Constance of Greater Poland
Encyclopedia
Constance of Greater Poland (also known as of Poznań) (1245/46 – 8 October 1281) was a princess of Greater Poland
, a member of the House of Piast, and by marriage a Margravine of Brandenburg
-Stendal
.
She was the eldest daughter of Przemysł I, Duke of Greater Poland and Poznań
, by his wife Elisabeth
, daughter of Henry II the Pious
, Duke of Wrocław. She was probably named after her maternal aunt Constance, second wife of Casimir I
, Duke of Kuyavia
.
gave her a dispensation
to celebrate the marriage, which was necessary because both Constance and Conrad were great-great-grandchildren of Mieszko III the Old
(Constance through Mieszko III's son Odon and Conrad through Mieszko III's daughter Elisabeth
). With this alliance, Duke Przemysł I and his brother Bolesław the Pious wanted to establish warmer relations with expanding Brandenburg
, which became dangerous to the Greater Poland Dukes during the 1250s.
The formal marriage between Constance and Conrad took place in the border town of Santok
in 1260, after the death of Przemysł I. Constance's dowry was the castellany of Santok, though without the main city, which remained in Greater Poland, given to the Margraviate of Brandenburg with the consent of a wiec
reunited in Greater Poland
, which took place on 1 July of that year in Poznań
. The castellany guaranteed the amount promised by Przemysł I as a dowry for his daughter in 1255.
During her marriage, Constance bore her husband four children, three sons (John IV of Brandenburg, Otto VII of Brandenburg, and Waldemar
) and a daughter, Agnes, later wife of Albert I, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
.
The marriage between Constance and Conrad did not bring the expected peace between the Brandenburg and Greater Poland rulers: by 1265, they were fighting for the possession of Santok after Brandenburg occupied the main city. The war was fought intermittently and ended only in 1278, when Greater Poland recovered all of its lost domains.
Margrave John I died on 4 April 1266. Brandenburg was then divided into two parts: one held by John I's brother and co-ruler Otto III (who survived him for only one year), called Brandenburg-Salzwedel
, and the other ruled by John I's sons (including Conrad), named Brandenburg-Stendal
. Because they all jointly used the title of Margrave, Constance became Margravine consort of Brandenburg-Stendal after her husband became co-ruler of Brandenburg-Stendal.
Constance died on 8 October 1281 and was buried in the Cistercian monastery in Chorin
. Her husband never remarried and died in 1304; Constance's only descendants were from her daughter Agnes, Princess of Anhalt-Zerbst: through her, she was one of the ancestors of Catherine II the Great of Russia
.
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...
, a member of the House of Piast, and by marriage a Margravine of Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
-Stendal
Stendal
Stendal is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is the capital of Stendal District and unofficial capital of the Altmark. Its population in 2001 was 38,900. It is located some west of Berlin and around east of Hanover...
.
She was the eldest daughter of Przemysł I, Duke of Greater Poland and Poznań
Poznan
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...
, by his wife Elisabeth
Elisabeth of Wrocław
Elisabeth of Wrocław , also known as Elisabeth of Poland, was a daughter of Henry II the Pious and his wife Anna of Bohemia . She was a member of the House of Piast and was Duchess of Greater Poland by her marriage.- Family :Elisabeth was the seventh of ten children born to her parents...
, daughter of Henry II the Pious
Henry II the Pious
Henry II the Pious , of the Silesian line of the Piast dynasty was Duke of Silesia at Wrocław and Duke of Kraków and thus High Duke of all Poland as well as Duke of Southern Greater Poland from 1238 until his death. During 1238–1239 he also served as a regent of two other Piast duchies: Sandomierz...
, Duke of Wrocław. She was probably named after her maternal aunt Constance, second wife of Casimir I
Casimir I of Kuyavia
Casimir I of Kuyavia was Prince of Kujawy, Mazovia and Wielkopolska, from 1233 until his death. He was the son of Konrad I of Masovia, King of Poland, and his wife Agafia of Rus.- Life :...
, Duke of 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...
.
