1116.In 1123, he became Count of Eilenburg...
, the campaign failed.
The failure of the expedition didn't discourage Agnes, who continued with her attempts to restore her husband. She asked the intervention of Pope Eugenius III, who decided to raise the question in the 1148 Council of Reims
Council of Reims (1148)
In 1148, a Council of Reims was called by Pope Eugene III to consider a number of regulations, or canons, for the Church, as well as to debate some other issues. Originally the summons for the council went out in October 1147 and it was supposed to be held in Trier, which is now in Germany, but...
, and sent his legate Guy to Poland to obtain the submission of the Junior Dukes. However, they refused to accept the return of Władysław II, and the Pope declared a ban over Poland. The penalty, thanks for the cohesive support of the Polish church hierarchy by the Junior Dukes, was virtually without repercussions.
In 1152 King Conrad III died and was succeeded by his nephew Frederick Barbarossa
Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick I Barbarossa was a German Holy Roman Emperor. He was elected King of Germany at Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March, crowned King of Italy in Pavia in 1155, and finally crowned Roman Emperor by Pope Adrian IV, on 18 June 1155, and two years later in 1157 the term...
. With the accession of the energetic ruler, the hopes of Agnes and Władysław II of returning to Poland were reborn. Following the inducements of his aunt, the new German King launched an expedition against Poland in 1157. The campaign was a success but unexpectedly Barbarossa did not restore Władysław II to the Polish throne. Instead High Duke Bolesław IV was declared a vassal of Emperor Frederick and was compelled to pay tribute to him. In compensation, he forced Bolesław to promise the restitution of the Silesian duchy to Władysław's sons.
Death and aftermaths
Both Agnes and Władysław II knew that their battle was finally lost. They remained in Altenburg, where Władysław II died on 30 May 1159. Agnes' day of death is generally placed by sources between 24 and 25 January, but the year remained disputed among historians and sources. Certainly she survived her husband, and it is known that she did not return to Silesia with her sons when they were finally restored in their heritage in 1163. Thus, it is believed that Agnes died between 1160 and 1163. She was buried in the Cistercian abbey of PfortaPforta
Pforta, or Schulpforta, is a former Cistercian monastery, Pforta Abbey , near Naumburg on the Saale River in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is now a celebrated German public boarding school, called Landesschule Pforta...
near Naumburg
Naumburg
Naumburg is a town in Germany, on the Saale River. It is in the district Burgenlandkreis in the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt. It is approximately southwest of Leipzig, south-southwest of Halle, and north-northeast of Jena....
on the Saale
Saale
The Saale, also known as the Saxon Saale and Thuringian Saale , is a river in Germany and a left-bank tributary of the Elbe. It is not to be confused with the smaller Franconian Saale, a right-bank tributary of the Main, or the Saale in Lower Saxony, a tributary of the Leine.-Course:The Saale...
river.
Children
Agnes and Wladyslaw had the following children:- Bolesław I the Tall (b. 1127 - d. 8 December 1201).
- Mieszko I Tanglefoot (b. ca. 1130 - 16 May 1211).
- Richeza (b. 1140 - d. 16 June 1185), married firstly in 1152 to Alfonso VII, King of GaliciaKingdom of GaliciaThe Kingdom of Galicia was a political entity located in southwestern Europe, which at its territorial zenith occupied the entire northwest of the Iberian Peninsula. Founded by Suebic king Hermeric in the year 409, the Galician capital was established in Braga, being the first kingdom which...
, CastileKingdom of CastileKingdom of Castile was one of the medieval kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula. It emerged as a political autonomous entity in the 9th century. It was called County of Castile and was held in vassalage from the Kingdom of León. Its name comes from the host of castles constructed in the region...
and LeónKingdom of LeónThe Kingdom of León was an independent kingdom situated in the northwest region of the Iberian Peninsula. It was founded in AD 910 when the Christian princes of Asturias along the northern coast of the peninsula shifted their capital from Oviedo to the city of León...
, secondly in 1162 to Ramon Berenguer IIRamon Berenguer II, Count of ProvenceRamon Berenguer II was the count of Provence from 1144 to his death. His uncle, Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Barcelona, was the regent until 1157....
, Count of ProvenceProvenceProvence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
and thirdly by 1167 to Count Albert III of Everstein. - Konrad SpindleshanksKonrad SpindleshanksKonrad Spindleshanks , was a Duke of Głogów since 1177 until his death.He was the third and youngest surviving son of Władysław II the Exile by his wife Agnes of Babenberg, daughter of Margrave Leopold III of Austria and half-sister of King Conrad III of Germany.-Life:Little is known about Konrad's...
(b. 1146/57 - d. 17 January 1190). - Albert (d. young, ca. 1168).