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Elisabeth of Austria (1526-1545)
Encyclopedia
Elisabeth of Austria (9 July 1526 – 15 June 1545) was the eldest child of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
and his wife Anna of Bohemia and Hungary
. Elisabeth was a member of the House of Habsburg.
. Elisabeth's father had attempted to marry his daughter off to the Polish prince when she was only one year old. Even though Elisabeth knew of her future marriage she was not taught Polish. Probably it was a deliberate so the queen would need a translator, her family wanted to place a spy for the Habsburgs in the Polish court.
In view of the fact that Elisabeth was the granddaughter of Vladislas II of Hungary, uncle of Sigismund, Pope Clement VII
had to give a papal dispensation so the wedding could take place. So 16 year old Elisabeth married 22 year old Sigismund, they married on May 6, 1543 in Wawel
. Elisabeth's mother-in-law Bona Sforza
did not want the wedding to take place because she hated the Habsburgs.
The marriage was not happy. Young, inexperienced and shy Elisabeth was not attracted to her husband. The situation deteriorated when Elisabeth was diagnosed with an incurable disease, epilepsy
. Throughout the duration of marriage Sigismund betrayed his wife by taking a mistress Barbara Radziwill
. At the same time Bona openly showed dislike to Elisabeth. The only person showing sympathy to Elisabeth was her father-in-law Sigismund I the Old
. In Autumn 1544 the couple went to Lithuania. The couple lived in Vilnius
. Her husband was heavily involved in an affair with Radziwill.
In the spring 1545 Elisabeth's health deteriorated, tormented by her increasingly frequent seizures of epilepsy. At the beginning of June 1545 Sigismund went to Krakow
to received the dowry of Elisabeth, he left his wife alone in Vilnius
. On June 15 the young queen died exhausted by many seizures of epilepsy, she was just 19 years old. She was buried on August 24, 1545 in Vilnius Cathedral
next to her husband's uncle, a brother of her grandfather, Alexander the Jagiellonian.
Her quarrel with Queen Bona Sforza
over the Parmesan cheese is commonly known in Poland.
After Elisabeth's death Sigismund remarried to Radziwiłł and after her death he married Elisabeth's younger sister Catherine of Austria. Sigismund had no legitimate children from his three wives.
Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand I was Holy Roman Emperor from 1558 and king of Bohemia and Hungary from 1526 until his death. Before his accession, he ruled the Austrian hereditary lands of the Habsburgs in the name of his elder brother, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.The key events during his reign were the contest...
and his wife Anna of Bohemia and Hungary
Anna of Bohemia and Hungary
Anna of Bohemia and Hungary, also sometimes known as Anna Jagellonica was, by marriage to Ferdinand I, King of the Romans and later Holy Roman Emperor, Queen of the Romans.-Family:She was the elder child and only daughter of king Vladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary and his third...
. Elisabeth was a member of the House of Habsburg.
Life
From an early age Elisabeth was being prepared for her marriage to Sigismund II AugustusSigismund II Augustus
Sigismund II Augustus I was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, the only son of Sigismund I the Old, whom Sigismund II succeeded in 1548...
. Elisabeth's father had attempted to marry his daughter off to the Polish prince when she was only one year old. Even though Elisabeth knew of her future marriage she was not taught Polish. Probably it was a deliberate so the queen would need a translator, her family wanted to place a spy for the Habsburgs in the Polish court.
In view of the fact that Elisabeth was the granddaughter of Vladislas II of Hungary, uncle of Sigismund, Pope Clement VII
Pope Clement VII
Clement VII , born Giulio di Giuliano de' Medici, was a cardinal from 1513 to 1523 and was Pope from 1523 to 1534.-Early life:...
had to give a papal dispensation so the wedding could take place. So 16 year old Elisabeth married 22 year old Sigismund, they married on May 6, 1543 in Wawel
Wawel
Wawel is an architectural complex erected over many centuries atop a limestone outcrop on the left bank of the Vistula River in Kraków, Poland, at an altitude of 228 metres above the sea level. It is a place of great significance to the Polish people. The Royal Castle with an armoury and the...
. Elisabeth's mother-in-law Bona Sforza
Bona Sforza
Bona Sforza was a member of the powerful Milanese House of Sforza. In 1518, she became the second wife of Sigismund I the Old, the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, and became the Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania.She was the third child of Gian Galeazzo Sforza and his wife...
did not want the wedding to take place because she hated the Habsburgs.
The marriage was not happy. Young, inexperienced and shy Elisabeth was not attracted to her husband. The situation deteriorated when Elisabeth was diagnosed with an incurable disease, epilepsy
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases...
. Throughout the duration of marriage Sigismund betrayed his wife by taking a mistress Barbara Radziwill
Barbara Radziwill
Barbara Radziwiłł was Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania, and consort to King Sigismund II Augustus.- Biography :Barbara was the daughter of a powerful magnate of the Radziwiłł family, castellan, voivode and hetman of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania Jerzy Radziwiłł, and Barbara...
. At the same time Bona openly showed dislike to Elisabeth. The only person showing sympathy to Elisabeth was her father-in-law Sigismund I the Old
Sigismund I the Old
Sigismund I of Poland , of the Jagiellon dynasty, reigned as King of Poland and also as the Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1506 until 1548...
. In Autumn 1544 the couple went to Lithuania. The couple lived in Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
. Her husband was heavily involved in an affair with Radziwill.
In the spring 1545 Elisabeth's health deteriorated, tormented by her increasingly frequent seizures of epilepsy. At the beginning of June 1545 Sigismund went to Krakow
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...
to received the dowry of Elisabeth, he left his wife alone in Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
. On June 15 the young queen died exhausted by many seizures of epilepsy, she was just 19 years old. She was buried on August 24, 1545 in Vilnius Cathedral
Vilnius Cathedral
The Cathedral of Vilnius is the main Roman Catholic Cathedral of Lithuania.It is situated in Vilnius Old Town, just off of Cathedral Square. It is the heart of Lithuania's Catholic spiritual life....
next to her husband's uncle, a brother of her grandfather, Alexander the Jagiellonian.
Her quarrel with Queen Bona Sforza
Bona Sforza
Bona Sforza was a member of the powerful Milanese House of Sforza. In 1518, she became the second wife of Sigismund I the Old, the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, and became the Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania.She was the third child of Gian Galeazzo Sforza and his wife...
over the Parmesan cheese is commonly known in Poland.
After Elisabeth's death Sigismund remarried to Radziwiłł and after her death he married Elisabeth's younger sister Catherine of Austria. Sigismund had no legitimate children from his three wives.