Life
In 1255 Constance was engaged to Conrad, son of John I, Margrave of Brandenburg. On 19 December of that year, Pope Alexander IVPope Alexander IV
Pope Alexander IV was Pope from 1254 until his death.Born as Rinaldo di Jenne, in Jenne , he was, on his mother's side, a member of the de' Conti di Segni family, the counts of Segni, like Pope Innocent III and Pope Gregory IX...
gave her a dispensation
Dispensation (Catholic Church)
In the canon law of the Roman Catholic Church, a dispensation is the suspension by competent authority of general rules of law in particular cases...
to celebrate the marriage, which was necessary because both Constance and Conrad were great-great-grandchildren of Mieszko III the Old
Mieszko III the Old
Mieszko III the Old , of the royal Piast dynasty, was Duke of Greater Poland from 1138 and High Duke of Poland, with interruptions, from 1173 until his death....
(Constance through Mieszko III's son Odon and Conrad through Mieszko III's daughter Elisabeth
Elisabeth of Greater Poland (1152–1209)
Elisabeth of Greater Poland was a Polish princess of the House of Piast and, by her two marriages, Duchess of Bohemia and Margravine of Lusatia....
). With this alliance, Duke Przemysł I and his brother Bolesław the Pious wanted to establish warmer relations with expanding Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
, which became dangerous to the Greater Poland Dukes during the 1250s.
The formal marriage between Constance and Conrad took place in the border town of Santok
Santok
Santok is a village in Gorzów County, Lubusz Voivodeship, in western Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Santok. It is located at the confluence of the Noteć and Warta rivers, approximately east of Gorzów Wielkopolski...
in 1260, after the death of Przemysł I. Constance's dowry was the castellany of Santok, though without the main city, which remained in Greater Poland, given to the Margraviate of Brandenburg with the consent of a wiec
Veche
Veche was a popular assembly in medieval Slavic countries.In Novgorod, where the veche acquired the greatest prominence, the veche was broadly similar to the Norse thing or the Swiss Landsgemeinde.-Etymology:...
reunited in 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...
, which took place on 1 July of that year in Poznań
Poznan
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...
. The castellany guaranteed the amount promised by Przemysł I as a dowry for his daughter in 1255.
During her marriage, Constance bore her husband four children, three sons (John IV of Brandenburg, Otto VII of Brandenburg, and Waldemar
Waldemar, Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal
Waldemar of Brandenburg was Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal, the last from the Ascanian House.-Life:He was a son of Conrad, Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal and Constance, daughter of Przemysł I of Greater Poland...
) and a daughter, Agnes, later wife of Albert I, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
Albert I, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
Albert I, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst....
.
The marriage between Constance and Conrad did not bring the expected peace between the Brandenburg and Greater Poland rulers: by 1265, they were fighting for the possession of Santok after Brandenburg occupied the main city. The war was fought intermittently and ended only in 1278, when Greater Poland recovered all of its lost domains.
Margrave John I died on 4 April 1266. Brandenburg was then divided into two parts: one held by John I's brother and co-ruler Otto III (who survived him for only one year), called Brandenburg-Salzwedel
Salzwedel
Salzwedel of Altmarkkreis Salzwedel, and has a population of approximately 21,500. Salzwedel is located on the German Framework Road.-Geography:...
, and the other ruled by John I's sons (including Conrad), named Brandenburg-Stendal
Stendal
Stendal is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is the capital of Stendal District and unofficial capital of the Altmark. Its population in 2001 was 38,900. It is located some west of Berlin and around east of Hanover...
. Because they all jointly used the title of Margrave, Constance became Margravine consort of Brandenburg-Stendal after her husband became co-ruler of Brandenburg-Stendal.
Constance died on 8 October 1281 and was buried in the Cistercian monastery in Chorin
Chorin
Chorin is a municipality in the district of Barnim in Brandenburg, Germany. It is most famous for its cloister and for being situated within the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve. It is famous for its medieval Brick Gothic Chorin Abbey ....
. Her husband never remarried and died in 1304; Constance's only descendants were from her daughter Agnes, Princess of Anhalt-Zerbst: through her, she was one of the ancestors of Catherine II the Great of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.